Happy Halloween
The Colorado Traveling Ducks and humans wish you all a very Happy Halloween. Wishing you all a safe and fun filled Halloween.
Thanks to all that helped our duck family grow
Happy Halloween 2015
Month: October 2015
Halloween Party in Chatanika, Alaska
I, Zeb the Duck, have news from Alaska. Eider Duck, my Alaska cousin, sent me these pictures. Eider and the humans go to Chatanika, Alaska, a town near Fairbanks, for the Halloween party.
Eider said he had a lot of fun. Some people wear costumes.
Halloween in Chatanika, Alaska
Fun in Chatanika, Alaska
The decorations are pretty fantastic.
Scary
Eider says everybody has a lot of fun.
Really decorated
The bar and restaurant also has a few motel rooms, so many people stay for a night or two.
People have a wonderful time in Chatanika.
Halloween party in Chatanika, Alaska
Eider, be careful. Is this party safe for feathered creatures??
Eider. Watch your neck
Thanks for sending these photos, Eider. Looks like you had a crazy, but great, Halloween party. We all hope you have fun for Halloween. Remember, have fun and be safe. Halloween is a holiday for all ages to have a great time.
Riding Camels in Broome, Australia with Zeb and Eider Duck
We are walking past the rocks on Cable Beach now.
Rocks at Cable Beach
What are these?
They are big
We are sitting on a camel!
We are on a camel
Ours is sort of cute.
Rather cute
The people are Red Sun Camel employees. They will help us on the camel and walk with us to ensure we do not fall off the camel.
These humans will help us
This is our shadow.
Shadow shows we are far above the sand
We ducks have to stay in our travel bags during the ride. Humans think we may fall off the camels. We agree. The camels are connected and there are 18 camels in our train.
Our camel group
We have 2 trains. Anyone know a good camel dentist?
Too close
There two other companies providing camel rides. The blue camels,
Blue is nice also
and the yellow camels. We really like the blankets on these yellow camels.
Yellow blankets are attractive
All the camel companies offer the same sunset ride. The sun is setting.
Another perfect sunset on Cable Beach
Another beautiful sunset on the Indian Ocean at Cable Beach, Western Australia. These camel rides at sunset on Cable Beach are very popular and now we know why.
So cool
They are wonderful. We hope you can try one also. When you go, be sure to look at all the great souvenirs of your ride. We just bought a professional photo of us on the camel, but they have so much to offer.
Many souvenirs available
We love Cable Beach. We love Broome. We love Western Australia. We love the sunsets. And, we even love our camel.
Town Beach and Stairway to the Moon in Broome, Australia with Zeb and Eider
Walking from our Hotel Mercure Broome, Zeb and Eider Duck found Town Beach.
Welcome to Town Beach
There is a great water area for kids there, even before we got to Roebuck Bay.
Great play area here
Small humans and parents can get into the pools or play in the water fountains. They were having a great time. A large grassy park is also there. We loved this bridge.
Pretty and peaceful atmosphere here
Pioneer Cemetery is also located at Town Beach.
Cemetery is beautiful overlooking Roebuck Bay
Here is the marker for Diamond Jack Palmer.
Diamond Jack
What a great name! This marks the final resting place of Captain Harry Talboys.
Final resting for this sea captain and Master Pearler
He was a Sea Captain and Master Pearler. Broome was built by sea captains and the pearl industry. Not be forgotten, this is were the casualties from the first air raid on Broome were taken during World War II.
Air Raid on Broome on March 3, 1942
Isn’t this a pretty beach?
Town Beach is wonderful
As you can see, the tide is pretty high now.
High tide. Water in tree area
We liked this crow like bird, even if he was very noisy.
Very talkative
Tonight is a full moon, so there is a special event at Town Beach. During some months of the year, when the moon is full and the tide is low, the light of the moon reflects on the mud flats and it looks like there is a stairway to the moon. Tonight is Stairway to the Moon, and we are here, in Broome, Western Australia.
Stairway to the moon
The Stairway to the Moon is best viewed from Town Beach.
Stairway to the Moon in Broome, Western Australia
We liked the Stairway to the Moon and there was a festival there also. It was a lot of fun with great food. At the festival we visited many craft booths. The food booths were so tempting. The closest neighbors to Broome, Australia are Indonesia, New Guinea, Malaysia, Singapore and other islands. As result the craft booths had so many items we don’t usually see at home. Incredible wood carvings and so much more. The aromas from the food booths were truly making us salivate. A warm tropical evening, full moon, new and appealing fragrances and a Stairway to the Moon. . . This truly was a night to remember. It was too dark for photos. Just look how dark this tropical sky is tonight.
Flood lights on a palm tree
We hope you are in Broome, or Western Australia, sometime to see the Stairway to the Moon.
A Talking Loon
We, Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck, stand at the foot of the world’s largest talking loon. This loon is 16 feet tall and stands in Mercer, Wisconsin. You have to see him!
World’s largest talking loon
Northern Wisconsin with Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck
We drove across a bridge from Duluth, Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. When mom and our cousin, Eider Duck’s dad were kids, they used to vacation in Northern Wisconsin. We are crossing northern Wisconsin, heading toward Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Just before Michigan, we took highway 51 south. We passed by, and drove on, so many quiet roads like this one.
Quiet roads
Here you can see that the leaves were turning colors for autumn, but they were not yet at their peak color.
Leaves changing, but not peak colors yet
A little north of Tomahawk, we turned on a small road that partially circled a calm lake.
Mom and Eider’s dad spent many summers at this lake
This is the lake mom and her brother visited as kids. Isn’t it a beautiful place? Was great for kids to learn to swim and handle small boats. Here we are sitting on logs.
We are sitting on logs
This is what you would imagine for the forests in the north woods area. Wisconsin is not all woods though. This is a Wisconsin farm. Remember, Wisconsin is the Dairy State.
Pretty Wisconsin farm
Isn’t this pretty?
Reflections in the lake
We saw so many scenes like this. The tall trees and a lake. We love the reflection of the trees on the still water of the lakes. Another typical scene driving down most roads in Northern Wisconsin.
Typical Northern Wisconsin road
You can see the leaves have started to change colors.
Leaves starting to change around this lake
On this quick tour of Wisconsin, we drove from Superior east to highway 51 near the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Then south to Tomahawk. A little west and drove on highway 13 back to Ashland, located on Lake Superior. We loved our drive through Northern Wisconsin. We hope you like it also.
Derby, Western Australia with Zeb and Eider Duck
In Derby we visited the Wharfinger’s House Museum.
Back terrace of Wharfinger House Museum
The Wharfinger is the person who owns or has control of the Wharf. This is an example of prefabricated wooden housing of the 1920s and 1930s. There are three sections of this museum: shipping, communication and aviation. This canoe from Sunday Island is great.
Canoe from Sunday Island found in marsh area near Derby
Makes us want to go for a canoe ride. Oh no! This is a dentist’s drill?
Dentist Drill??
Makes the Colorado Traveling Ducks glad they do not have people teeth. Walking around Derby we found the Old Derby Gaol. The Old Derby Gaol is located next to the current police station.
Old Derby Gaol
This original prison, or gaol, was often overcrowded and without proper sanitation facilities. Many prisoners were chained to the floor to prevent movement and escape.
Prisoners were chained to floor
The signs in this area say that most of the prisoners were aboriginals.
Lots of information here
Near the wharf we saw the Old Derby Woolshed and the Derby Historic Tramway Project.
Historic Woolshed and Tramway
The old equipment from the tramway was real interesting.
Old equipment
The tides at the jetty vary greatly. These tides are Australia’s highest, with tidal variations being as much as 11 meters. These photos are near low tide.
Low tide
Low tide
These photos are near high tide.
High tide
High tide
The jetty is also a great place to watch the sunset.
Another beautiful sunset on the Indian Ocean
We love sunsets! We enjoyed our visit to Derby, Australia. We think you would enjoy Derby also, but go during the winter if you can. Summer brings rain and flooding during The Wet.
Zeb and Eider Duck Drive to Derby, Western Australia
Zeb, Eider, and the humans are driving to Derby. We will stay over night in Derby and then return to Broome. This sign is not too important today, but it is very important during the summer or rainy season.
Important sign during The Wet
They call the rainy season The Wet. Much of this area will be flooded and closed. The termites have really been busy here. Lots of additions, maybe a termite town?
Termite hill. They keep adding to this hill
Approaching Broome, we stop at the Boab Prison Tree.
Prison Boab Tree
This tree is believed to be about 1500 years old, and has a girth of 14 meters. The trunk of the tree has been slit and much of the trunk was hollowed out to place prisoners inside. Prisoners were put inside the tree while being transported from one area to another.
Tree was slit so prisoners could be inside
In this same location, we saw the longest cattle trough.
Longest cattle trough
Built in 1917, it is 120 meters long and could handle 500 cattle at a time. Water to the cattle trough is now pumped by this windmill.
Windmill
We really liked these Boab trees.
Fascinating trees. We will not see them in many other parts of Australia
They grow only in the Kimberley region of Western Austraia and in the Victoria and Fitzmaurice river basins in the Northern Territory. Africa and the island of Madagascar also have Boab trees. The fruit of the tree contains malic, tartaric and ascorbic acids.
Nut of Boab tree
The seeds have high protein value. The pulp is eaten dry or mixed with water as a beverage. The Boab nut is also often carved and decorated to be purchased by tourists. We will only see these Boab trees for a short time, so we are really looking at them. We visited the nearby Mowanjum Art and Culture Center.
Here we are. Mowanjum Art and Culture Center
This is an example of newer aboriginal rock painting.
Newer aboriginal art
There is a Boab tree at the Mowanjum Center.
Mowanjum Center has a Boab tree
Carved and decorated Boab nuts are available for purchase.
Decorated Boab Nuts
We saw and learned at the Mowanjum Center. You will like it if you visit. Next time we will show you what we found in Derby.
Zeb and Eider Explore Broome, Western Australia
Broome was built on the pearl industry. Streeter’s Jetty was an important part of this industry.
Streeter’s Jetty
Now it is a great pier to walk and admire Roebuck Bay.
We are going to explore Streeter’s Jetty
At the end of Streeter’s Jetty we see Roebuck Bay.
Out to Roebuck Bay
Wandering through town, we discover this shady area and inviting table. It is time for a snack.
Beverages??
After a refreshing beverage, we found these statues and memorial to the Hard Hat Divers of the pearl industry. Statue is great, but dark in this photo.
Hard hat pearl diver
Diving for pearls is a difficult and dangerous job.
Honoring and remembering pearl divers
Broome is a rather small town, and popular tourist destination, so traffic can be a problem, especially for the residents. We thought this sign was rather clever, putting the drivers first.
Vehicles have right of way here
A few blocks further, we liked this statue honoring the women who took care of the homes and children while waiting for the pearl divers to return.
Pearl industry honors women
Again, mom is fascinated by the beautiful birds seen here.
Love the beautiful birds
Broome, like so many towns in Australia, remembers and honors their veterans. We liked Bedford Memorial Park.
Bedford Memorial Park
This monument honors those lost during the first air raid on Broome during World War II.
Remembering Broome’s first air raid of World War II
This raid killed many women and children civilians, mostly refugees from the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. After this air raid, the city of Broome was evacuated. Continuing along the coast, we stopped at this small museum.
Broome Historical Museum
Wow! A time capsule, once opened, had been changed and resealed December, 2000. It will be reopened November 32, 2033.
Broome Time Capsule
It will a reminder of how many things have changed during those 33 years. We would love to be there to see the contents in 2033. Broome is a very nice town with friendly people. We ate terrific homemade ice cream. We even met owners of a souvenir shop that had recently visited Colorado. We like Broome and would be happy to return here. You would like it also, we think.
Zeb and Soapy Go to Duluth, Minnesota
We are now in Minnesota.
Hello Minnesota
Soapy Smith Duck and his parents go to Minnesota, but this is the first time for Zeb. Southern Minnesota is like Iowa. We like this farm where the farmer has put grain in these cars for transport.
Minnesota farm
We stopped at the town of Moose Lake, Minnesota. This rest park is dedicated to Deputy Sheriff, Ervid T. Clemons He was killed while on duty August 26, 1993. We like this pier going over the Moose Horn River.
Pier over Moose Horn River
Isn’t this a great totem pole?
We like totem poles
We like it in this park by the river. Nearby is the memorial for Moises Albert Langhorst, Private First Class, US Marine Corps.
Memory of Moises Albert Langhorst
He gave his life April 16, 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. We like parks and memorials to remember and honor those who gave their lives to preserve our way of life. We are now in Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth is a major seaport on Lake Superior. You will remember that the five Great Lakes between the United States and Canada are all connected, and further connected by the St. Lawrence Seaway, to the Atlantic Ocean. That is why a city so far from the ocean can be a major seaport. We drove on the Scenic Skyline Parkway overlooking Lake Superior.
From Scenic Skyline Parkway
The bridge we see connects Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. Later we drove across that bridge. The Scenic Skyline Parkway did provide great views of Lake Superior and the hills of Duluth. No we are back in Duluth at the waterfront. This is the Historic Canal Park and a major tourist area. Humans can follow the sidewalk and walk to this lighthouse.
Duluth lighthouse
Humans can also rent these bicycle carts. Many have three benches so 6 people can help pedal around Canal Park.
Pedal around Canal Park
Much of this park was built and is maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. We liked the tug boat from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
US Army Corps of Engineers
Of course humans, and ducks, always appreciate a good snack wagon
Love snacks!
This is a special type of bridge. This is the Aerial Lift Bridge. Now the bottom layer is lifted to allow a boat to pass under the bridge.
Bridge raised for boat
When the boat has passed, the bottom layer is lowered for cars and pedestrians to cross the bridge.
Bridge lowered for vehicles and pedestrians
This bridge, completed in 1905, is the oldest structural landmark in the city. Improvements were done in 1929. The bridge has a clearance of 180 feet, a span length of 386 feet and weighs 900 tons. We liked this bridge, but those boats sure do have loud horn blasts when they have passed. We are going to Wisconsin soon, but in a few days we will return to see more of northern Minnesota. It is really nice here. We like it and know you would like it also.
Colorado Traveling Ducks 