Frank's Glass-bottomed boat, Blue Waters Inn, Tobago

I took this photo from the pier at the Blue Waters Inn, on the island of Tobago, on 15 March 2017. We travelled in Frank's orange and green, glass-bottomed boat across the bay to Little Tobago island, where we did an uphill, challenging, hot hike to the top of the island. The highest point on the island is approximately 37 metres (121 ft) above sea level. Some interesting sightings, but I was exhausted by the time we finally made it back to the boat. Our guide for this Little Tobago trip was "Z" from Frank's Glass Bottom Boat Tours. Beautiful views from the top of the island, including seeing sea bird colonies. It is a haven for rare birds including red-billed tropicbirds, magnificent frigate birds, shearwater and red footed boobies. The centre of the floor of the boat had an area of glass, through which we could see the reef and coloured fish beneath the surface. The sea between Tobago and Little Tobago is only shallow. Little Tobago is also called Bird of Paradise Island.

"In 1909 Sir William Ingram introduced the greater bird of paradise (Paradisaea apoda) to the island in an attempt to save the species from overhunting for the plume trade in its native New Guinea. About 45 juvenile birds were introduced to the island. After Ingram's death in 1924 his heirs deeded the island to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago as a wildlife sanctuary. The birds survived on the island until at least 1958 when they were filmed by a National Geographic crew. There are no reliable records after 1963 when Hurricane Flora hit the island and the population is presumed to be extinct." From WIkipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Tobago

Bear with me, everyone, as I think I am going to have to post 6 photos from my trip each day, otherwise it will take me many months (years?) to get them on to Flickr. Obviously, no comments expected, unless you happen to like one photo in particular. Actually, I am so disappointed with my photos - never have so many photos come out blurry, many totally blurry and no use at all. No idea why - the light was often really bad and maybe the humidity had some effect. For some species, I am going to post awful shots, just for the record.

It will take me forever to do any kind of write-up about this trip, but eventually, I hope to get some kind of description written. Right now, I'm not quite sure where I was and when, lol! We arrived back in Calgary two evenings ago, on 21 March 2017, and I have to get myself unpacked and organized. Totally dead beat after such a busy time away, dealing with extremely early mornings and hot, humid weather. Those of you who know me well, know that I am a dreadful night-owl, so getting up around 5:15 am was an absolute killer. Also, heat and humidity don't agree with my body, so each trip out was quite exhausting. In the morning of 21 March, we had to get up around 2:00 am, as we had such an early flight (5 and a half hours) from Trinidad to Toronto - followed by a four-hour flight back to Calgary. On our very first day, we had three flights in a row, as we flew from Calgary to Toronto, then Toronto to Port of Spain on Trinidad, from where we had a short flight to the island of Tobago.

This adventure was only the second holiday (or was it actually my third?) of any kind, anywhere, that I have had in something like 30 or 35 years! The other holiday was a one-week holiday with my great friends from England, Linda and Tony, when we went down south to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons in September 2012. I have had maybe half a dozen weekends away, including to Waterton National Park, which have helped keep me going.

Six birding/photographer friends and I decided that we would take this exciting trip together, spending the first two or three days on the island of Tobago and then the rest of the time at the Asa Wright Nature Centre on the nearby, larger island of Trinidad. What a time we had, seeing so many beautiful things - and, of course, everything was a lifer for me. Some of these friends had visited Costa Rica before, so were familiar with quite a few of the birds. There was a lot more to see on Trinidad, so we were glad that we chose Tobago to visit first and then spend a longer time at Asa Wright.

The Asa Wright Nature Centre is such an amazing place! We stayed in cabins up or down hill from the main building. Really, one doesn't need to travel away from the Centre for birding, as so many different species visit the Hummingbird feeders that are right by the huge, open veranda, and the trees of the rain forest that live in the area, high up a mountainous road. The drive up and down this narrow, pot-holed road was an adventure in itself! Never would I ever do this drive myself - we had a guide who drove us everywhere in a van/small bus. I had read many accounts of this road, lol!

And now I am going to take a break from typing and go and make myself some breakfast - already missing the great food that was provided every single day at Asa Wright and the Rum Punch that appeared each evening. I don't drink at all, so I wasn't sure if I would even try the Punch - glad I did, though, as it was delicious.