The ecstasy and the agony

JACK GOT A FREE TICKET TO ANY PLACE HE WANTS! KENYA!

this is my octopus jack. he is with my cousins finn,maggie, tess, ty.

can you find jack.he is on the shelf because my cousins were fighting over him.

this is my cousin ty he happened to find jack and get him to his mouth.

hear he is digging up bones and hand axes. 

hear he is next to a baboon skull.

Liza here: So, yeah, Jack made it to Nairobi. He had some adventures. And one is ongoing, since Jack went AWOL somewhere before Lake Victoria. But he has a tag on his belly, and we're hopeful that, like a message in a bottle, he might make his way home someday. Luckily, we anticipated that this would happen at some point, and Jack had a double. Jack2 is en route to Japan. And we'll probably get a Jack3, just in case! Also, his bling is OK, since Jackie removed it to save it from Ty.

For those who are interested in the details that Stella didn't type up, the dig pictures are from Olorgesailie ("Oleg ah say lee") Pre-Historic Site, where Louis and Mary Leakey excavated some super old hand axes used by early humans. The Cub Scouts let Jack get in on the action.

Winter Get-Away in Hawaii

Kerynn really knows how to show a cephalopod a good time. And extremes. Because after a whirlwind tour of Fairbanks, AK, she whisked Jack off to Hawaii's big island. Here's what they did...

Preparing for a stand-up paddleboard outing from Kona.

Admiring an outrigger canoe: one of the Kona canoe clubs paddles out of the same cove Kerynn and Jack used. No canoeing for them this trip, though...

At Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Park on his first full day in Hawaii, taking in the sun and palm trees.

At Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Park, with the bay in the background where Kerynn went snorkeling. When she was there in spring, Kerynn's friend saw an octopus here, so this is probably the closest thing to a family reunion Jack had. 

At Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Park, waiting for someone to play a game of konane with him. 

On the road up to the Mauna Kea visitor center. Kerynn forgot to take a picture of him there with some of the telescopes they put out for visitors, but the stargazing was amazing!

Enjoying some ahi poke (the flavor was called "Pele's Kiss" - just a little bit on the zippy side) with seaweed salad, rice and a locally-produced orange passion fruit drink. If the family was more into raw fish (they're not at all), Kerynn and Jack would have had it for lunch every day.

At South Point, the southernmost point in the US. Kerynn says, "Some people are crazy enough to jump into these crystal-clear waters from the bluff. But between the heights and the prospect of getting swept away to the South Pacific, I preferred to keep my feet dry. :)"

At South Point, the southernmost point in the US. Kerynn says, "Some people are crazy enough to jump into these crystal-clear waters from the bluff. But between the heights and the prospect of getting swept away to the South Pacific, I preferred to keep my feet dry. :)"

On Punalu'u black sand beach between South Point and Kilauea. Look closely: the lumps in the background are sea turtles, not rocks!

At Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, overlooking the Kilauea caldera at sunset

At Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, overlooking the Kilauea caldera the next morning.

On the floor of the Kilauea caldera at Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park during our ranger-led hike. (Hey! Our group made the Park's FB feed: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=750297134997625&set=a.360190957341580.105080.346533252040684&type=1&relevant_count=1)

On the floor of the Kilauea caldera at Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park during our ranger-led hike. 

At the end of Chain of Craters Road (where the lava meets the road). The road used to go along the coast, but got cut off in 2003.

At the end of Chain of Craters Road (where the lava meets the road). The road used to go along the coast, but got cut off in 2003.

At the end of Chain of Craters Road (where the lava meets the road). The road used to go along the coast, but got cut off in 2003.

On the rainy side of the island, at the Japanese gardens at Lilioukalani Gardens in Hilo.

Thanks again, Kerynn. And now Jack's en route to Nairobi, Kenya.

Here's a map of Jack's adventures so far. (The traveling tapir spent the holidays in London. You can find out about that here.)


Stay tuned for more!

Fairbanks, Alaska

Our friend Kerynn gave Jack the octopus a quick tour of Fairbanks, Alaska, before whisking him off to Hawaii.

Here's what he saw:

Fresh out of the box, shortly before lunch on Weds 12/18, giving him about 36 hours to make the most of his Fairbanks visit.

UAF's time/temp sign from the warm confines of the car

This time, up close and personal on the snow. No bragging rights for being out there at -40 or colder, or the chance to pose with underdressed college students, who for some reason like to take their pictures in their bathing suits in front of the time/temp sign when temps bottom out. (Editorial note from Kerynn: "I'd like to think I had more sense at that age and not that I lack some sense of adventure and/or desire for bragging rights than those kids have.")

Taking in the pre-solstice subarctic sunset from Kerynn's office window

Jack arrived a day late to attend a lecture on the North Pole leg of the Olympic torch relay, but since Kerynn's boss was one of the torchbearers, Jack still got a chance to pose with the torch and other Olympic swag. (No kidding: that was an actual torch that was burning at the North Pole! What can she say: Kerynn's an Olympics junkie...)

Cooper "playing" with Jack. I don't think Stella would approve of his kind of play, though.

Shortly after solar noon, presolstice, with the old Creamers Dairy barn in the background

At the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center

On the raven ice carving outside the entrance to the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center. Many businesses get ice carvings each year; there's also have a whole event dedicated to ice carving displays of all sizes.

On the antler arch (moose and caribou antlers mostly) on the path to the river.

On the antler arch (moose and caribou antlers mostly) on the path to the river. Find Jack!

Screen shot of their webcam as seen on Kerynn's iPhone

 The fall tundra diorama at the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center

Inside a BLM cabin, enjoying the display of northern lights "outside." The cabin is identical to the ones many stay in on backcountry trips. The northern lights in the background are fake, but better on camera than anything Kerynn would be able to capture on her phone.

Inside a BLM cabin, enjoying the display of northern lights "outside." The cabin is identical to the ones many stay in on backcountry trips. The northern lights in the background are fake, but better on camera than anything Kerynn would be able to capture on her phone.

Taking in one of the displays of Athabascan tools and clothing

Pondering the options for a return visit to Fairbanks!

At the Fairbanks airport, getting ready to head south.

At Sea-Tac: an exhibit of Preston Singletary's glass art. It's amazing stuff: he recreates traditional Tlingit baskets, boxes, hats, etc., in glass form.

At Sea-Tac: the view from breakfast after the red-eye from Fairbanks

At Sea-Tac: an on-the-fly photo with the Christmas carolers (doesn't do justice to their full Dickensian outfits)

At Sea-Tac: getting ready to board the flight to Kona. Heading to warmer climes for a couple weeks is a time-honored, mid-winter Alaska tradition.

There you have it! The itinerant octopus's first adventure. Thanks, Kerynn!

A turtle says hello

The octopus is still on his way to Alaska, but his turtle pal is standing in. Today, we got some photos from Turks & Caicos, in the Antilles.

Getting ready for a little snorkeling at Grace Bay

Nice place to be in December!

Reading on the beach

82 degrees and sunny

One of those rare, tree-climbing turtles...

Enjoying some conch and beef spring rolls at Crackpot Kitchen.

Thanks, Josh and Tonya. :)