How not to photograph the moon

My2Fish was kind enough to credit me with the previous picture of the moon, which alas came from Wikipedia.

He wasn't wrong though in imagining I'd try, which I did, but unfortunately my effort was less than inspiring, as can be seen above.

Despite using a tripod, time exposure, fiddling with ISO settings and a 300mm zoom lens, even with photo editing software no details could be seen. The problem is clearly over-exposure and if I'd had a bit more time would have had another go but the phone rang and then the moon went out of sight.

There are very good instructions here as to how to do it, so next time will hopefully be more successful.

Selene

Tonight the sky over London is clear, and Selene is gracing us with her silver image.

For high and bright in the sky is the moon, large and full. We are seeing our companion close up, and she is looking beautiful.

It's the peroxide tide!!

Oops, my bad, that should be proxigean tide (thanks Bonnie).

Basically it means the tide when the moon is full and near the Earth so its especially high or low. And guess what we see for the tide prediction for London Bridge:

Look! Zero height above chart datum, the so-called Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)

A good time for mudlarks.

New All-Inclusive Resort in the Turk & Caicos!

This is BIG news! Every week I receive one or two calls from potential clients looking for an all-inclusive resort in the Turks & Caicos. They've heard about the island's amazing beaches, most notably Grace Bay Beach, and they are accustomed to vacationing with all meals & drinks included in the upfront cost and if Beaches Resort & Club Med Turkoise are not a perfect match, we quickly move on to other islands. Not anymore!

Meet The Veranda:

Turks & Caicos newest fully inclusive resort.

Perfectly situated on the famed Grace Bay Beach.

The Veranda consists of studios, suites & cottages.

Each unit is well appointed with upmarket designer pieces in a calming neutral theme.

If you can pull yourself out of the ocean, there are 3 pools, a full service spa, and fitness facility.

All accommodations have air conditioning, ceiling fans, LCD flat screen TVs, Sony Dream Machine, Play Station 3, complimentary Wi-Fi, Egyptian linens and feather beds, direct-dial telephones and in-room safes. Many units feature spacious outdoor verandas.

Book NOW for travel February 1 to March 31 and receive 30% off their normal rates! Rates start at $318/per person, based on double occupancy and include: all meals, beverages, round trip airport transfers, wireless Internet access, local phone calls, non-motorized water sports, government tax & service charge.

Appealing? Ask me more!

Love is in the Air this Valentine's Day @ Half Moon, Jamaica

Romance is alive every day of the year at the Half Moon Resort's Sugar Mill Restaurant in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Who doesn't love a great menu? The Valentine Feast they have created is creative, innovative and sure to be delish!

SUGAR MILL VALENTINE’S DINNER MENU

Feb. 14th 2010

“LOVE POTION”

Jerk Coconut Soup combined with Cream of Spinach &Scallion Garlic Pimento roasted Bread Fruit Croutons

**********

“ST. VALENTINE’S COCKTAIL”

Shrimp & Lobster Cocktail Orange, Rose & Hibiscus Salad, Spicy Chocolate Cocktail Sauce

“TOWER OF LOVE”

Mango, Tomato, Sorrel & Egg Plant Timbale with Scotch Bonnete Sour Cream Baby Greens and Ripe Plantain Vinaigrette

“CUPID’S ARROW” Conch Seviche in Pumpkin Vol-au-vent with Sambar

******************

“A LINGERING KISS”

Chrysanthemum, Ginger & Bird Pepper Sorbet

*******************

“AN AFFAIR OF THE HERT”

Sugar Mill Surf & Turf

CAB Tenderloin, Char Grilled Lobster Tail with Jerk Coconut Sauce

“THE LOVE OF MY LIFE”

Coriander & Cumin Smoked Lamb Loin warm Rosemary & Red wine Jelly

“SWEETHEARTS”

Fresh Caught Duo of Snapper Coconut Crusted and Fried, Coconut & Cilantro Poached Snapper Siracha & Grape Fruit Jelly

“ROMANTIC KISS”

Chicken Leg Ballotine, Lemon Grass & Corn Meal filling

Jerk Tia Maria Sauce

“LOVE IS IN THE AIR”

Ackee, Bammy & Vegetable Gizzada Tomato Thyme Run-Down

*********************

“SWEET VALENTINE”

Chocolate & Guava Mousse, Coconut & Passion Fruit Ice Cream, Chilled Rose Sherbet

Freshly Brewed Coffee, Herbal Teas & Petit Fours

$85 ++

*************************

Need to escape for Valentine's Day? Rates to Jamaica are still reasonable for the long weekend and make hotels still have space. Jamaica is a great destination for cheap flights from London and other cities in Europe as well.

iPhone App Review: Harbour Master

On the day that the iPad is finally launched what better than an iPhone App review, in this case its a game called Harbour Master.

Basic idea is pretty simple: to guide boats to port so their cargos can be unloaded in a way that avoids collision (see screen shot above). You direct the boats by drawing with your finger the line it must take to the dock of your choice, and then it chugs away complete with sounds effects and cheery music.

Complications arise when there are more boats than berths ('t was ever thus), boats can only dock in certain berths (ditto), pirates attack (er...), and tornado storms whirl boats around and around (happens all the time).

It's all good fun and enjoyable and there are 6 different maps with selection of charts and complications to work away at.

The only downside is after doing all six a couple of times there's a feeling of "what next?" and it becomes a bit repetitive.

But it doesn't cost that much so worth a punt.

Culinary Capital of the Caribbean

I copied this list from a press release & thought it worthy of sharing because of the great summaries for many of St. Maarten's restaurants. St. Martin & St. Maarten are often referred to as the "Culinary Capital of the Caribbean". You decide. Enjoy!

Photo is from Temptation.

Often called the “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean,” the island of St. Maarten gives voice to cooking styles from every corner of the globe with more than 300 restaurants offering Dutch, French, Caribbean, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Creole and other cuisines. Diners can find romantic restaurants in Cupecoy and Maho, a variety of bistros on Front Street in Philipsburg, and beachside bars and outdoor cafes at Simpson Bay. Some of the top restaurants in St. Maarten: include:

Mr. Busby’s (www.dawnbeachsxm.com) -- Located on St. Maarten’s eastern shore, this beachside restaurant serves breakfast and lunch daily. The menu ranges from salads and cold sandwiches (like crabmeat, chicken, tuna or delectable clubs) to grilled specialties such as mahi mahi, shrimp, grilled lobster, burgers, hot dogs, and baby back ribs. During the evening, Mr. Busby’s is transformed into an Italian restaurant known as Daniel’s By The Sea.

Cupecoy and Maho Bay is situated on the western side of the island, and provides a variety of casual beach-side dining options as well as trendy up-scale restaurants.

Temptation & Rare -- These sister restaurants are located within the Atlantis World Casino, run by chef and owner Dino Jagtiani. Jagtiani trained at the Culinary Institute of America and is a two-time gold medal winner of the prestigious Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition.
Temptation (www.nouveaucaribbean.com) -- Temptation features “Nouveau Caribbean” cuisine served against a waterfall backdrop, all elegantly wrapped in melodic piano music. Menu options include popped black bean crusted sashimi grade tuna, hoisin-lime glazed pork tenderloin, and the “McDino’s” tempura apple pie. The restaurant also includes an elegant, outdoor bar area.

Rare (www.daretoberare.com) -- Rare is one of the most acclaimed steakhouses in St. Maarten for top-quality USDA prime steaks, from 12-ounce filet mignons to 28-ounce porterhouse steaks. There are a variety of sauces and creative side dishes to choose from such as chili-garlic fries, truffled mac ‘n’ cheese, Vidalia onion rings with rhubarb ketchup and wasabi hollandaise. Rare fills a unique niche in the gourmet capital of the Caribbean, and does so with impeccable style.

Bamboo Bernies (www.bamboobernies.net) -- Bamboo Bernies has recently moved to the five-star Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino complex and transformed into an ultra-sleek restaurant and lounge. The Buddha Lounge area serves food and drinks into the early hours of the morning amidst stylish Asian décor. Exotic cocktails include heaven, fire and ice, plus an extensive list of shakes. Guests can enjoy world-class sushi prepared by master chefs from New York and Los Angeles.

Bliss -- Located inside The Caravanserai Beach Resort within walking distance of the Maho strip, Bliss combines open-air seating in a tropical setting with exotic plants and private cabanas. The Taste of Bliss menu includes delectable fresh oysters in vodka shot glasses, gilled sirloin, lobster bruschetta and baked salmon. Bliss is also one of St. Maarten’s most popular night spots during the later hours.

Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St. Maarten, offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants lined along cobblestone streets. Most of the village’s eateries can be found on Front Street including Chesterfield’s, a nautically themed, open-air restaurant, which is an excellent place to enjoy a relaxed meal overlooking Great Bay. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at a reasonable price, Chesterfield’s main fare includes steak and seafood.

The Greenhouse (www.thegreenhouserestaurant.com) -- The Greenhouse was established in 1986 and offers a laid back, yet lively atmosphere with an outside terrace, tranquil breezes and a picturesque view of the harbor. Menu options include steak, ribs, lobster and fresh seafood. The Greenhouse recently opened a second location in Simpson Bay, next to the Atrium Resort.

Ocean Lounge (www.hhbh.com) -- Situated in the center of Philipsburg, the Holland House Beach Hotel’s newly built, open-air lounge is one of the most stylish spots on the island. Dining options include an inventive selection of light snacks (zucchini soup shooters, salmon and caper bruschetta, tonka bean crème brûlée). Live music sets the mood for a relaxing meal.

Oualichi Beach Bar & Restaurant -- Conveniently located on the boardwalk, Oualichi provides fantastic views of incoming cruise ships from the outdoor terrace and features a nautically-themed dining room. This popular hangout is well known for their pizza and offers casual fare such as sandwiches and wraps.

Taloula Mango’s (www.taloulamangos.com) -- This casual beachfront restaurant serves a variety of sandwiches, seafood, beef, pasta, vegetarian entrées, and some of the best ribs on the island. On weekdays, lunch is accompanied by live music and on Friday evenings, guests can enjoy happy hour with a live DJ.

Ras Bushman’s I-Tal Shack (www.sxmfreedomfighters.com/restaurant) -- Ras Bushman’s I-Tal Shack is a small vegan restaurant located on Bush Road. The I-Tal Shack serves local organic, homegrown vegetarian food and fresh local juices. When not on premises, Ras Bushman can often be found at one of the island’s many entertainment venues with his reggae band, the Freedom Fighters.

Kangaroo Court Café -- Located across from the famous Courthouse, Kangaroo Court is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Kangaroo Court offers an amazing assortment of pastries plus all flavors and types of coffee, cappuccinos, espressos and more. The seating area is situated inside a garden, surrounded by Almond trees and lush vegetation.

Simpson Bay and Cole Bay is situated next to the Princess Juliana Airport, the area is lined with hotels, casinos, and restaurants. A large drawbridge opens six times a day to let mega-yachts into the Isla del Sol Marina. Here travelers can find a variety of beach bars, low-key eateries and outdoor cafes.

The Hideaway -- Located at La Vista Resort on Pelican Key, this charming restaurant is situated next to an infinity pool overlooking Saba island. The Creole-inspired dishes, all made from fresh ingredients, include snapper, shrimp and scallop ceviche.

Pineapple Pete’s (www.pineapplepete.com) -- Known for offering some of the best nightly music, Pineapple Pete’s provides a cozy and casual atmosphere for diners. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, and the menu options include herb crusted rack of lamb, crab stuffed shrimp, lobster thermidor, crab and spinach crusted grouper and more.

Saratoga -- Resembling a Spanish colonial structure from the outside, patrons can enjoy seating indoors or on a marina-side veranda. The menu changes every two days and features selections such as onion-crusted salmon, yellowfin tuna, crispy-fried black sea bass, and rack of venison.

The Stone Restaurant (www.thestonerestaurant.com) -- This unique restaurant offers a new and intriguing method of preparing and serving food. Guests can choose from tender beef filet, vegetarian selections, or fresh seafood. Meals are served on a hot stone and cooked right at the table.

Zee Best (www.zeebestrestaurant.com) -- Known for their large breakfast menu, Zee Best offers more than 20 varieties of pastries, espresso and cappuccinos until 2 p.m. The lunch menu features all the breakfast items, plus burgers, salads, sandwiches and more.

Peg Leg Pub (www.peglegpub.com ) -- Famed as one of St. Maarten’s best steakhouses, the Peg Leg Pub offers tender USDA grain-fed beef, a spectrum of seafood specialties, decadent desserts, super soups and salads, and an extensive appetizer menu. The décor resembles that of a traditional English Pub and the walls are filled with nautical artifacts. For more destination information, visit the official site of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau at www.VacationStMaarten.com.

SOS for Lifeboats

Save our Slogans!

Seriously this is all for a good cause, namely the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) which is a must support charity for sailors in the UK. It receives no government funding and is staffed by volunteers who risk their life to save others.

Even here in London - the busiest of all their stations is right here on the Thames. Last year the Tower Bridge site was launched 380 times and rescued 148 people.

This Friday they are having a monster fund raiser and they have a widget on their web site that generates three letter acronyms (TLAs), all variations on SOS to be themes for an event. Mostly they make sense, such as Sponsor Our Staff or Sugar Or Spice, but have just spun Shakespeare Over Seconds, which doesn't (to me).

Have fun but give these guys your support.

The Mystery of the Eels

What is happening to the eels? Once a staple diet in London their numbers in the river Thames has crashed a whopping 98% over the last five years.

I was just reading in the Wandle Valley Trail guide how there "are large numbers of eels" in the lower reaches of that river near where it meets the Thames when the BBC reported the opposite.

Or maybe the Wandle did have a large number, but for some reason they have gone.

It's a bit of a mystery. There are so few eel fishermen that its hard to blame them, but then what?

One problem is that the eel is still little understood. There has been a project to track its migration across the Atlantic the the supposed spawning grounds of the Sargasso Sea, but they have been tracked "only" 1,300 km of the 5,o00 km journey.

It's an animal that has puzzled scientists way back to the days of Aristotle. There was another program on the BBC about him which asked why he fell from favour and the answer was the eel (its been quite a week for the eel).

Aristotle tried to understand the wildlife on the island of Lesbos and undertook a series of dissections which he then documented in a very vigorous way. It was to be one of the cornerstones of our understanding of the biological world.

But he was confused about the humble eel as he couldn't find any reproductive organs. It wasn't his fault - they only grow on the long migration to the spawning ground. But he was left scrambling for notions of the their origin and came up with some bizarre concept involving self generation from mud.

It was, with the benefit of 21st Century hind-sight, complete nonsense, and for that reason he became scarred as the man that got eels wrong. But he got a huge lot right, and as can be seen the eel is still causing the scientists to wonder and theorise. I was certainly impressed by how he moved the science forward, transforming how we look at the world, and can forgive him this blip given the swamp of ignorance he was trying to escape from.

There was a final eel reference this week in that most modern of tv channels, YouTube, when keep turning left's Dylan Winter's got to Arthur Ransome's Secret Water hide-out Witch's Quay.

As Nancy Blacket would put it, Great Congers!

Caribbean Tourist Board Round-Up.

In recent years, the tourist boards of the Caribbean have amped up their websites with new high design features where one can virtually travel at the click of a mouse. All the same important & helpful facts are still found, but the experience of researching what your destination has to offer, is all the more pleasurable.

British Virgin Islands Tourist Board -

(Be sure and check our partner for low cost flights from Europe!)

St. Lucia Tourist Board

St. Kitts Tourist Board

Trinidad & Tobago Tourist Board

Saba Tourist Board

Nevis Tourist Board

Puerto Rico Tourist Board

Dominica Tourist Board

Aruba Tourist Board

Curacao Tourist Board

Barbados Tourist Board

Antigua & Barbuda Tourist Board

St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tourist Board

St. Maarten Tourist Board

Anguilla Tourist Board

St. Martin Tourist Board

Grenada Tourist Board

US Virgin Islands Tourist Board

Cayman Islands Tourist Board

Dominican Republic Tourist Board

Bonaire Tourist Board

Turks & Caicos Tourist Board

Jamaica Tourist Board

Why should you visit a Tourist Board's website?

• Specials & Deals - see if the island is offering any island-wide promotion that you can ask your travel agent (hopefully, ME) about. Or search for coupons for local activities such as Stingray City in Grand Cayman. You can then combine one of these deals with cheap flights to the Caribbean.
• Photos - get a bigger picture of the island you will be visiting. tourist Board photos show more of the island that most hotel websites.
• Facts - do you need an electrical converter when visiting Antigua? Should you change currency in St. Lucia? What is the average rainfall in Puerto Rico? What are the legal marriage requirements for a Caribbean Destination Wedding?
• Festivals & Events - see if your travel dates coincide with Carnival or a Caribbean Music Fest, or perhaps a traditional holiday event unique to the island.

Alinghi to use Apple Tablet?

Howdy folks, Buff Staysail here, Buff by name and Buff by nature.

Well I was down the pub drowning a few cold ones with my mates from San Fran (O'Docker you know who we mean) when I heard about Tillerman's scoop about Lady Gaga. Now that was a bit of news or what.

However the chap who was sitting next to me by the bar (and frankly a bit worse for wear) said he had something to top even that. What is it you might ask? Well hold on to your hats, for here goes something that will BLOW your socks off.

It turns out the much rumoured Apple Tablet or Slate is part and parcel of Alinghi America's Cup campaign!

Surprised? Well I was!

But it makes perfect sense. The iSlate is being announced Wednesday 27th January, just 10 days before the America's Cup kicks off, too late even for Oracle to fight back, challenge it in the courts or make its own tactical tablet. Its form factor is just right for busy crew with its touch sensitive screen and no need for pen or keyboard.

The final evidence is the photo above that when zoomed up shows a tablet being held by one of the crew members.

So remember folks, you read it here first.

Lets iSlate that one to the power of the blogger!

Discovering the trade winds

When were the trade winds discovered?

I always had this hope that it was my alleged relation, William Dampier, who documented his experiences in his book with the snappy title of "A discourse of trade winds, breezes, storms, seasons of the year and currents of the torrid zone throughout the world".

But it seems he was pipped by the much earlier and humbler Arctic Tern whose annual migration is shown in the figure above. What struck me straight away is how they follow the route of the round the world yacht races, but then of course the trade winds help both sailors and birds.

Setting aside the long distance and resilience required for an animal weighing around 100g to travel a round trip of 70,000km from pole to pole and back, there is a question of how does it navigate its route?

I can see how such a behaviour can come about: if in the depths of time the birds flew at random the ones that picked up the trade winds would get there quicker using less energy and hence be more effective in evolutionary sense. And once learnt the following generations could follow the lead of its parents.

But maybe we underestimate them as we do so often, overconfident in our superiority over mere birds. Rooks in particular have been shown to be tool using animals.

Anyhow more on this story here.

Just Launched - Caribbean Vacation Sale!

The Caribbean is on SALE! Hurry - must be booked by February 2, 2010. Below are a list of some of the participating hotels. Contact me {laura @ caribbeanjourney.com} and I will provide you with a custom quote for your travel dates!

Book 1 Night, Get 1 Night Free:

Radisson Aruba

Breezes Grand Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica

Coconut Bay Resort in St. Lucia

Almond Beach Village in Barbados

Book 2 Nights, Get 1 Free:

Radisson St. Martin + daily breakfast

The House in Barbados + daily breakfast

Comfort Suites in Nassau, Bahamas + daily breakfast & full use of Atlantis facilities

Paradisus Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Riu Ocho Rios + kids 12 and under stay and eat free

Book 3 Nights, Get 1 Free:

Body Holiday @ LeSport in St. Lucia + 1 complimentary spa treatment daily

CuisinArt in Anguilla + $100 resort credit

Blue Waters in Antigua

St. Kitts Marriott Resort + $50 resort credit & buffet breakfast daily

Sunset at the Palms in Negril, Jamaica

Excellence Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

Somerset on Grace Bay + breakfast daily

Promo is valid for travel March 15 to August 31, 2010 and must be booked by February 2. Minimum nightly stays required. **Photo is the Body Holiday LeSport.

London Boat Show 2010

Another year, another London Boat Show, but did this one have something special, the magic X-Factor?

Well in a literal way yes, because one of the "stars" was someone called Olly Murs who I'd never heard of but apparently was runner up in the TV show the X-Factor. He sang something, not sure what as headed off in the opposite direction but I noted a number of young women hurrying towards the stage so maybe he is an acquired taste.

On another stand where they were trying to sell very expensive Italian speed boats there was another show, this time models and lingerie. Why no photos the blokes out there will ask? Well partly it seemed rather sad in the huge aircraft hanger of ExCel but also because the models were just inhumanly skinny. Someone give them all a square meal please.

A more acceptable form of entertainment was on the Princess stand where there was this DJ and saxophone player:

It seemed much quieter than normal. One stand I talked said it had been dead in the first few days blaming (quite understandably) the snow and difficult travel conditions.

I dropped in as I always do to the On Deck stand where I have an annual will I do Antigua week discussion with Simon "oh hello, I recognise you" but this year it was all over as apparently they are already full. BVI is an alternative and in this month's Yachting World as being fab sailing but that would involve getting organised and so to be honest less likely. But they are talking of hot boats for Cowes week so will keep an eye on my inbox (now its working).

Then went off to Neilson and SunSail to ask some questions for my nephew who's got to the age when he's thinking of summer jobs (they grow up so fast) before getting to the book shops and authors doing a meet and greet.

Always like this bit and could say hello to Lisa Copeland again. I met her at the show last year just before went off to Venezuela which she had sailed so had an interesting chat and this year got another of her books, this time Comfortable Cruising.

While I'm sure it will be a wonderful winter escape to warming waters was a bit sorry as felt, in these credit crunch times, unwilling to expand my reading to a second book and so turned down the tempting sounding "Ice Bears & Kotick: Rowing at the top of the World".

This tells the story of how Peter Webb and friend decided to row around Spitzerbergen in a 17 foot classic wooden boat:

Clearly this was an act of insanity, particularly when the local wild life decided to say hello, poking its nose through their tent:

But its on my list and definitely looks like a good read.

Dropped in on the Navionics stand to ask for VMG and proper waypoints and apparently they're in the plan but not considered urgent as the chart app for iPhone is considered a "social tool". Hmm... not my view of what navigations all about but then it does have a facebook feed so maybe I've judged it wrongly.

And that was pretty much it.

I do enjoy a wander round but there was less buzz than many previous years. If however you had money and an idea what to spend it on I'm sure you'd get an absolute bargin from vendors desperate to sale.

Me, I even said no to a second book!

Racing across London

Yesterday went to the London Boat Show (full post to come) as Thursday is late opening so can squeeze a visit into an already busy week.

The problem is that the exhibition centre ExCel is completely the wrong side of London from Putney and on a work night did not want to stay out too late.

But was rather surprised when, having run for trains, jumped on tubes as the doors were closing, managed to do the trip in "just" an hour. It reminded me of that Top Gear cross London race in which the bike won (though that journey was in the opposite direction).

However later measured the distance on Google Earth and calculated that works out as an average speed of 10 miles per hour.

Not sure that is much better than a hundred years ago!

Greg, Kris and the Duke's Head

It was a cold and snowy evening when caught up with Greg and Kris at Adam's favourite pub, namely the Duke's Head on Putney embankment (above) .

I was a bit worried about the length of the walk there but felt the atmosphere, food and view of the river from this great pub would make up for it. However they wisely took a cab back which magically appeared just as they were waiting.

And a very nice evening it was too - so thanks to Greg and Kris for giving up some of their busy schedule!

Help for Haiti

This is Haiti:

This is also Haiti:

So is this:

This week's news images showing the aftermath of the terrible Earthquake are for many people, the first images they have seen of Haiti. Yet, Haiti is as lovely as any other Caribbean island only with a fledgling tourism sector. I hope you will keep these images in mind and one day visit Haiti to see all the splendor firsthand.

Haiti needs our help. Yele Haiti is a great place to start. The organization was founded by Wyclef Jean, Grammy Award Winning Artist and native of the island. You can click the logo below to donate or text "Yele" to 510 510 to charge a $5 donation on your cell phone bill. 100% of donations to Yele Haiti go directly to those in need.

This is Wyclef Jean:

Haiti is a rich and colorful dive destination. Recreational dives are minimal in the area and the sea life is flourishing:

Oxfam International is a non-governmental consortia of agencies working together to help poverty worldwide. They immediately launched a Haiti Earthquake campaign and are in need of donations.

Not all beaches in Haiti are deserted crescents of paradise. Welcome to the Barefoot Beach Bar at Labadee Beach:


Doctors without Borders was already active in Haiti before the earthquake. They operate multiple hospitals on the island, all of which have been flattened. Many of their own staff are unaccounted for and yet they have already sprung into action setting up clinics to help the injured. Donate here.

The path less traveled... Haiti has many:

These beautiful photos of Haiti are from Epic Trip, a new and unique travel guide site driven by real travelers.

Want to know more about this gem of an island? Read "Love & Haiti" from Conde Nast Traveler.

Here is a twitter roll call of organizations and folks keeping us informed of the recovery efforts: @CaribbeanTrips, @MSF_USA (Doctors without Borders)@Wyclef,@YeleHaiti

my {heart} is breaking...

for Haiti

follow @wyclef (Wyclef Jean) and Help Haiti Earthquake Relief Donate $5 by texting YELE to 501 501 right now! Go to http://www.yele.org/ for more info.

UPDATE: The easist way to help is to text "yele" to 510 510 and pledge $5 to Wyclef Jean's organization. Also - Oxfam, Unicef, American Red Cross, Ben Stiller's Stillerstrong, & Mercy Corp.

5 months ago... mid-August. The phones in our little office were quiet and the stifling Atlanta humidity had drained the last drop of motivation from me and I could no longer remain at my desk. I closed up shop early, grabbed the kids, towels, cool drinks, and my most recent issue of Conde Nast Traveler and headed down the street to the cool relief of the pool. To the back drop of laughter, rounds of Marco Polo, and constant splashing, I read the story that made me think I love Haiti too...

Love and Haiti by Amy Wilentz

"You can call Haiti the Cleopatra of countries—its ravishing natural assets, thrilling history, and magnetic culture have long made select visitors swoon. Its tortured past, however, has made it the Caribbean nation that tourism largely forgot... more"

I read CNT and most other travel magazines from cover to cover every month. Not a one has shown Haiti in this light, if at all. Publications avoid it like the plague. Perhaps no one wants to sponsor a press trip to a destination that doesn't sell. Who goes to Haiti, after all? Amy Wilentz didn't care. She went and she loved and her story is incredible... so delicious that I've revisited it countless times. When I closed my magazine that day, rolled onto my stomach and stretched out on my towel, I was thankful. Thankful of the view of my happy, healthy children, cool and hydrated, doing what all children deserve to do - be kids. I was smitten with this place... a new place I had to visit, a place I knew I too would fall in love with... a place maybe I could help. I could picture myself sitting at my desk and breathing my excitement into the phone, convincing a few well qualified clients to take the same trip. {stay tuned}

And now, today... the earthquake. 7.0! I know this is serious. I found myself 6 miles from a 6.9 earthquake in 2004 and to this day, I'm still spooked. Help now.