The Traveling Widower

Category: Expedition

  • GoPro Mission 1 Pro – My Latest Toy

    Front view of a GoPro camera with a protective case and strap, resting on a dark wooden surface.

    I want it all,
    I want it all,
    I want it all,
    And I want it now
    Queen

    June 12th, 2026

    Warning – this is a bit geekish about cameras.

    I’ve been complaining for quite some time (more like whining) about lugging my heavy Sony mirrorless camera around in caves, or other awkward places, such as trying to photograph pretty much anything from a Zodiac (small, rigid, inflatable boat). I’m willing to twist myself into a pretzel with a 500mm lens when photographing whales, bears or sea lions from small boats, but what I really need in most of these situations, is a rugged, waterproof, point and shoot camera, something that would fit more or less in a pocket. I had something close to what I needed with the Sealife underwater camera, but I wound up selling that – the camera technology was dated, it had a small sensor, and you could not buy replacement batteries for it. I also own a GoPro Hero 13, which I have used quite a bit, mostly for snorkeling – definitely waterproof, and has a reasonably sized sensor, but was difficult to use (for me at least) – it was feature rich, but the user interface was difficult to use, mostly due to the small screen size and complex menu system.  

    I had been considering buying the OM System (formerly Olympus) TG-7 – a very rugged, waterproof point and shoot camera, but much like the Sealife camera (same size), it was dated technology with a sensor even smaller than the GoPro. There have been rumors of OM releasing a new, improved version, but not in the immediate future. Bummer. I really wanted something to use for the upcoming Iceland trip (many caves), Patagonia (a very wet waterfall adventure) and for snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez in December. 

    Waahhh. I want it now!

    An older man sitting on the floor in a camera store, expressing frustration with his hands raised, surrounded by onlookers. A sign reads 'Temporarily Out of Stock: GoPro Mission Pro' near various camera products displayed.

    My temper tantrum worked. GoPro came to the rescue a few weeks ago, when they announced availability of a new product – the Mission 1 series of action cameras. This is a slightly larger version of the Hero product line, with a much larger sensor (1”, 50mph), a larger display screen, and many new features. That sounded interesting but not enough to get me to buy one until I noticed that there were three options for the product, a Pro model with even more features, and which also included a “grip” model. This was a casing that the camera fit into, which basically created a point-and-shoot camera. Bingo! That pretty much covered everything I was looking for – a high-end, rugged, waterproof (up to 60’) action oriented point and shoot camera. So of course, I ordered one.

    As with most electronics, there were only limited instructions in the package. Basically, turn it on, and then follow the instructions on your phone or tablet. Better yet, I did a quick search on YouTube and found a few really comprehensive tutorials for this camera, which is amazing since it has only been out for a few weeks. It’s a very feature rich camera, with many configurations for each shooting mode (photo, video, slow-motion, low-light…). The menu is even more complex than the Hero 13, but the larger screen makes it easier to negotiate. The camera alone is a bit larger than the Hero, as you can see in the photo’s below:

    Two GoPro action cameras positioned side by side on a wooden surface.
    Two GoPro cameras side by side on a wooden surface, showing their sleek black designs and control buttons.

    The grip frame is interesting – the camera slides in easily, and has a nice firm feel to it. Just like a “real” camera. The grip also comes apart, making for easy packing…something important for me and all my strange travels. Exactly what I was looking for. There is no view finder – you just use the live screen image on back (or front for selfies) of the camera. A true point-and-shoot.

    A GoPro camera positioned on a marble surface, featuring a protective lens cover, a display screen, and an attached grip for stabilization.
    A GoPro camera displayed with an external battery, a protective case, and a strap, placed on a light marble surface.
    A GoPro camera with a protective case, laid on a marble surface. The camera features a front display and a strap attached for secure handling.

    I plan to have it configured and gain familiarity with it before I leave for Iceland. I am planning to use this in the many caves we will be touring, especially on my solo visit to the big magma chamber (Inside the Volcano) I’ve scheduled for my second day in Reykjavik. 

    A deep mine shaft illuminated by a beam of light, featuring a suspended platform surrounded by rocky walls.

    Speaking of Iceland, I received an updated itinerary and have spent some time going through it. For once, I thought it might be a good idea to be a little prepared for what lies ahead. This should be a crazy trip. My first two days are on my own, and I’m doing a whale/puffin tour from the Reykjavik harbor the morning I arrive in Iceland. The second day will be the “Inside the Volcano” tour. The day after is the start of the National Geographic tour – the other 14 people show up that day, and we head off to the Blue Lagoon for a soak in the thermal pool. There will be two more thermal pool soak opportunities on the trip. The rest of the trip wanders about Iceland by bus, visiting a bunch of well known tourist locations, and some lesser known spots as well. Many waterfalls, volcanic features, lava tubes, two small islands, geysers, many birds, and a whale watching trip. Unfortunately, they dropped my absolute favorite stop – a herring processing plant. I do like pickled herring – I was really looking forward to that. I’ll be consoled if I get to see (and photograph) some puffins. Almost as cute as Screech Owls.

    A puffin standing on a rocky surface, showcasing its black and white plumage and distinctive orange beak.
    Not my photo, I can only hope

    All the hotels have WiFi, so I may do a post or two while I’m there. Unlike the expedition cruises I’ve been on, this trip is not as adventurous – more time to relax I hope. 

    Peace

  • Living in the Past

    28th May, 2026

    Sometimes it is difficult coming up with a meaningful title for a post, when you have 2 or 3 totally unrelated topics to discuss. I had an interesting day on Wednesday, some of which was marginally related to travel, and a few off the wall thoughts as well. Here goes.

    A Beautiful Music Venue – Channel 24

    Let us close our eyes
    Outside their lives go on much faster
    Oh, we won’t give in
    We’ll keep living in the past
    Jethro Tull

    I was invited to join a retired men’s group a few months ago – a bunch of guys, mostly retired, who meet every two weeks around lunch time to discuss what’s going on in our lives, and a topic of the day selected by the host. It’s been a lot of fun, and the group has expanded since I joined – a good group of interesting guys.. Wednesday was a bit different from our usual format – the hosting member has a family member that manages Channel 24, which is a local, relatively new music venue in Sacramento. Aside from our usual meeting agenda, we were given a full tour of this beautiful facility – the main theater has a large open floor, and can seat over 2000 concert goers. It’s high tech, has multiple bars, and has been quite successful in the first year since opening. 

    View of an empty performance stage with a wooden floor, featuring blue lighting along the upper walls and seating areas.
    A spacious stage setup with black curtains and professional stage lighting, featuring a wooden floor and colored ambient lighting along the walls.
    View of a theater ceiling with overhead lighting and rigging, showcasing a grid of lights and equipment above a stage.
    A cozy seating area featuring a dark sofa with colorful floral cushions, a chair, and a decorative side table, set against a vibrant floral-patterned wallpaper in shades of purple, red, and green.
    A well-stocked bar with various bottles of liquor displayed on shelves, along with glassware and a cash register on the counter.

    Unfortunately for me, I stopped listening to new bands and musicians around 1995, so with the exception of Bonnie Raite and Los Lobos, I did not recognize any of the groups that have performed there, or that are scheduled this year. Maybe I need to listen to different stations on Sirius once in a while. 

    What was interesting on the tour, was seeing the number of bars stationed throughout the facility. As it turns out, the younger audiences do not drink as much – in general alcohol consumption is down across the country. Must be a lot of people with heart conditions, like me. Either that or there are a lot more dispensaries doing business in the area – everyone loads up on gummies before the show. 

    Maybe I’ll go to a concert there some day….if they get more old-time bands. How about Ian Anderson? Steve Winwood would be OK.                      

    Travel Season is Upon Me

    I have managed to survive this long break between trips without going too stir crazy. But June will be the start of a stretch of more frequent adventures, starting with a “Birds of Prey” photo workshop, and then a short trip to visit the last two public caverns in the state, located in Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. A few weeks after that, I’ll be off to Iceland with a National Geographic land tour. My expectations are pretty low for that – I had been hoping to schedule the ship based tour, but for some reason, it was not available this year. I’m squeezing in a couple of activities on my own, so I’ll hope for the best – I’m going back to Iceland for a Natural Habitat photography tour in 2027, so I know I’ll be seeing more if this trip does not turn out well.

    After Iceland, I round the year out with the Kodiak Island trip, Patagonia/Igwaza Falls, and then Christmas in the Sea of Cortez. I’ll have a couple of domestic trips this year as well in July and October.

    I’ve crammed six major trips into 2027 so far – I’m not sure what my health status will be in 2028, so going a bit overboard for next year. So far, I’ve got the Northern Lights trip in Churchill, a long cruise to the Falklands & South Georgia Island, Iceland, a cruise to Svalbard, a land tour through Madagascar, and I just recently booked an Amazon River cruise. I’m also planning on the Christmas Sea of Cortez trip in 2027 as well.

    A luxurious riverboat named Zafiro cruising on calm waters under a partly cloudy sky.

    The Amazon trip should be amazing – the river boat is luxurious, with only 48 passengers. This will be during the rainy season when the river is high, and the ship can travel down the smaller tributaries. The amount of wildlife to see should make for some great photo opportunities. I’m also hoping to see the pink river porpoises. 

    Max has already checked it out – swimming in the Amazon. What could possibly go wrong? 

    A person swimming in murky water with several pink river dolphins, surrounded by fish and a lush green forest in the background.