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My pic (left) in a new National Geographic book (Practical Photography Guide, technical tips for taking great photos), the caption reads "The hands of this lady perched on an Afghan blanket are the focus of this photo. The sharpness of the focus makes us feel the hands as if they were ours, and we can almost feel the texture of the fabric."

Chapel Esglesia Sant Jaume de Ransol, Ransol, Canillo, Vall d'Orient, Andorra, Pyrenees - (c) Lutz Meyer

 

More Ransol & Canillo parroquia: Follow the group links at right side.

.......

 

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We offer 200.000+ photos of Andorra and North of Spain. 20.000+ visable here at Flickr. Its the largest professional image catalog of Andorra: all regions, all cities and villages, all times, all seasons, all weather(s). Consistent for additional advanced programming. For smartphones and web-db. REAL TIME!

 

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Motueka Quay

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, 2017

Italien / Belluno - Marmolata

 

seen from Viel del Pan Path

 

gesehen vom Bindelweg

 

Hike on the Viel del Pan Path to Lake Fedaia

 

At the feet of the mighty Marmolada: the walking tour across the Viel del Pan near Canazei in the Val di Fassa offers spectacular views on the Dolomites.

 

Goal of our walking tour is the Lago di Fedaia on the same-named saddle across the Viel del Pan. This name is Ladin, it means “bread path” and is also marked in the Ladin version. It follows the 2,400 m high ridge between the Sella and Marmolada. We start at Canazei where we take the Belvedere-funicular which brings us up to Pecol. There it is possible to take another funicular up to the Col dei Rossi but this time we decide to walk up these last 400 meters. Here the landscape is characterized by Alpine meadows. The sweet marmots are not that shy, we can approach before they disappear in their holes.

 

Parallel the Downhill-Bike-Slope the path leads up quite steeply, across flower meadows and with the view on the Sella and Saslonch mountain groups. Arrived at the Col dei Rossi the panoramic view is awesome! Here the real Viel del Pan starts, it proceeds to the Viel del Pan mountain hut and further towards the Passo Fedaia. It is worth walking up to the Sass Capel for a short part, from the ridge you have a gorgeous view on the Sella and the peaks of the Fanes mountain group in Alta Badia.

 

Opposite we have the mighty glacier of the Marmolada with the blue lake of Fedaia below. There the Viel del Pan ends. The descent to the Passo Fedaia requires step security, the path is narrow and steep. Finally arrived at the bottom we take the local bus to come back to Canazei.

 

(trentino.com)

 

Marmolada (Ladin: Marmolèda; German: Marmolata, pronounced [maʁmoˈlaːta]) is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites (a section of the Alps). It lies between the borders of Trentino and Veneto. The Marmolada is an ultra-prominent peak (Ultra), known as the "Queen of the Dolomites".

 

Geography

 

The mountain is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-northwest of Venice, from which it can be seen on a clear day. It consists of a ridge running west to east. Towards the south it breaks suddenly into sheer cliffs, forming a rock face several kilometres long. On the north side there is a comparatively flat glacier, the only large glacier in the Dolomites (the Marmolada Glacier, Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).

 

The ridge is composed of several summits, decreasing in altitude from west to east: Punta Penia 3,343 metres (10,968 ft), Punta Rocca 3,309 metres (10,856 ft), Punta Ombretta 3,230 metres (10,600 ft), Monte Serauta 3,069 metres (10,069 ft), and Pizzo Serauta 3,035 metres (9,957 ft). An aerial tramway goes to the top of Punta Rocca. During the ski season the Marmolada's main ski run is opened for skiers and snowboarders alike, making it possible to ski down into the valley.

 

History

 

Paul Grohmann made the first ascent in 1864, along the north route. The south face was climbed for the first time in 1901 by Beatrice Tomasson, Michele Bettega and Bartolo Zagonel.

 

Until the end of World War I the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy ran over Marmolada, so it formed part of the front line during that conflict. Austro-Hungarian soldiers were quartered in deep tunnels bored into the northern face's glacier, and Italian soldiers were quartered on the south face's rocky precipices. It was also the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. As glaciers retreat, soldiers' remains and belongings are occasionally discovered.

 

On July 3, 2022, a serac collapsed which led to the sliding downstream of over 200 000 m3 of ice and debris, killing eleven people and wounding eight more.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Wanderung über den Bindelweg zum Fedaia See

 

Zu Füßen der mächtigen Marmolada: Die Wanderung über den Bindelweg bei Canazei im Fassatal ist Synonym für spektakuläre Ausblicke auf die Dolomiten.

 

Der Fedaia-See am gleichnamigen Passübergang ist das Ziel unserer Wanderung über den Bindelweg. Ladinisch auch unter dem Namen "Viel del Pan" (Brotweg) bekannt und so markiert, folgt er dem etwa 2.400 m hohen "kleinen" Kamm zwischen Sella und Marmolada. Wir starten in Canazei und nutzen die Belvedere-Kabinenbahn, die uns bis nach Pecol bringt. Von dort aus würde eine Seilbahn bis hoch zum Col dei Rossi fahren, aber diese letzten 400 m Steigung möchten wir lieber erwandern. Die Landschaft hier unter dem Pordoi-Joch ist von Almwiesen geprägt. Die süßen Murmeltiere, die hier ihre Gänge graben, scheinen Wanderer gewöhnt zu sein und lassen uns recht nahe heran kommen, bevor sie in ihrem Bau verschwinden.

 

Parallel zu Downhill-Bike-Piste geht es recht steil hoch, über Blumenwiesen und mit Sicht auf Sella und Langkofelgruppe. Dass die Wolken die Sonne immer wieder verdecken, ist ein Segen, der den Aufstieg weniger schweißtreibend macht. Am Col dei Rossi angekommen, ist die Aussicht wirklich der Hammer. Rosengarten, Platt- und Langkofel, Sella und natürlich die Marmolada mit dem Gran Vernel. Hier beginnt der eigentliche Bindelweg, der als Fahrweg zuerst bis zur Viel del Pan-Hütte führt. Von dort aus geht es dann über einen Wanderpfad weiter in Richtung Fedaiapass. Es lohnt sich, den Weg ein Stück zum Sass Capel hoch zu gehen, von der Kammhöhe aus kann man herrlich auf die Sellagruppe und die Gipfel von Alta Badia (Fanesgruppe) blicken.

 

Auf der anderen Seite steht der mächtige Marmolata-Gletscher und darunter der blaue Fedaia-See. Dort endet auch der Bindelweg. Der Abstieg zum Passo Fedaia verlangt doch ein wenig Trittsicherheit, um auf den engen Serpentinen durch die steilen Wiesenhänge nicht auszurutschen. Unten angekommen, nutzen wir den Linienbus, um nach Canazei zurück zu gelangen.

 

(trentino.com)

 

Die Marmolata (italienisch Marmolada, ladinisch Marmoleda, der Name soll von der Ähnlichkeit des Felsens mit Marmor herrühren) ist der höchste Berg der Dolomiten und Teil der Marmolatagruppe. Die Marmolata ist ein westöstlich verlaufender Gratrücken, der von der Punta Penia (3343 m s.l.m.) über die Punta Rocca (3309 m s.l.m.) und die Punta Ombretta (3230 m s.l.m.) zum Pizzo Serauta (3035 m s.l.m.) und der Punta Serauta (3069 m s.l.m.) führt. Dieser Gratrücken bricht nach Süden in einer geschlossenen, zwei Kilometer breiten und bis zu 800 Meter hohen Steilwand ins Ombrettatal ab. Die auf der Nordseite zum Passo Fedaia vergleichsweise sanft abfallende Flanke trägt den einzigen größeren Gletscher der Dolomiten (Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).

 

Zur Geschichte der Marmolata

 

Die Sage vom Marmolatagletscher

 

Eine Südtiroler Sage erklärt (ätiologisch) den Ursprung des Marmolatagletschers so: Ursprünglich gab es auf der Marmolata kein Eis und Schnee, sondern fruchtbare Almen und Wiesen. Vor einem Marienfeiertag im August unterbrachen die Bauern wie üblich die Heuernte und gingen ins Tal, um in die Kirche zu gehen. Doch zweien war die gebotene Feiertagsruhe gleichgültig, sie arbeiteten den ganzen Feiertag durch, um ihr Heu noch trocken in die Heuschober zu bringen. Tatsächlich fing es auch gleich an zu schneien. Doch es schneite immer weiter und hörte gar nicht mehr auf, bis schließlich die ganze Marmolata von einem Gletscher bedeckt war. Eine andere Version berichtet von einer gottlosen Gräfin, welche die Bauern zur Heuarbeit gezwungen hatte. Während sich die Bauern retten konnten, wurde die Gräfin samt Gesinde von den Schneemassen begraben.

 

Die Besteigungsgeschichte bis 1914

 

Am 3. August 1802 erreichen drei Priester (Don Giovanni Costadedòi, Don Giuseppe Terza, Don Tommaso Pezzei), ein Chirurg (Hauser) und ein bischöflicher Richter (Peristi) vom Passo Fedaia aus den Höhenkamm bei der Punta Rocca. Beim Abstieg verliert die Gruppe Don Giuseppe Terza vermutlich durch Spaltensturz. Es ist ein Unfall, der dem Aberglauben neue Nahrung gab, was dazu beigetragen haben mag, dass erst 50 Jahre später ein neuer Besteigungsversuch unternommen wurde. Diesmal waren es drei Priester aus dem Bereich Agordo (Don Pietro Munga, Don Alessio Marmolada, Don Lorenzo Nikolai) und der 17-jährige Adelsspross Gian Antonio De Manzoni. Als Führer der Gruppe wird der bergerfahrene „Führer“ Pellegrino Pellegrini engagiert, der den Gämsjäger Gasparo de Pian mitnimmt. Diese Sechsergruppe steigt am 25. August 1856 vom Passo Fedaia, mit einfachen Steigeisen ausgerüstet, über den Gletscher zum Grat an und bezeichnet sich als Erstbesteiger, obwohl ihr Bericht keinen Nachweis enthält, dass man die Punta Rocca tatsächlich bestiegen hat.

 

1860 bezeichnet sich John Ball (mit dem Führer Victor Tairraz und John Birkbeck) ebenfalls als Erstersteiger der Marmolata, was jedoch widerlegt wurde.

 

Tatsächlich wurde die Punta Rocca erst im Juli 1862 vom Wiener Bergsteiger und Gründungsmitglied des Österreichischen Alpenvereins Paul Grohmann auf der Nordroute bestiegen. Er fand weder auf dem kurzen, schwierigen Gipfelgrat, noch auf dem Gipfel Besteigungsspuren. Die um 35 Meter höhere Punta Penia wird am 28. September 1864 ebenfalls von Paul Grohmann gemeinsam mit den beiden Bergführern Angelo und Fulgenzio Dimai bestiegen. In den 1880er Jahren nimmt das Dolomitenbergsteigen einen gewaltigen Aufschwung, was zur Errichtung von Schutzhütten am Fedaiasattel (Alpenvereinssektion Bamberg) und beim Ombrettapass (Contrinhaus der Alpenvereinssektion Nürnberg) führt. Die Sektion Nürnberg bemühte sich auch um einen relativ einfach zu begehenden Weg auf die Punta Penia und finanziert die Versicherung des Westgrates, der von Hans Seyffert, Eugen Dittmann mit Führer Luigi Rizzi am 21. Juli 1898 erstbestiegen wurde. Der sehr beliebte, exponierte Klettersteig wurde am 5. August 1903 eröffnet.

 

Den ersten Weg durch die Südwand (Schwierigkeitsgrad II) fanden die Bergführer Cesare Tomè, Santo De Toni und ihr Begleiter Luigi Farenza am 21. August 1897 mit Hilfe einer Schlucht. Den Grat erreichten sie allerdings zwei Kilometer östlich des Hauptgipfels. Die erste Südwandroute auf die Punta Penia, die heute als „Via Classica“ (IV) bekannt ist, wurde am 1. Juni 1901 von den Bergführern Michele Bettega, Bortolo Zagonel und der Britin Beatrice Tomasson eröffnet.

 

Die Marmolata und der Erste Weltkrieg

 

Die Marmolata war im Ersten Weltkrieg als Grenzberg zwischen Österreich-Ungarn und Italien Frontgebiet. Die österreichischen Stellungen verliefen vom Passo Fedaia über den Sasso Undici zur Forcella Serauta und weiter entlang des Kammes nach Westen. Die italienischen Stellungen befanden sich ostwärts bzw. südlich davon. Die Italiener bemühten sich vor allem entlang des Grates Richtung Punta Rocca vorzudringen, was jedoch auch unter Einsatz von Sprengstollen nicht gelang. Um den Nachschub zu den Stellungen am Kamm sicherzustellen, gruben bzw. sprengten die Österreicher Stollen in den Gletscher, die neben der Versorgung auch Unterkunftszwecken dienten, was zur Errichtung einer regelrechten „Eisstadt“ führte. In Zusammenhang mit diesen Kampfhandlungen steht auch das größte Lawinenunglück der Alpingeschichte. Am 13. Dezember 1916 verschüttete eine Nassschneelawine das westlich des Fedaiapasses gelegene österreichische Reservelager Gran Poz, wobei an die 300 Soldaten ums Leben kamen (→ Lawinenkatastrophe vom 13. Dezember 1916).

 

Die Erschließung ab 1918

 

Nach dem Krieg schreiben vom 8. bis 9. September 1929 Luigi Micheluzzi, Roberto Perathoner und Demetrio Christomannos mit der Ersteigung des Südpfeilers der Punta Penia (VI) Alpingeschichte. Sie hatten lediglich ein Hanfseil mit und schlugen ganze sieben Haken. Bezüglich der korrekten Besteigung tauchten allerdings Zweifel auf. Jedenfalls bezeichneten einige Nachbegeher (Fritz Kasparek, Hans Steger) diesen Weg als den schwierigsten ihrer Kletterlaufbahn, vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wird er lediglich sieben Mal begangen. Mit der Südwestwand der Punta Penia (VI+) durch Gino Soldà und Umberto Conforto und vor allem mit der ebenfalls 1936 durch die von Batista Vinatzer und Ettore Castiglioni erstiegenen Südwand der Punta di Rocca (VI+) kamen noch vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hervorragende Routen dazu. Die Vinatzerführe trug lange Zeit den Ruf der schwierigsten Dolomitenführe. Nach dem Krieg trugen sich mit Armando Aste, Toni Egger, Claudio Barbier, Walter Philipp und Georges Livanos Spitzen des Nachkriegsbergsteigens in die Liste der Erstbegeher ein. In den 1980er Jahren sollte sich zeigen, dass die schon beendet erschienene Erschließung durch die Freikletterbewegung neue Impulse erhielt. Eine neue Generation eroberte die Silberplatten, wobei vor allem Heinz Mariacher Pionierarbeit leistete. Bekannt wurde auch der Weg durch den Fisch (IX-), den tschechische Bergsteiger erstbegingen.

 

Tourismus heute

 

Über die Westseite des Gletschers verläuft der anspruchsvollste Teil des sogenannten Dolomiten-Höhenweges Nr. 2. Auf die Punta Penia führt ein Klettersteig mit der Schwierigkeits-Bewertung B vom Contrinhaus auf der Südseite via Marmolatascharte und Westgrat (daher der Name Westgrat-Klettersteig). Der Klettersteig trägt auch den Namen Hans-Seyffert-Weg. Eine sehr eindrucksvolle Bergtour führt am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand von Malga Ciapela über den Passo Ombretta und das Contrinhaus nach Alba bei Canazei.

 

Auf die Marmolata führt auch eine Seilbahn; die in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 erneuerte Anlage führt in drei Abschnitten von Malga Ciapela (1467 m s.l.m.) über die Stationen Banc/Coston d'Antermoia (2350 m) und Serauta (2950 m) auf die Punta Rocca genannte Bergstation (3265 m), von der man den Marmolata-Nebengipfel Punta Rocca (3309 m) in einer halben Stunde erreichen kann. Das in die Seilbahnstation Serauta integrierte Gebirgskriegsmuseum in 2950 m Seehöhe ist das wohl höchstgelegene Museum Europas. Von der Bergstation Punta Rocca lässt sich durch einen Stollen unschwer das kleine Felsheiligtum Madonna della Neve erreichen, das Papst Johannes Paul II. bei einem Besuch persönlich konsekriert hat.

 

Eine der längsten Skiabfahrten der Alpen, die Bellunese, ist ca. 12 km lang. Sie führt von der Punta Rocca 1900 Höhenmeter bergab über den Passo Fedaia nach Malga Ciapela.

 

Bis etwa 2000 fand auf dem Marmolata-Gletscher Sommerskifahren mit einigen Schleppliften statt. Dieses Angebot wurde danach seltener und 2005 – auch auf Druck von Umweltschutzverbänden – komplett gestrichen. Bis zum Jahr 2008 gab es eine weitere Liftkette von der Passhöhe des Fedaiapasses zur Punta Serauta. 2008 wurde der Schlepplift stillgelegt; 2012 brannte die Talstation der Sesselbahn auf der Passhöhe nieder und wurde seitdem nicht wieder aufgebaut. Die hierdurch stark verminderte Kapazität und der große Andrang führen oft zu langen Wartezeiten (eine Stunde und mehr) bei der Talstation der nun einzigen Seilbahn auf die Marmolata in Malga Ciapela.

 

Gletschersturz 2022

 

Am 3. Juli 2022 kam es zu einem Gletschersturz am Gipfelgletscher der Punta Rocca. Wohl aufgrund außergewöhnlich hoher Temperaturen und eindringenden Wassers riss ein Eisblock auf etwa 200 Meter Breite ab, die Eis- und Gesteinsmassen stürzten auf die darunterliegende Normalroute zur Punta Penia, auf der zu diesem Zeitpunkt mehrere Seilschaften unterwegs waren. Zahlreiche Tote und Vermisste waren die Folge. Als Auslöser wurde der Klimawandel gesehen: Nach einem warmen und niederschlagsarmen Winter habe sich im folgenden Sommer Schmelzwasser unter dem Gletschereis gesammelt und dessen Haftung reduziert.

 

Schutzhütten im Marmolata-Gebiet

 

Rifugio Contrin (2016 m, A.N.A., traditionsreiches Haus südwestlich der Marmolata-Südwand)

Rifugio Falier (2074 m, CAI, am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand im Val Ombretta)

Bivacco Marco Dal Bianco (2727 m, Biwakschachtel am Passo Ombretta)

Capanna Punta Penia (3340 m, privat, kleine Schutzhütte in Gipfelnähe)

 

(Wikipedia)

© Jeff R. Clow

 

I don't know about you, but I've always thought that having one's photo published by National Geographic is the ultimate honor a photographer can have....

 

So imagine my surprise when I found out that a photo of Dominica that I took a couple of years ago was featured on the National Geographic website. You can see the usage at this link:

 

blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/dest...

 

Now, its not the same as making it to the pages of the print magazine, but I have to admit that I was pleased that one of my photos showed up on anything affiliated with National Geographic.

 

I hope you'll excuse my pride, but I wanted to share it with my friends here on Flickr.

 

And where did they find the photo?

 

On Flickr, of course.

 

You just never know who is looking at your work.....apparently even National Geographic editors visit here.

  

Salt flats at Bernham-Overy-Staithe

Photos for Poems

 

(...)

A única geografia

que me aceita é a poesia

(...)

 

(Mia Couto, Raiz de orvalho e outros poemas, Caminho, 1999)

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

(rough translation)

 

The only geography

That accepts me is poetry

 

(Mia Couto)

Reed Bunting - Cleethorpes.

My prize winning shot that was placed third and published in National Geographic Traveller earlier this month. Chuffed to bits!

Had a day off today and had a trip to the wonderful area in Saxony which is called Vogtland. I took some nice photos, and this is one of them.

I certainly know, German flickerites have an advantage. But maybe somebody knows this surreal view of a very special building??

 

Solution will come soon! :o)

 

More photos of the beautiful Vogtland area you can find in my set Vogtland area, Germany.

 

 

This is one of the main streets of the city. This area is so cold in winter that food has to be cooked in the autumn and then frozen (stored underground) to feed people until spring.

Y7D219

Since January 1st 2010, I have been taking and uploading one square picture each day to:

 

square365.blogspot.com

My "Beach Buddy" shot (above and previously posted) was selected by National Geographic as a " Featured Dog Photograph" on their "MY Shot Selection" and posted on their website. Congratulations to my daughter's dog Buddy!

Rokuonji is a temple of the Shokokuji school of the Rinzai sect located in Kinkakuji -cho , Kita Ward, Kyoto City , Japan .In 1994 , it was registered as a component of UNESCO 's World Heritage Site ( cultural heritage ), `` Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto . ''

 

日本 金閣寺, 鹿苑寺(日語:鹿苑寺/ろくおんじ Rokuonji),又名金閣(日語:金閣/きんかく kinkaku),是一座最早完成於1397年(應永四年)的日本佛寺,位於京都府京都市北區,是一座臨濟宗相國寺派的寺院,其名稱源自於日本室町時代著名的足利氏第三代幕府將軍足利義滿之法名,又因為寺內核心建築「舍利殿」的外牆全是以金箔裝飾,所以又被稱為「金閣」。

 

事實上,為人所知的「金閣寺」這個名稱並不準確地代表整個寺廟。寺方強調,「鹿苑寺」是整個廟寺的名稱,而「金閣」是當中的一個殿堂。金閣本身也是一個簡稱,其真正名稱是「舍利殿」(日語:舎利殿/しゃりでん sharidono)

Published in a National Geographic Book!!!

 

Earlier this year I received an email from National Geographic. National Geographic photographer Anand Varma had seen the photograph by Sean Goebel and me of our friend Wade Meade hiking Half Dome in Yosemite National Park at night and he wanted to include it in a book he was putting together.

 

The book was to be called Invisible Wonders and this is the blurb you can see over on Amazon:

 

--------

In this dazzling coffee table book, acclaimed scientist-photographer Anand Varma unveils a world never before seen by human eyes, achieved through the innovative techniques of today’s finest photographers.

“If we hold our breath and gaze a bit more carefully at our world, we might just glimpse a few beautiful secrets hiding in plain sight,” writes Anand Varma

--------

 

The photo is a co-creation with my friend Sean Goebel and I quickly contacted him. We jumped at the chance, naturally.

 

After doing all the paperwork and sending the image, I was feeling cautiously optimistic. When it became available, I pre-ordered the book. While it certainly was implied that the image would make it into the book, I wasn’t going to say anything until I had a copy in my hand. It didn’t seem real. That day finally arrived yesterday, when a box containing this spectacular volume arrived at my door. I quickly flipped through and found our image. A full two page spread. In a National Geographic Book. Looking through the names of other photographers in this incredible volume… wow what an honor to have such company.

 

Thank you so much to Anand Varma and the team at National Geographic for including us in this incredible book. It feels surreal to open a book with National Geographic and that iconic logo on the cover and inside is one of my images.

Actually, about 13 miles geographically north of Crawford, near a railroad name called "Joder", which at that time was the end of about 37 miles of double main that stretched over Crawford Hill and to either side of it. Now the second main has been extended for miles to either end. Here is BN eastbound coal ("KCLX" hoppers, for Kansas City Power & LIght) headed by five SD40-2's led by the 7200. The middle three units belong to the Missouri Kansas Texas, or "Katy", and they were common sights in the power pool for this region, not limited to those coal trains that served power plants on the Katy itself. This image was pretty flat and blurry - still is a bit blurry - due to the use of a cheap lens for which I still kick myself. But I thought I'd give it a try, as well as re-editing the following image which had been posted previously....

Lower Rio Grand Valley, Texas

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean

   

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106,400,000 square kilometres (41,100,000 sq mi),[1] it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to Atlas of Greek mythology, making the Atlantic the "Sea of Atlas".

The oldest known mention of "Atlantic" is in The Histories of Herodotus around 450 BC (Hdt. 1.202.4): Atlantis thalassa (Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς θάλασσα; English: Sea of Atlas); see also: Atlas Mountains. The term Ethiopic Ocean, derived from Ethiopia, was applied to the southern Atlantic ocean as late as the mid-19th century.[2] Before Europeans discovered other oceans, the term "ocean" itself was synonymous with the waters beyond the Strait of Gibraltar that we now know as the Atlantic. The early Greeks believed this ocean to be a gigantic river encircling the world.

The Atlantic Ocean occupies an elongated, S-shaped basin extending longitudinally between Eurasia and Africa to the east, and the Americas to the west. As one component of the interconnected global ocean, it is connected in the north to the Arctic Ocean (which is sometimes considered a sea of the Atlantic), to the Pacific Ocean in the southwest, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, and the Southern Ocean in the south. (Other definitions describe the Atlantic as extending southward to Antarctica.) The equator subdivides it into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean.

   

Geography

 

The Atlantic Ocean is bounded on the west by North and South America. It connects to the Arctic Ocean through the Denmark Strait, Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea. To the east, the boundaries of the ocean proper are Europe; the Strait of Gibraltar (where it connects with the Mediterranean Sea–one of its marginal seas–and, in turn, the Black Sea, both of which also touch upon Asia) and Africa.

In the southeast, the Atlantic merges into the Indian Ocean. The 20° East meridian, running south from Cape Agulhas to Antarctica defines its border. Some authorities show it extending south to Antarctica, while others show it bounded at the 60° parallel by the Southern Ocean.[3]

In the southwest, the Drake Passage connects it to the Pacific Ocean. The man-made Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific. Besides those mentioned, other large bodies of water adjacent to the Atlantic are the Caribbean Sea; the Gulf of Mexico; Hudson Bay; the Arctic Ocean; the Mediterranean Sea; the North Sea; the Baltic Sea and the Celtic Sea.

Covering approximately 22% of Earth's surface, the Atlantic is second in size to the Pacific. With its adjacent seas, it occupies an area of about 106,400,000 square kilometres (41,100,000 sq mi);[1] without them, it has an area of 82,400,000 square kilometres (31,800,000 sq mi). The land that drains into the Atlantic covers four times that of either the Pacific or Indian oceans. The volume of the Atlantic with its adjacent seas is 354,700,000 cubic kilometers (85,100,000 cu mi) and without them 323,600,000 cubic kilometres (77,640,000 cu mi).

The average depth of the Atlantic, with its adjacent seas, is 3,339 metres (1,826 fathoms; 10,950 ft); without them it is 3,926 metres (2,147 fathoms; 12,880 ft). The greatest depth, Milwaukee Deep with 8,380 metres (4,580 fathoms; 27,500 ft), is in the Puerto Rico Trench. The Atlantic's width varies from 1,538 nautical miles (2,848 km; 1,770 mi) between Brazil and Sierra Leone to over 3,450 nautical miles (6,400 km; 4,000 mi) in the south

  

Cultural significance

 

Transatlantic travel played a major role in the expansion of Western civilization into the Americas. It is the Atlantic that separates the "Old World" from the "New World". In modern times, some idioms refer to the ocean in a humorously diminutive way as the Pond, describing both the geographical and cultural divide between North America and Europe, in particular between the English-speaking nations of both continents. Many British people refer to the United States and Canada as "across the pond", and vice versa

   

Ocean bottom

 

The principal feature of the bathymetry (bottom topography) is a submarine mountain range called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.[5] It extends from Iceland in the north to approximately 58° South latitude, reaching a maximum width of about 860 nautical miles (1,590 km; 990 mi). A great rift valley also extends along the ridge over most of its length. The depth of water at the apex of the ridge is less than 2,700 metres (1,500 fathoms; 8,900 ft) in most places, while the bottom of the ridge is three times as deep. Several peaks rise above the water and form islands.[6] The South Atlantic Ocean has an additional submarine ridge, the Walvis Ridge.[7]

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge separates the Atlantic Ocean into two large troughs with depths from 3,700–5,500 metres (2,000–3,000 fathoms; 12,000–18,000 ft). Transverse ridges running between the continents and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge divide the ocean floor into numerous basins. Some of the larger basins are the Blake, Guiana, North American, Cape Verde, and Canaries basins in the North Atlantic. The largest South Atlantic basins are the Angola, Cape, Argentina, and Brazil basins.

The deep ocean floor is thought to be fairly flat with occasional deeps, abyssal plains, trenches, seamounts, basins, plateaus, canyons, and some guyots. Various shelves along the margins of the continents constitute about 11% of the bottom topography with few deep channels cut across the continental rise.

 

Ocean floor trenches and seamounts:

•Puerto Rico Trench, in the North Atlantic, is the deepest trench at 8,605 metres (4,705 fathoms; 28,230 ft)[8]

•Laurentian Abyss is found off the eastern coast of Canada

•South Sandwich Trench reaches a depth of 8,428 metres (4,608 fathoms; 27,650 ft)

•Romanche Trench is located near the equator and reaches a depth of about 7,454 metres (4,076 fathoms; 24,460 ft).

 

Ocean sediments are composed of:

•Terrigenous deposits with land origins, consisting of sand, mud, and rock particles formed by erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity on land washed to sea. These materials are found mostly on the continental shelves and are thickest near large river mouths or off desert coasts.

•Pelagic deposits, which contain the remains of organisms that sink to the ocean floor, include red clays and Globigerina, pteropod, and siliceous oozes. Covering most of the ocean floor and ranging in thickness from 60–3,300 metres (33–1,800 fathoms; 200–11,000 ft) they are thickest in the convergence belts, notably at the Hamilton Ridge and in upwelling zones.

•Authigenic deposits consist of such materials as manganese nodules. They occur where sedimentation proceeds slowly or where currents sort the deposits, such as in the Hewett Curve.

  

Water characteristics

 

On average, the Atlantic is the saltiest major ocean; surface water salinity in the open ocean ranges from 33 to 37 parts per thousand (3.3 – 3.7%) by mass and varies with latitude and season. Evaporation, precipitation, river inflow and sea ice melting influence surface salinity values. Although the lowest salinity values are just north of the equator (because of heavy tropical rainfall), in general the lowest values are in the high latitudes and along coasts where large rivers enter. Maximum salinity values occur at about 25° north and south, in subtropical regions with low rainfall and high evaporation.

Surface water temperatures, which vary with latitude, current systems, and season and reflect the latitudinal distribution of solar energy, range from below −2 °C (28 °F). Maximum temperatures occur north of the equator, and minimum values are found in the polar regions. In the middle latitudes, the area of maximum temperature variations, values may vary by 7–8 °C (12–15 °F).

The Atlantic Ocean consists of four major water masses. The North and South Atlantic central waters make up the surface. The sub-Antarctic intermediate water extends to depths of 1,000 metres (550 fathoms; 3,300 ft). The North Atlantic Deep Water reaches depths of as much as 4,000 metres (2,200 fathoms; 13,000 ft). The Antarctic Bottom Water occupies ocean basins at depths greater than 4,000 metres.

Within the North Atlantic, ocean currents isolate the Sargasso Sea, a large elongated body of water, with above average salinity. The Sargasso Sea contains large amounts of seaweed and is also the spawning ground for both the European eel and the American eel.

The Coriolis effect circulates North Atlantic water in a clockwise direction, whereas South Atlantic water circulates counter-clockwise. The south tides in the Atlantic Ocean are semi-diurnal; that is, two high tides occur during each 24 lunar hours. In latitudes above 40° North some east-west oscillation occurs.

   

Climate

 

Climate is influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as winds. Because of the ocean's great capacity to store and release heat, maritime climates are more moderate and have less extreme seasonal variations than inland climates. Precipitation can be approximated from coastal weather data and air temperature from water temperatures.

The oceans are the major source of the atmospheric moisture that is obtained through evaporation. Climatic zones vary with latitude; the warmest zones stretch across the Atlantic north of the equator. The coldest zones are in high latitudes, with the coldest regions corresponding to the areas covered by sea ice. Ocean currents influence climate by transporting warm and cold waters to other regions. The winds that are cooled or warmed when blowing over these currents influence adjacent land areas.

The Gulf Stream and its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, for example, warms the atmosphere of the British Isles and north-western Europe and influences weather and climate as far south as the northern Mediterranean. The cold water currents contribute to heavy fog off the coast of eastern Canada (the Grand Banks of Newfoundland area) and Africa's north-western coast. In general, winds transport moisture and air over land areas. Hurricanes develop in the southern part of the North Atlantic Ocean. More local particular weather examples could be found in examples such as the; Azores High, Benguela Current, Nor'easter.

  

History

 

The Atlantic Ocean appears to be the second youngest of the five oceans. It did not exist prior to 130 million years ago, when the continents that formed from the breakup of the ancestral super continent Pangaea were drifting apart from seafloor spreading. The Atlantic has been extensively explored since the earliest settlements along its shores.

The Vikings, the Portuguese, and the Spaniards were the most famous among early explorers. After Columbus, European exploration rapidly accelerated, and many new trade routes were established.

As a result, the Atlantic became and remains the major artery between Europe and the Americas (known as transatlantic trade). Scientific explorations include the Challenger expedition, the German Meteor expedition, Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the United States Navy Hydrographic Office.

  

Notable crossings

  

Ra II, a ship built from papyrus, was successfully sailed across the Atlantic by Thor Heyerdahl proving that it was possible to cross the Atlantic from Africa using such boats in early epochs of history.

•Around 980 – 982, Eric the Red discovered Greenland, geographically and geologically a part of the Americas.

•In 985 or 986, Bjarni Herjólfsson was the first European to sight the Americas. He did not go ashore, though.

•In the year 1000, the Icelander Leif Ericson was the first European to set foot on North American soil, corresponding to today's Eastern coast of Canada, i. e. the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the area of land named "Vinland" by Ericson. The Norse discovery was documented in the 13th century Icelandic Sagas and was corroborated by recent L'Anse aux Meadows archeological evidence.

•Around 1010, Thorfinnr Karlsefni led an attempted Viking settlement in North America with 160 settlers, but was later driven off by the natives. His son Snorri Thorfinnsson was the first American born (somewhere between 1010 and 1013) to European (Icelandic) immigrant parents.

•In 1419 and 1427, Portuguese navigators reached Madeira and Azores, respectively.

•From 1415 to 1488, Portuguese navigators sailed along the Western African coast, reaching the Cape of Good Hope.

•In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in The Bahamas.

•In 1497, John Cabot landed at Bonavista Newfoundland and Labrador.

•In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral reached Brazil.

•In 1524, Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered the United States of America's east coast.

•In 1534, Jacques Cartier entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.

•In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for the English Crown.

•In 1764 William Harrison (the son of John Harrison) sailed aboard the HMS Tartar, with the H-4 time piece. The voyage became the basis for the invention of the global system of Longitude.

•In 1858, Cyrus West Field laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable (it quickly failed).

•In 1865 Brunel's ship the SS Great Eastern laid the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable .

•In 1870 the small City of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) became the first small Lifeboat to cross the Atlantic from Cork to Boston with two men crew, John Charles Buckley and Nikola Primorac (di Costa), only.[9]

•In 1896 Frank Samuelsen and George Harbo from Norway became the first people to ever row across the Atlantic Ocean.

•On April 15, 1912 the RMS Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg with a loss of more than 1,500 lives.[10]

•1914–1918, the First Battle of the Atlantic took place.

•In 1919, the American NC-4 became the first seaplane to cross the Atlantic (though it made a couple of landings on islands and the sea along the way, and taxied several hundred miles).

•Later in 1919, a British aeroplane piloted by Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight, from Newfoundland to Ireland.

•In 1921, the British were the first to cross the North Atlantic in an airship.

•In 1922, Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho were the first to cross the South Atlantic in an airship.

•In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight in an aircraft (between New York City and Paris).

•In 1931, Bert Hinkler made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight across the South Atlantic in an aircraft.

•In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first female to make a solo flight across the Atlantic

•1939–1945, the Second Battle of the Atlantic. Nearly 3,700 Allied ships were sunk at a cost of 783 German U-boats.[11]

•In 1952, Ann Davison was the first woman to single-handedly sail the Atlantic Ocean.

•In 1965, Robert Manry crossed the Atlantic from the U.S. to England non-stop in a 13.5 foot (4.05 meters) sailboat named "Tinkerbell".[12] Several others also crossed the Atlantic in very small sailboats in the 1960s, none of them non-stop, though.

•In 1969 and 1970 Thor Heyerdahl launched expeditions to cross the Atlantic in boats built from papyrus. He succeeded in crossing the Atlantic from Morocco to Barbados after a two-month voyage of 6,100 km with Ra II in 1970, thus conclusively proving that boats such as the Ra could have sailed with the Canary Current across the Atlantic in prehistoric times.[13]

•In 1975, Fons Oerlemans crossed the Atlantic in 82 days, starting from Safi (Morocco) to Trinidad and Tobago, on a selfmade raft.

•In 1980, Gérard d'Aboville was the first man to cross the Atlantic Ocean rowing solo.

•In 1984, Five Argentines sail in a 10-meter-long raft made from tree trunks named Atlantis from Canary Islands and after 52 days 3,000 miles (4,800 km) journey arrived to Venezuela in an attempt to prove travelers from Africa may have crossed the Atlantic before Christopher Columbus.[14][15]

•In 1994, Guy Delage was the first man to allegedly swim across the Atlantic Ocean (with the help of a kick board, from Cape Verde to Barbados).

•In 1998, Benoît Lecomte was the first man to swim across the northern Atlantic Ocean without a kick board, stopping for only one week in the Azores.

•In 1999, after rowing for 81 days and 4,767 kilometres (2,962 mi), Tori Murden became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by rowboat alone when she reached Guadeloupe from the Canary Islands.

   

Ethiopic Ocean

 

The Aethiopian Sea, Ethiopic Ocean or Ethiopian Ocean (Okeanos Aithiopos), is an old name for what is now called the South Atlantic Ocean, which is separated from the North Atlantic Ocean by a narrow region between Natal, Brazil and Monrovia, Liberia. The use of this term illustrates a past trend towards referring to the whole continent of Africa by the name Aethiopia. The modern nation of Ethiopia, in northeast Africa, is nowhere near the Ethiopic Ocean, which would be said to lie off the west coast of Africa. The term Ethiopian Ocean sometimes appeared until the mid-19th century.[

  

Economy

 

The Atlantic has contributed significantly to the development and economy of surrounding countries. Besides major transatlantic transportation and communication routes, the Atlantic offers abundant petroleum deposits in the sedimentary rocks of the continental shelves. The Atlantic hosts the world's richest fishing resources, especially in the waters covering the shelves. The major fish are cod, haddock, hake, herring, and mackerel.

The most productive areas include Newfoundland's Grand Banks, the Nova Scotia shelf, Georges Bank off Cape Cod, the Bahama Banks, the waters around Iceland, the Irish Sea, the Dogger Bank of the North Sea, and the Falkland Banks. Eel, lobster, and whales appear in great quantities. Various international treaties attempt to reduce pollution caused by environmental threats such as oil spills, marine debris, and the incineration of toxic wastes at sea.

   

Terrain

 

From October to June the surface is usually covered with sea ice in the Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea. A clockwise warm-water gyre occupies the northern Atlantic, and a counter-clockwise warm-water gyre appears in the southern Atlantic. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin, first discovered by the Challenger Expedition dominates the ocean floor. This was formed by the vulcanism that also formed the ocean floor and the islands rising from it.

The Atlantic has irregular coasts indented by numerous bays, gulfs, and seas. These include the Norwegian Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Labrador Sea, Black Sea, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, Gulf of Maine, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.

Islands include Newfoundland (including hundreds of surrounding islands), Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Great Britain (including numerous surrounding islands), Ireland, Rockall, Sable Island, Azores, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Madeira, Bermuda, Canary Islands, Caribbean, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Annobón Province, Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, Ascension Island, Saint Helena, Trindade and Martim Vaz, Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island (Also known as Diego Alvarez), Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego, South Georgia Island, South Sandwich Islands, and Bouvet Island.

   

Natural resources

The Atlantic harbors petroleum and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, and precious stones.

  

Natural hazards

 

Icebergs are common from February to August in the Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and Madeira. Ships are subject to superstructure icing in the extreme north from October to May. Persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September, as can hurricanes north of the equator (May to December).

The United States' southeast coast has a long history of shipwrecks due to its many shoals and reefs. The Virginia and North Carolina coasts were particularly dangerous.

The Bermuda Triangle is popularly believed to be the site of numerous aviation and shipping incidents because of unexplained and supposedly mysterious causes, but Coast Guard records do not support this belief.

Hurricanes are also a natural hazard in the Atlantic, but mainly in the northern part of the ocean, rarely tropical cyclones form in the southern parts. Hurricanes usually form between June 1 and November 30 of every year. The most notable hurricane in the Atlantic would be Hurricane Katrina in the 2005 season

 

Current environmental issues

 

Endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales. Drift net fishing can kill dolphins, albatrosses and other seabirds (petrels, auks), hastening the fish stock decline and contributing to international disputes.[16] Municipal pollution comes from the eastern United States, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; and industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

In 2005, there was some concern that warm northern European currents were slowing down, but no scientific consensus formed from that evidence.[17]

On June 7, 2006, Florida's wildlife commission voted to take the manatee off the state's endangered species list. Some environmentalists worry that this could erode safeguards for the popular sea creature.

 

Marine pollution

 

Marine pollution is a generic term for the entry into the ocean of potentially hazardous chemicals or particles. The biggest culprits are rivers and with them many agriculture fertilizer chemicals as well as livestock and human waste. The excess of oxygen-depleting chemicals leads to hypoxia and the creation of a dead zone.[18]

Marine debris, which is also known as marine litter, describes human-created waste floating in a body of water. Oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and coastlines, frequently washing aground where it is known as beach litter

  

Bordering countries and territories

The states (territories in italics) with a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean (excluding the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas) are:

 

Europe

• Belgium

• Denmark

• Germany

• Spain

• France

• Faroe Islands

• Guernsey

• Isle of Man

• Ireland

• Iceland

• Jersey

• Netherlands

• Norway

• Portugal

• Sweden

• United Kingdom

  

Africa

• Morocco

• Angola

• Benin

• Bouvet Island

• Côte d'Ivoire

• Cameroon

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Republic of the Congo

• Cape Verde

• Western Sahara (claimed by Morocco)

• Spain (Canary Islands)

• Gabon

• Ghana

• Guinea

• Gambia

• Guinea-Bissau

• Equatorial Guinea

• Liberia

• Mauritania

• Namibia

• Nigeria

• Senegal

• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

• Sierra Leone

• São Tomé and Príncipe

 

South America

• Argentina

• Brazil

• Chile

• Colombia

• Falkland Islands

• France (French Guiana)

• Guyana

• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

• Suriname

• Uruguay

• Venezuela

  

Caribbean

• Aruba

• Anguilla

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Bahamas

• Saint Barthélemy

• Barbados

• Cuba

• Curaçao

• Cayman Islands

• Dominica

• Dominican Republic

• France (Martinique and Guadeloupe)

• Grenada

• Haiti

• Jamaica

• Saint Lucia

• Saint Martin

• Montserrat

• Netherlands (Caribbean Netherlands)

• Puerto Rico

• Saint Kitts and Nevis

• Sint Maarten

• Turks and Caicos Islands

• Trinidad and Tobago

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

• British Virgin Islands

• United States Virgin Islands

 

Central and North America

• Belize

• Bermuda

• Canada

• Costa Rica

• Greenland

• Guatemala

• Honduras

• Mexico

• Nicaragua

• Panama

• Saint Pierre and Miquelon

• United States

 

Minolta X700 Minolta 28mm 1:3.5 Auto W.Rokkor - SG FP4 DDX 1+4 8:00@68 06-13-2022

Zhangjiajie World Geological Park, Hunan, China 湖南 張家界世界地質公園 天子山

 

Zhangjiajie Travel Guide

It's that time of the election cycle when we're gearing up to elect another governor for the state of Illinois, and I can tell you right now that I'm not going to vote for Sullivan. I don't know anything about about Sullivan, other than that I was seeing his signs all over the suburbs a full nine months before the general election, which is way too early to be seeing signs. Sullivan's problem is that his sign features an outline of the state of Illinois, only he cuts it off in such a way that it looks like Arizona. And if you can't even present an accurate outline of the state you want to run on your sign, then you don't deserve to be governor.

 

Take your signs to Flagstaff, Sullivan.

These two photos are in the Canadian Geographic Magazine Ultimate Quiz Edition this month

 

The two photos are from a road trip to the Canadian Rockies Last Fall. They are both from the stunning Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

 

All Purchases on pierre-leclerc.pixels.com Come With a $100 Gift Certificate from NakedWines.com

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