Nicole

They are definitely not “ducks”, nor do they have any relation to “geo”-logy. In fact, they seem alien enough to be “from Mars” and, for all I know, possess a malign intelligence.

They are found mostly around Pacific Coast of the US and Canada, and in Japan they seem to serve as inspiration for “manga” of certain tentacled variety.

Modern biologists easily classify it as large saltwater clam, a bivalve mollusk with a huge “neck”, or a “siphon”. How huge, you’ll ask? Up to two meters in length.

Deep Diggers of the Depths : Even their name is wrong, because it’s pronounced “GOOEY duck”. You’d think an epithet “gooey” would seem more appropriate for this bizarre creature, but it’s not gooey in any sense. The name comes from a misspelling of “gweduc” (a native word), which means to “dig deep”. Also, the “Elephant Trunk Clam” monicker fits them quite well.

You’d need to hook up with your buddy to dig them out, especially if you’re going to use the “hold-breath” method. It’s not so easy to spot the protruding siphon, either.

But once spotted, they can’t escape you, or dig further down. In fact, the body of an adult geoduck remains in one spot for its entire life. Sea stars would nibble at them, but once they bury themselves almost a meter deep, no predators can get at them - so they end up living REALLY long.

Old and Wise : Treat them with respect. They’ll outlive any of you - they get up to 160 years old . It’s the second longest-living organism on Earth (after giant tortoises, which can live almost 200 years). As they grow, they accumulate rings on their shell, much like a tree does.

The average adult geoduck that you’ll likely to meet will be the same age as you - 25 to 50 years old, but it hardly has the same experiences as you are, being buried all its life in one spot.

“Their large, meaty siphon are prized by some for its savory flavor and crunchy texture.” It is a delicacy in Asia, each costing $200 - $300, so if you ever considered opening a private geoduck farm… be also ready to deal with their reputation to increase the “male potential”.

Travel around the world and see for yourself some of the most unique and wonderful islands and the extraordinary features of these islands. Enjoy and have a lot of fun.

It’s the world’s fourth largest island, and is home to 5% of the world’s plants and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to Madagascar. They include the lemur infra order of primates, the carnivorous fossa, three bird families and six baobab species. Aside from this, there are numerous scenic views in the island.

 

For those seeking a private piece of paradise, Maldives’ 1,200 coral islands are one of the best. These islands are ideal destination for swimmers, snorkelers, fishermen, and other tourists. Maldives is the lowest island nation in the world. Its tallest island, Wilingili rises only 8 feet/ 2.4 meters above sea level. The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of population. It is also the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world.

The Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2.3 m (7½ ft). Maldives is one of the best diving spots in the world.

The only island shared by three countries which is split between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Visiting this island would mean you have visited three counties in all. The island is also the third largest in the world. Mount Kinabalu which is located in the island is a major center of biodiversity.

Borneo is also known for its extensive cave systems. Clearwater Cave has one of the world’s longest underwater rivers. Deer Cave, thought to be the largest cave passage in the world, is home to over three million bats and guano accumulated to over 100 meters high.

 

The Tallest Island with a towering height of 16,503 m/5,030 ft above sea level is the island of New Guinea. It is also the second largest island in the world and the world’s fourth highest landmass.

Mount Wilhelm is the highest point in the island.

Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in a lake in the world. It is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario with an area of 1,068 sq.mi/2,766 sq. km.

During summer, boating is a very popular activity in the area.

The Blue Lagoon in Iceland - A Geothermal Spa which is Iceland’s most unique and popular attraction.
Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe with an average about three inhabitants per square km. Almost four-fifths of the country are uninhabited and mostly uninhabitable, the population being concentrated in a narrow coastal belt, valleys and the southwest corner of the country. Iceland has some of the world’s highest levels of economic freedoms as well as civil freedoms. As of 2007, Iceland is the most developed country in the world with fellow Nordic country Norway according to the Human Development Index and one of the most egalitarian, according to the calculation provided by the Gini coefficient.

 

Strokkur, a geyser, is in the process of erupting. Lying on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is one of the most geologically active areas on Earth.

 

Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island off the coast of Queensland, Australia at 642 sq. m/ 1,662 sq. km. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1992. Fraser Island is stretching over 123 kilometers along the southern coast of Queensland and is the largest sand island in the world.

It is the only place in the world where tall rainforests are found growing on sand dunes. There are long uninterrupted white sandy beaches surrounded by sand cliffs, over 100 freshwater lakes, some tea-colored and many crystal-clear creeks.

Palau Samosir is the largest island on another island situated in Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is 245 sq. m/630 sq. km.

The island is a popular tourist destination with lots of wild animals in its jungle like orang utan and many others.

Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe and the eighth-largest island in the world. It is the largest island ever joined to a continent by a fixed link, which is now tied to Europe by the Channel Tunnel.

 

Channel Tunnel is a 31.35 mile long rail tunnel beneath the English Channel connecting Folkestone to Coquelles near Calais. It consists of three separate tunnels; two 7.6m diameter single tracks, single direction rail tunnels which are 30m apart, and one 4.8m diameter service tunnel between them.

It was a mega project with several false starts, but was finally completed in 1994. It is the second-longest rail tunnel in the world, but the undersea section at 23.55 miles is the longest undersea tunnel in the world. The American Society of Civil Engineers has declared the tunnel to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

Isla Ometepe, in Lake Nicaragua, is the world’s tallest lake island. Concepcion Volcano rises 5,183 feet / 1,580 meters above lake level. The Island of Ometepe was formed by two volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua in the Republic of Nicaragua. Its name derives from the Nahuatl words Ome - two and Tepetl - mountain, meaning two mountains.

Concepcion and Maderas volcanoes are joined by a low isthmus to form one island, giving it the form of an hourglass. Ometepe has an area of 276 sq. km. It is 31 km long and 5 to 10 km wide. The island has a population of 35,000, and an economy based on livestock, agriculture, and tourism.

Lake of the Woods, shared by Ontario, Minnesota, and Manitoba, is said to contain 14,452 islands.

Lake of the Woods is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. It is over seventy miles long and wide, and contains over 14,552 islands and 65,000 miles (105,000 km) of shoreline, which would amount to the longest coastline of any Canadian lake, except that the lake is not entirely within Canada.

The lake’s islands provide nesting habitat for the Piping Plover and large numbers of American White Pelicans. There are also several hundred nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in this area.

Some of the many telescopes operated by various universities from the world are positioned atop the highest island mountain in the world - Mauna Kea. It is above the clouds and because of this, the remote location, the lack of light pollution, and its position near the equator, make this one of the very best places on earth to watch the stars and planets. It also has a mars like surface and seems like you are on another planet.

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanoes which together form the island of Hawaii. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from base to summit, since its base is located on the seafloor about 19,000 feet (5,800 m) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean, bringing its total height to about 33,000 ft (10,000 m). In the Hawaiian language, Mauna Kea means “white mountain”, a reference to its summit being regularly snow-capped during the Northern Hemisphere winter.