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If you are among stalwart, diehard duck hunters shooting over water early in the season, you will have your work cut out for you with this year’s forecast of plentiful waterfowl. To avoid a case of “false identity,” here are some helpful reminders.

The members of the diving duck clan vary from predominantly light gray to dark gray with heads that range in color from rusty brown to iridescent greenish/bluish. We’re talking here, for example, about the canvasback, redhead, and two species of scaup.

They’re pretty good to eat, especially the canvasback that during the days of the market hunters, were known as “King Can,” being the biggest and most sought after bird to sell to the table.

Most diving ducks—think here of buffleheads, goldeneyes and mergansers, are typically big water ducks you’ll find on rivers or large areas of open water such as Freezeout Lake, Bowdoin Lake, Flathead Lake, Hebgen and Ennis Reservoirs, among other waters.

If you like to hunt small marshes or secluded wetlands, you are likely to see teal, shoveler, gadwall, wigeon, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, the ever-present mallard, and the exceedingly uncommon pintail. All are good dinner table fare. Most teal and pintails tend to vacate Montana’s wetlands in the early fall. That means less acumen for duck identification is required later in the season.

Mallard ducks represent fully 75 percent or more of Montana’s duck harvest. In mallard hunting the challenge is just to tell male from female, as females sometimes come with a penalty if you shoot too many. The biggest duck in the air most days, mallards are not only common but one of the most recognizable ducks in Montana.

If you see a typically lone duck checking you out from an altitude so high it could be a bug overhead, it is without doubt a pintail. Long-necked and sleek, the pintail takes its time to get even six gun ranges away. Remember to keep track of the regulations and the number of pintails you bag a day. Bag limits can vary significantly year to year depending on the nation-wide pintail population.

To the other extreme, if the duck is alone, part of a pair, or in a small swarm of 5 to ten and has buzzed you a few feet off the water, you’ve just encountered teal. In Montana, teal come in three varieties: the green-winged, blue-winged, or the cinnamon. These speedsters will flip, roll and zoom off into the next county in a way that distinguishes them from all others.

So what of the gadwall, the shoveler, the wigeon, the wood duck, and the remaining miscellany of the duck clan?

The wood duck is a secretive bird, typically hanging out in wooded areas. In most parts of Montana, wooded stream banks, wooded wetlands, and wooded ditch banks are where wood ducks can be found. Wood ducks are mast eaters—in Montana that means Russian olive berries. Where the berries fall into the water or on shores with overhanging Russian olive bushes, you’re likely to find the medium-sized wood duck. To hunt woodies, go early in the season as cold weather and subsequent freeze up sends them on their way to Texas.

The northern shoveler is an all too common duck that flies around looking like it’s carrying a grocery list in its bill. Most duck hunters aren’t impressed. They say the shoveler requires a host of spices and condiments to be edible. Shovelers filter floating foods from standing water.
Gadwalls are another of the basic brown ducks. While the males turn a stunning mottled grey color in winter, to Montana’s early season hunters they look mostly like a small version of the hen mallard. Watch for a telltale patch of white with black and possibly rust on the upper surface of the back of the wing as they are the only duck with this marking. While they resemble mallards, they’re less wary and approach decoys more readily with or without calling. Some hunters like them, but virtually every one would pass up a shot at a gadwall if a mallard could be taken from the same flock.
The American wigeon is similar in size and habitat preference. When fully decked out for the breeding season, males have a distinctive white breast, a green stripe through their eye, white on top of the head, a generous smattering of reddish brown on their sides. But wait, hold on…. all of these details assume good light, light behind the hunter and on the duck, good vision (on the part of the hunter, not the duck), close proximity (forget public hunting areas by the second day of the season), and so on. These conditions rarely exist in a real ducking hunting situation. So what is a hunter to do?

Montana FWP and other wildlife agencies and organizations offer waterfowl guide books. Get your hands on one with detailed images in it long before you hunt and look up the species mentioned here. These species make up about 99 percent of what a duck hunter in Montana will encounter. Perfect your identification skills by spending a lot of time outdoors in all seasons, observing ducks. This is a great way to pass time for duck hunters pre-season and it pays off during the season.

Over time you will learn through repetition to identify each duck species by their silhouette, the shape of their heads, their coloration, the way that they fly (they all fly a little differently), their calls, and the other nuances that distinguish ducks of a certain feather.

Good luck and good duck IDing to you!

DUCK HUNTING – GETTING STARTED

Jim Hansen, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Central Flyway Migratory Bird Coordinator
A few days ago a co-worker, commenting on the breeding duck population surveys this year, told me, “It sounds like a person could go out to a local wetland this fall, fire a shotgun into the air, and a duck would fall from the sky.” I wouldn’t expect it to be that easy, but I like hunters’ prospects this year.

If you or some family members are considering getting into, or back into, duck hunting, this is a good year to do it, with record duck numbers and heavy rains providing more places to hunt than last year.
I often hear people give one reason or the other that they don’t go after ducks. If you are a potential duck hunter, one or more of these may sound familiar. I’ll try to help you see through these commonly perceived barriers.
Among the reasons not to go duck hunting that I hear are:
“I can’t go duck hunting. I don’t have a retriever or a boat.”

You can pick a spot to hunt where you can retrieve your own ducks. Hip boots or chest waders will come in handy. Or, you can try to hook up with someone who does have a dog. Jump shooting along a small creek or irrigation ditch also makes for easier retrieving.

“I only have a dozen decoys. Don’t I need at least 40?”
Nope. A dozen will do nicely in many places.
“I can’t blow a duck call.”
Especially early in the season, you won’t need a call. Work at getting better by listening to wild ducks or by renting an instructional DVD.
“Ammunition costs too much.”

A week ago I bought some of my favorite duck loads in Billings (2 ¾-inch, 1 1/8-ounce, steel 3’s) for $8.99 a box. You don’t need the high-priced stuff.
“I don’t think I can shoot steel with my shotgun.”

You probably can. Even your grandpa’s old Winchester Model 12 is safe for steel shot. In fact, most guns and choke systems can easily accommodate steel pellets of size #2, 3, 4, or 6 that are the best loads for ducks. Use the larger sizes (2 and 3) for mallards, and the smaller sizes for teal.

“I don’t have a camo layout blind like on TV.”

Me neither. I usually get by with weeds and grass and cattails at the site.

“I don’t have a good waterfowl hunting coat.” –

You don’t need a $250 camo coat to hunt ducks. If you have adequate clothing, just buy a camouflage shirt to go over what you have, or wear a solid-color jacket that blends in.

“But I don’t trust myself at identifying ducks.”

Work at getting better. Study the regulations. Pick up a waterfowl identification guide at any FWP regional office. Go to a wetland before the season to practice. Try to go with an experienced hunter who can help you learn. Know that this year, other than the canvasback, you can shoot at least two of any duck and be legal.

“I don’t know where to hunt.”
There are public areas in all parts of the state. BLM reservoirs and private stock ponds will likely all have ducks early in the season. With the heavy rains, some parts of the state will have hunting choices we haven’t seen in more than 10 years.

I’ll add two additional tips. The wind is your friend. On windy days, the ducks sometimes seem to move more, and you can also predict from what direction they will come to your decoys. They will come into the wind, as an airplane does in landing. On a large wetland, the wind will encourage them to come to sheltered areas near the upwind shore. Second, if you are trying to decoy birds, make sure to keep your face hidden and don’t move around when birds are approaching the decoys.

I’m sure many long-time hunters reading this will have their own advice for new duck hunters. I encourage you to put those ideas to work by hunting with and mentoring friends and family members interested in duck hunting this fall.

Duck And Goose Hunting Outlook

Waterfowl hunters can anticipate some good hunting this fall with the duck factories of North America producing a record high number of waterfowl, according to federal waterfowl surveys.

The opening date for the general waterfowl season is Oct. 1, with the Youth Waterfowl Season the preceding weekend on Sept. 24-25.

Waterfowl estimates are available for 2011 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recent release of its report on breeding ducks and wetland conditions.

This year, the combined population of 10 primary duck species on the traditional spring survey areas totaled an estimated 45.6 million—a record high for the survey that dates back to 1955. It is an 11 percent increase over 2010 and 35 percent above the 50 year long-term average.

“This year all parts of the ‘duck factory’ kicked in,” said Jim Hansen, the Central Flyway coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Billings. “Just about all of the north central U.S. and Prairie Canada have been wet, but certainly it came with flooding that has been terrible.”

Among the ducks important to Montana, mallards, the most sought-after species in the state, were up nine percent from last year at 9.2 million—22 percent above the long-term average. Gadwall numbers were nine percent higher than last year and at 80 percent above the long-term average.
Pintails, which have been down in numbers, showed a 26 percent increase and were 10 percent above the long-term average. Redheads reached a record high, 106 percent above the long-term average. Canada goose numbers for Montana hunters are likely to be similar to last year.
Overall pond numbers for Prairie Canada and the north-central U.S. combined were 22 percent higher than last year and 62 percent above the long-term average.

While it’s no consolation to those affected by flooding, waterfowl hunters in Montana will find water in areas that have been dry for many years and will have more hunting opportunities.

Hansen cautioned that the loss of wetlands and the loss of nesting cover from Conservation Reserve Program lands coming out of the program will continue to affect duck populations over the next few years.

Hunting success will also be influenced, as always, by weather and local habitat conditions, but it should be an interesting year to pursue ducks and introduce youngsters and other new hunters to waterfowl hunting.

The framework for federal waterfowl regulations is established in early August. Montana’s waterfowl regulations were presented to the FWP Commission via an Aug. 31 conference call.

For online information on the federal duck and wetland report, visit www.flyways.us.
-fwp-

CANADA GOOSE FACTS
• Life expectancy—up to 20 years
• Weight—five to 12 pounds
• Nesting Location—smaller subspecies nest in northern Canada. Geese that nest in Montana are the larger nine to 12 pound subspecies.
• Eggs—geese generally lay about four to seven eggs, called a clutch
• Incubation—eggs hatch after about 30 days
• Young geese—called “goslings”
• Migration—-Migrate as family groups. Large flocks are made up of many families and non-breeders.
• Age at first nesting—two or three years.

How many species of migratory birds are there?
There are over 860 species of migratory birds in North America. Only 58 are designated as game species with established hunting seasons. The rest, more than 800 species, have no sport hunting seasons and are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

YOUTH WATERFOWL AND PHEASANT HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES
Montana’s young hunters will have a special treat Sept. 24-25, the weekend of the youth waterfowl and pheasant special seasons. Legally licensed hunters ages 12-15 will be able to hunt ducks, mergansers, geese, coots and pheasants statewide on these two days. Also, under a new regulation, youngsters 11 years of age who will reach 12 years of age by Jan. 16, 2012 may participate in this hunt with the proper licenses.

A non-hunting adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the young hunters in the field. The bag limit, shooting hours, hunter safety requirements and all other regulations of the regular pheasant and waterfowl seasons apply.

The Canyon Ferry WMA is an exception –only to the youth waterfowl season shooting hours—they will be one-half hour before sunrise to noon Sept. 24 and 25.

FWP COMMISSION SETS FINAL WATERFOWL SEASON DATES
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission has set the late season migratory bird hunting season dates for ducks, geese, swans, and coots.
Federal survey results show that habitat conditions and population numbers are generally very good for migratory birds—all duck numbers are 35 percent above the long-term average, with mallard numbers 22 percent above the long-term average, and pintail numbers up 26 percent from last year.

Here are the 2011 waterfowl hunting season dates:
Central Flyway
• Youth Waterfowl Season: Sept. 24-25.
• Duck, Coot and Tundra Swan (500 permits only) Season: Oct.1–Jan. 5.
o Ducks: Daily bag limit of six ducks or mergansers, possession limit twice the daily limit. Daily bag limited to no more than five mallards, no more than two of which may be hens; two redheads, two scaup, two hooded mergansers, three wood ducks, two pintails, and one canvasback.
o Coots: 15 daily, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.
• Goose Season: Oct. 1–Jan. 13.
o Dark Geese: Daily limit of four, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.
o White Geese: Daily limit of six, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.
• Falconry
o Ducks and coots: Sept. 21–Jan. 5.
o Geese: Oct.1–Jan. 13.
Pacific Flyway
• Youth Waterfowl Season: Sept. 24-25.
• Scaup Season: Oct.1–Dec. 23.
• General Waterfowl Season: Oct. 1–Jan. 13.
o Ducks: Daily bag limit of seven ducks or mergansers, possession limit twice daily limit. Daily bag limited to no more than two hen mallards, two pintails, two redheads, one canvasback, and three scaup.
o Coots: The limit is 25 daily and in possession.
• Goose Season: Oct. 1–Jan. 13.
o Dark Geese: Daily limit of four, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.
o White Geese: Daily limit of six, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.
• Swan (500 permits only) Season: Oct. 15–Dec. 1.
• Falconry:
o Ducks, coots, and geese: Oct. 1–Jan. 13.
For more information on Montana’s 2011 waterfowl hunting, including how to find a good hunting spot, go to the waterfowl hunting guide on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov and click on the hunt planner. The 2011 migratory bird regulations are also available on fwp.mt.gov on the Hunting page.

Whether hunting, fishing, or riding off-highway vehicles—all outdoor recreators seek the same high-quality, outdoor experience in Montana. Help keep the outdoor experience a pleasure for all this fall.

• Always know where you are and what rules apply.
• Stay on legally designated roads and trails.
• Be sure of land ownership and what activities are permitted
• Get permission to access private land—it is the law.
• Take steps to prevent habitat damage and the spread of noxious weeds.
• Know Montana’s stream access laws and abide by them.
• Call Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks at 406-444-3753 with questions regarding OHV use in the outdoors.
• Report outdoor violations to TIP-MONT by calling 1-800-847-6668.
For more on these and other outdoor topics, visit the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov.

Antelope hunters are expected to have some good hunting opportunities in Montana’s western and central counties, but antelope numbers are substantially down to the east in FWP Region 6 near Glasgow and FWP Region 7 near Miles City.

“In the west, antelope hunting will be similar to what hunters experienced last year, but hunters in the east will see fewer antelope in the north central and eastern portions of the state,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP wildlife management section supervisor. “Antelope numbers in southwestern Montana are slightly down, but overall the trend there in the past five years has been upward.”

“We are seeing the cumulative effect of two long, difficult winters in eastern Montana on the winter survival and recruitment of antelope,” said Kujala.
Here are some details:

FWP Regions 2, 3 and 4

FWP biologists report that antelope numbers remain mostly good in FWP Region 2 in the Deer Lodge Valley and in FWP Region 3 in western Montana. In FWP Region 4 headquartered in Great Falls, antelope hunting is expected to be average at best.

“The number of either sex antelope licenses and doe/fawn licenses available in FWP Region 4 is down this year in anticipation of some low fawn production” Kujala said. “The adult population is holding it’s own but the number of fawns born this year is down.”

FWP Region 5

In FWP Region 5, antelope populations north and east of Billings continue to have low levels of recruitment. Since blue-tongue, a fatal virus spread by biting midges—moved through the area three years ago, summer census counts have shown 15-30 fawns per 100 adult antelope in the eastern half of FWP Region 5.

“Under normal conditions we would expect to see 60-80 fawns per 100 adult antelope,” Kujala said. The number of tags available to hunters has been reduced substantially in three hunting districts to reflect the sagging population.

The antelope population has also declined in the eastern portion of FWP Region 5 near Billings. Summer antelope counts show that recruitment—reproduction and survival of fawns for a least a year—is well below the historic average for the third year in a row in FWP Region 5.
FWP Region 6

In FWP Region 6, in response to high mortality last winter, FWP sharply reduced the number of pronghorn antelope licenses in many hunting districts. Antelope were especially hard hit last winter in hunting districts 630, 650, and 670. Overall, FWP Region 6′s antelope populations are 70 percent lower than last year.

“In addition to winter mortality in FWP Region 6, many antelope migrated south of Fort Peck Reservoir when it was frozen and were unable to return when the reservoir ice thawed,” Kujala said. “On top of that, antelope spring fawn production was way down too.”

In a few of the hardest hit hunting districts either-sex antelope licenses have been decreased by more than 90 percent. FWP anticipates issuing low numbers of licenses for the next few years to allow antelope populations to rebuild.

“Very few individuals from the 2010 and 2011 fawn crops in Region 6 remain in these herds, according to our surveys,” Kujala said. “As a result, these two age classes will be making little or no contribution to the overall population for the duration of what might have been an eight to 10 year life expectancy.”

Kujala said an antelope population impacted to this degree will have to rebuild over the long term, and that means fewer licenses in coming years.
FWP Region 7

In southeastern Montana, FWP Region 7, antelope numbers are 57 percent below the previous 10 year average. Winter survival was also severely impacted here by last winter’s harsh conditions.

“Winter stress caused spring birth rates to be very low in FWP Region 7,” Kujala said. “The 2011 fawn to doe ratio in FWP Region 7 was 47 fawns per 100 does, compared to the long-term average of 73 fawns per 100 does.”
Kujala said archery antelope hunters with a special 900 series license to archery hunt antelope in any hunting district starting with a 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are already afield. That season closes Nov. 13. The regular antelope archery season opened Sept. 3. Montana’s general rifle season for antelope is Oct. 8—Nov. 13.

Antelope hunters must apply well in advance for licenses distributed through a drawing. To learn more about Montana’s hunting seasons, contact the nearest FWP Region Office, or visit FWP’s hunting web pages at fwp.mt.gov

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials say the most successful hunters are those who know where to go to hunt.

“Hunting involves more than a valid license and being a good shot,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s wildlife section chief. “Most successful hunters make a study of the big game species they hunt and of its habitat.”

Kujala said hunters need to scout out areas well in advance. That way they know where the game is located, how it moves and whether they need permission from a landowner to access them.

“Maps are a critically important tool for hunters,” Kujala said. “Today’s electronic access to maps makes it quicker and easier to identify landownership.”

Many counties have landownership maps available, or go to the Montana Cadastral Mapping website at http://gis.mt.gov/  Montana Cadastral Mapping Program to view and download maps. These maps work similar to Google or Bing maps.
Kujala said there are also landowners who grant access to hunters who have done their homework and who ask for permission to hunt by personally contacting them.
“Hunters who research what they are doing tend to get more of a welcome from landowners too,” he said.

Kujala also said that with the relative ease of hunting on Block Management parcels, some hunters may not hunt public lands or obtain landowner access—which creates opportunities for other hunters willing to do the research.

Hunters can obtain assistance with access issues on the Hunter’s Tool Kit, under Hunter Access on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov. Here FWP provides a Directory of Montana Maps with a county by county listing of landownership maps available, and state and federal land management maps. For an FWP-sponsored private landownership map resource, go to the GIS page at nris.mt.gov

Kujala said he is also aware that in some areas those who outfit elk and deer hunts will allow hunters’ access for antelope hunting or antlerless white-tailed deer hunting at least part of the season.

Steps that Kujala recommends for a successful and enjoyable hunting season include:

• researching the situation in advance,
• talking to other hunters and to landowners,
• putting together a plan for the season, and
• getting out for face-to-face meetings with landowners to request access before the season begins.

Flying off to exotic lands is a glamorous and exciting way to travel. But, it can be equally hazardous, distressing and sometimes fatal, with dry eyes, wind and constipation among the least worrying of a myriad of symptoms!

Airplanes are pressurised to a level which is equivalent to being 7000 feet up a mountain. And that brings all the problems associated with reduced cabin air pressure, breathlessness, cramp, dehydration, swollen feet, dry skin and headache – to name just a few!

Popping ears:-
Most of us have experienced “popping” in our ears when flying. This is due to gas expanding and escaping through the eustachian tube in the middle ear. During descent of an aircraft the opposite happens – the air in the ear contracts and produces pain in the middle ear.

One solution may be to invest in some `Earplanes’, a new device that promises to relieve ear discomfort, clogging, and popping during flights.
They cost around £4.99 and protect the ears from rapid cabin pressure changes and are simply inserted into the ear before take off and removed when the plane lands.

Alternatively, try yawning, swallowing, drinking fluids, or sucking a sweet to relieve the discomfort. Letting a young child cry on descent is probably the best thing to do, albeit it may drive other passengers to distraction! And travellers who suffer from sinus problems should always carry decongestants in their hand luggage. Taken the day before and during the flight they are an essential item to pack.

Bloating:-
At a cruising height of 37,000 feet the gas in the body expands in volume by around 30%. Not only does this lead to a tighter waistband, but the increased gas can be unpleasant for passengers as well as for those around them. Worse still, those suffering from a fracture can find the air trapped between the skin and the plaster cast, leading to gangrene in the worst case scenario. And ostomy patients are advised to carry extra bags, in case of leakage.

Top tips for avoiding a messy and gaseous situation are to avoid fizzy drinks and gas producing foods, such as turnips, cabbage, beans and curries. Also to avoid chewing gum. Wear loose and comfortable clothing, eat and drink in moderation and try taking a drop of peppermint oil mixed with a teaspoon of honey, dissolved in hot water taken before the flight.

Breathing difficulties:-
A further potential health problem comes from breathing in reduced levels of oxygen. In a plane air contains only about 15% of oxygen compared with 21% in a normal environment. As a result, passengers with respiratory problems may experience breathing difficulties and would be well advised to discuss the situation with their G.P. before travelling.

Asthmatic patients should carry their inhalers in their hand luggage and have them accessible at all times. As inhalers occasionally don’t work correctly it is always wise to carry spare inhalers. Chronic asthmatics can purchase nebulisers that work both off the mains and battery and they shoud be carried onto the plane as hand luggage.

Dryness:-
Pressurisation of cabin air also leads to moisture removal and a low humidity level (around 20% in most cabins). A comfortable humidity is around 60%. Any increase in humidity during the flight is mainly from fellow passengers!

Such dry cabin air has an accelerated drying effect on contact lens. Eye specialists now recommend the removal of contact lens if the flight is over 4 hours. As well as dry eyes, dryness of mouth, throat, nose and skin occurs quickly. Headaches are common and so is constipation. Apply moisturisers and lip balm at least once during the flight. Try an essential oil spritzer spray to cool and refresh the skin or put a few drops of lavender oil into a spray bottle with mineral water. Avoid coffee , tea , and alcohol as all three contain diuretics which dehydrate the body even more. Instead, drink plenty of water and fruit juices.

Cramp and swelling:-
Long haul flights are notorious for causing cramp; extensive sitting upright results in swollen feet and ankles and non fitting shoes at the end of the flight. To prevent take frequent walks during the flight – hourly if possible. If you are able to reserve seats try to get an aisle seat or one near the emergency exits so that you can stretch out.

Five drops of lavender oil on a damp cloth makes an ideal compress to massage swollen feet and ankles. Gently massage in an upward direction to the bottom of each calf for a few minutes. A geranium oil compress is useful if you are prone to cramp. There is mounting evidence that flying also contributes to an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) in the legs. It is advisable to take a low dose ASPIRIN 75MG as a cheap and effective preventative. Consult your G. P. to check if it is safe to do so.

Travel sickness:-
Approximately one third of the population will suffer from travel sickness at some time. Surprisingly flying only affects approximately 2% of passengers presumably because the aircraft fly above the main turbulence. The best way to deal with travel sickness is to take preventative action. Pharmacists offer a multitude of remedies, for example, Stugeron which is popular as it produces lower than usual sedation. Chewing raw ginger can help too or put 3 drops of ginger oil onto a handkerchief and inhale. Distracting a person’s attention will often prevent travel sickness, or focussing on a distant point. Watching the in-flight movie may provide all the distraction that is needed. Other measures include sitting over-wing, the most stable part of the plane, and try and get plenty of fresh air through the air vent above your seat.

Diabetic advice:-
Diabetic control may become a problem during a long haul flight, especially if the passenger is travel sick. Insulin should be kept in the hand luggage and preferably in two separate places, just in case some is lost. Jet lag may affect the control of both diabetics and epileptics leading to dose adjustment. Again consult your G.P. before flying.

Jet lag:-
Jet lag can be a real handicap. Measures to combat it include (if travelling east) – on the morning of arrival try to stay indoors out of natural daylight and rest until the afternoon as this will help to advance the body clock. If travelling west – try to follow the same wake, eat and sleep timetables as the locals and the body clock will adjust accordingly. A long soak in a bath of oil of grapefruit and lavender, deeply inhaling the aroma does help the body adjust to the difference in time zones.

In spite of everything…
Flying is a very safe mode of travel. Millions of people fly each year and long haul is on the increase. Adopting some or all of the measures outlined should help make you flight more enjoyable.

For impartial travel reviews and information visit

www.silvertraveladvisor.com

Read travel reviews and travel advice on Silver Travel Advisor.

Once the domain of but a few explorers, the North Pole is now within the reach of intrepid holidaymakers via an exciting and challenging trip to Ninety Degrees North, offered through Canada specialist Frontier Canada.

Starting from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, on the 9th April 2012, the trip includes flights via Iqaluit to overnight at Resolute Bay in Nunavut. The following day it is north to the Canadian government weather station at Eureka. Day three or four, as weather permits, sees further flights to Discovery Bay and northward still to 86N, to refuel, before for the final leg, 276 miles to the North Pole, landing, weather permitting, to record this unique journey.

The return journey will take in time in Greenland at Qaanaq and Grise Fjord on Ellesmere Island.

A nine night trip, including flights from the U.K. and accommodation, including overnights en route to and from the Pole and a night in Ottawa at either end of trip detailed above is £33,000 per person. Reaching the Pole cannot be guaranteed and is subject to weather conditions and other practicalities, hence the itinerary may be cut short or altered – contact for full details.

Frontier Canada suggests a couple of additional nights in Ottawa and perhaps adding in a visit to Toronto or Montreal, to enhance this trip of a lifetime yet further. www.frontier-canada.co.uk  020 8776 8709.

With scientists claiming that the ice caps are disappearing fast, now is as good a time as any to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro. As an added incentive The Adventure Company is offering a discount of £100 per person off all of its 2011 departures.

“The exact time it will take for the mountain’s famous glaciers to melt away is widely debated but some predictions are as soon as 2020, so travellers should stop delaying. This year is also Tanzania’s 50th anniversary of independence so a time full of celebration to tie in a trek to its most popular peak,” said MD of The Adventure Company, Claire Wilson.

The Adventure Company offers five different tours to Mount Kilimanjaro ranging in difficultly. Although trekkers do not need any technical mountain expertise, they will need to be reasonably fit. The groups will also be led by experienced local mountain leaders who know every inch of the slopes and are skilled at judging the weather as well as the health and wellbeing of the trekkers.

STAND ON THE ROOFTOP OF AFRICA

Lemosho Route (12 days)

- For the most scenic and unspoilt of the options, The Lemosho Route crosses beautiful forests and moorlands with an extra two days to the standard trips to allow trekkers more time to acclimatise to the altitude and therefore offers a better chance of reaching the summit.

- PRICE: From £2449pp (incl. discount) including flights, transport, accommodation (2 nights lodge & 7 nights camping), most meals (9 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 9 dinners), all park fees and an experienced group leader.

- DEPARTURE:  21 October

Marangu Route (10 days)

- This is the classic and most straightforward route up Kilimanjaro as trekkers will stay in the relative comfort of mountain huts as they travel through lush rainforest and moorland to the high altitude desert on the upper slopes.

- PRICE: From £1929pp (incl. discount) including flights, transport, accommodation (2 nights lodge & 5 nights mountain huts), most meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners), all park fees and an experienced group leader.

- DEPARTURE:  14 October

Machame Route (10 days)

- The Machame route is not for the faint hearted as it is arguably the most challenging option with longer and steeper day walks than other treks. But the extra efforts are rewarded on this 10-day trip with breath-taking views of Kibo Peak, the eternal ice field and Kili’s scree-covered dome.

- PRICE: From £1999pp (incl. discount) including flights, transport, accommodation (2 nights lodge & 5 nights camping), most meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners), all park fees and an experienced group leader.

- DEPARTURE:  30 September, 7, 14, 21, 28 October and 26 December

Peaks of Tanzania (14 days)

- Why climb just one peak when there are two on offer? This trip ventures off the beaten track to the extinct volcano cone of Mount Meru at 4,566m and offers dramatic views. The climb also allows people on the trek to acclimatise before hitting the slopes of Kilimanjaro on the Machame route.

- PRICE: From £2479pp (incl. discount) including flights, transport, accommodation (3 nights lodge, 3 nights mountain huts & 5 nights camping), most meals (11 breakfasts, 10 lunches & 11 dinners), all park fees and an experienced group leader.

- DEPARTURE:  14 October

Rongai Route (10 days)

- For a different perspective on the mountain, this route approaches from the northern side. With strictly regulated numbers, trekkers can get away from the crowds on their ascent as they get the only view of the Masai lands with possible sightings of monkeys, buffalo and elephant. The tour then takes in one of the classic routes on the return journey.

- PRICE: From £2029pp (incl. discount) including flights, transport, accommodation (2 nights lodge & 5 nights camping), most meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners), all park fees and an experienced group leader.

- DEPARTURE: 14 October, 19 and 30 December

To find out more about The Adventure Company’s Kilimanjaro treks call 0845 287 1198 or visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk

Diving holiday specialist, Regaldive, has added a number of island-based holidays and liveaboards to its 2011/12 brochure, released in August. New diving holiday destinations include St. Kitts, Gozo and Meeru Island in the Maldives, as well as liveaboards in Oman and Indonesia.

Gozo, part of Malta, is one of the few remaining unspoilt Mediterranean islands and is a haven for divers, boasting over 30 dive sites. The water clarity and calm conditions make the area ideal for learners and inexperienced divers, whilst arches, tunnels and caves provide challenges for experienced divers. It is also excellent value for money with a week’s diving holiday costing from £392 per person to include seven nights’ accommodation at the St. Patrick’s Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, return flights and transfers. What’s more, the short flight time of three hours makes it an accessible short break destination and Regaldive can tailor-make trips accordingly.

Meeru Island, in the Maldives, is situated to the east of North Male atoll and provides access to some fantastic dive sites where mantas are in abundance. Meeru Island Resort sits on a protected blue lagoon. Its white sandy beach-setting provides a convenient base for experienced and learner divers, as well as keen snorkellers. It is also ideal for those with non diving partners or family members who can make use of the resort’s many facilities. A week’s stay at the Meeru Island Resort costs from £1,359 per person, based on two sharing. This includes return flights, speed boat transfers and seven nights’ accommodation on a full board basis in a Beach Villa.

Liveaboard and land-based options are available on St. Kitts, providing the opportunity to experience the sea mounts, pinnacles and pristine coral that this area is famous for. Marine life highlights include moray eels, hawksbill turtles, frogfish and seahorses. A week’s land-based holiday on the island of St. Kitts costs from £1,205 per person to include seven nights’ accommodation on a room-only basis at the Bird Rock Beach Hotel, return flights and transfers. Meanwhile, a week’s liveboard on the The Caribbean Explorer II costs from £2,228 per person.* Accommodating up to 18 guests, an itinerary highlight is the Saba Marine Park, home to 30 spectacular dive sites.

New liveaboard options are also being offered in Oman and Indonesia. The M/V Saman Explorer takes in the extensive reefs of Southern Oman and the Hallaniyat Islands from its base in Mirbat. Accommodating up to 22 divers in en-suite cabins, a week’s trip costs from £1,759 per person. This includes flights, transfers, six nights’ full board boat accommodation, one night’s land-based half board accommodation and three to four dives a day. Meanwhile, in Indonesia the S/Y Mandarin Siren offers six to 14-night itineraries through the regions of Raja Ampat, North Sulawesi, Flores, Alors and the Banda Sea. Launched in 2010, this is a liveaboard of exceptional quality. Prices start from £1,315 per person for a six-night stay on a full board basis, boat-only.

Andreas Elia, Managing Director of Regaldive, commented, “Over the last few years, we have certainly seen an increase in the popularity of liveaboards. Customers are attracted by the opportunity of staying right over the dive sites and experiencing secluded dives that are not normally available to day-boat divers. Our new land-based trips are ideal for those who want to add a good dose of local culture to their diving holiday.”

Elia continued, “Regaldive continues to offer an extensive Red Sea programme, featuring a range of resorts as well as many excellent liveaboards. Our dive pack offers enable our clients to make considerable savings. We are always looking to expand our Red Sea and Worldwide portfolio and further product launches will be announced over the next few months.”