Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Category: Nature

  • Lake Pontchartrain Bridges

    I marveled at the sheer size of Lake Pontchartrain as I traveled between my brief stops in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There I crossed several miles of open water on a bridge. The water rolled beneath Interstate 10 as I drove in a stiff breeze. Twin Span Bridge The Twin Span…

  • Lowest Elevation in England

    When one considers elevations below sea level, England doesn’t normally come to mind. Maybe someone thinks of the Dead Sea or Death Valley or parts of the Netherlands as natural choices. But England? Indeed, England’s lowest elevation actually sits below sea level by almost three metres. This spot exists at Holme Fen (map) in Cambridgeshire.…

  • Fraser Island – World’s Largest Sand Island

    Fraser Island is a remarkable natural setting. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) even recognized it as a World Heritage Site. In granting this designation, UNESCO said, “Fraser Island lies just off the east coast of Australia. At 122 km long, it is the largest sand island in the world. Majestic remnants of…

  • National Geographic Museum

    The Twelve Mile Circle blog fixates on geography and travel. Naturally then, it appreciates the accomplishments of the National Geographic Society over its 120 year history. What many readers may not know is that members of the public can get a peek at the results of some of their research. The society runs a small…

  • Mapping Endangered Species

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Program uses maps extensively. In turn, this helps website visitors conceptualize the imperilment of specific animals and plants within their area. The primary visual interface comes through their Threatened and Endangered Species System (TESS). It lets users sort data stored in the system by various criteria, including by…