Competition Time!
- Thread starter sargey
- Start date
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Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
A few years ago I was paddling my canoe on a quiet part of the river Clyde, up near the headwaters where it flows through some woods and past some very quiet arable land. The water was pretty shallow in parts and at times the river narrowed down and the banks were above my head. I hadn't brought my canoe pole and every time I hit shallow water I had to jump out and pull the boat through rather than damage my paddle by hitting on the bottom.
I reached another shallow part where a short shingle bank meant that the river shallowed out for 20 or 30 metres, so I jumped over the side and began to pull the boat through to the deeper water on the other side. As I did so I heard a noise form the bank - squealing and angry whistling. I stopped and got lower in the water so that I was mostly hidden behind the boat and I waited to see what was making the noise.
It wasn't long before I found out! A ball of whirling claws and snapping jaws came tumbling in to view not 20 feet from me! An otter had come across two mink and they had attacked!
It was all over in seconds but it seemed like ages, at first the mink seemed to be getting the better of the otter - it was trying to run but one mink had hold of the scruff of its neck and the other was snapping at its throat. I was stuck there watching and trying to make up my mind whether or not to help the otter out when the otter grabbed the mink in front of it by the head and shook it like terrier shaking a rat. It threw the mink away from it and ran at it again, ignoring the one on its back. The first mink decided that discretion was perhaps the better part of valour and ran off covered in blood. The otter dealt with the second one in short order and soon chased it over the bank and out to the fields.
I was stunned! I had never heard of mink attacking an otter before and I was amazed by the ferocity of the encounter. I climbed back in my boat and rolled a cigarette and wondered how badly the otter had been hurt. I needn't have worrid however, I heard a noise from along the bank and turned around just in time to see the otter slip in to the water a few metres away and swim powerfully off round a shallow bend.
I reached the deeper water and paddled slowly away, feeling stunned and priveliged and pretty much in awe of the ancient tribal battle I had just seen.
George
P.S. I'll try number 451
I reached another shallow part where a short shingle bank meant that the river shallowed out for 20 or 30 metres, so I jumped over the side and began to pull the boat through to the deeper water on the other side. As I did so I heard a noise form the bank - squealing and angry whistling. I stopped and got lower in the water so that I was mostly hidden behind the boat and I waited to see what was making the noise.
It wasn't long before I found out! A ball of whirling claws and snapping jaws came tumbling in to view not 20 feet from me! An otter had come across two mink and they had attacked!
It was all over in seconds but it seemed like ages, at first the mink seemed to be getting the better of the otter - it was trying to run but one mink had hold of the scruff of its neck and the other was snapping at its throat. I was stuck there watching and trying to make up my mind whether or not to help the otter out when the otter grabbed the mink in front of it by the head and shook it like terrier shaking a rat. It threw the mink away from it and ran at it again, ignoring the one on its back. The first mink decided that discretion was perhaps the better part of valour and ran off covered in blood. The otter dealt with the second one in short order and soon chased it over the bank and out to the fields.
I was stunned! I had never heard of mink attacking an otter before and I was amazed by the ferocity of the encounter. I climbed back in my boat and rolled a cigarette and wondered how badly the otter had been hurt. I needn't have worrid however, I heard a noise from along the bank and turned around just in time to see the otter slip in to the water a few metres away and swim powerfully off round a shallow bend.
I reached the deeper water and paddled slowly away, feeling stunned and priveliged and pretty much in awe of the ancient tribal battle I had just seen.
George
P.S. I'll try number 451
Kath,
Yep, so far this year I've been almost totally clear of hayfever. I don't know exactly what has made the difference, but this year:-
I've spent a lot more time outdoors, in amongst the pollen.
I'm taking multivitamins.
I avoid coffee except one cup first thing (there are limits!)
I've got some herbal nasal spray called Laffa Complex that I use if I think I might be going really "in harms way"
I refuse to get hayfever!
Dave
Yep, so far this year I've been almost totally clear of hayfever. I don't know exactly what has made the difference, but this year:-
I've spent a lot more time outdoors, in amongst the pollen.
I'm taking multivitamins.
I avoid coffee except one cup first thing (there are limits!)
I've got some herbal nasal spray called Laffa Complex that I use if I think I might be going really "in harms way"
I refuse to get hayfever!
Dave
Always carry a yard or two of loo roll in an inside pocket. It folds flat,weighs nothing and has multiple uses.The obvious,blowing your nose,emergency tinder and as medical dressings etc.
4321
4321
ChrisKavanaugh
Need to contact Admin...
Neck knives are a popular and readily accessable carry mode. The one flaw is the materials used for the necklace. I've seen paracord, leather lacing and the ball chains used for military ID tags. Lampwicking, that flat cotton material used in oil lamps is available in Canada from SIR mailorder. If you can find a UK source for a small roll get it. Aside from superior comfort, a few breakaway stitches make it far safer should you manage to garrot yourself on an overhanging branch or other unlikely hazard (btdt with para.) Lampwicking also has the happy ability to provide a ready source of tinder by unravelling the threads. It is also the raw material for traditional snowshoe bindings, which, like many traditions outperform all the new models. The stuff is truly versatile.
If you know anybody who shoots old military rifles they will often find a material very similar to the lampwick Chris recommends, used to help get the individual boxes of ammo out of the larger boxes.
Dave
Dave
Wear a Breathable jacket that is not 100% waterproof. This allows a small amount of water to soak in and prevents splashback and soaking wet thighs from run off. It keeps back all but the most driving rain.
2423
2423
This is using my 'third wish' up, but tip of the week for those of us desperate enough to want to win this knife; even if your post is weak, dont forget your magic number!
No. 42
No. 42
I think one aspect of spending time in the woods can sometimes get shoved aside by our restricted time availability and other outside pressures. This quote from Calvin Rutstrum is one I try and remember once I get afield. Here his advice is about a wilderness canoe trip but really this sort of approach to a trip is good no matter where, how or how long one goes.
Travel leisurely. Dont make the rat race out of your journey. You will miss the profound pleasures and see little if you do. Paddle close to shore when you can. You will then be more likely to see wildlife in the forest. Even by poking along at a lazymans pace, you will be from fifty to a hundred miles or better from your point of departure in a week. Take a long time for getting good pictures. The trip will last for a short while, the pictures a lifetime. Memoranda for Canoe Country, 1953
I'll also take 1953 to honor this old quote.
Travel leisurely. Dont make the rat race out of your journey. You will miss the profound pleasures and see little if you do. Paddle close to shore when you can. You will then be more likely to see wildlife in the forest. Even by poking along at a lazymans pace, you will be from fifty to a hundred miles or better from your point of departure in a week. Take a long time for getting good pictures. The trip will last for a short while, the pictures a lifetime. Memoranda for Canoe Country, 1953
I'll also take 1953 to honor this old quote.
I was down in St Andrews bay in South Georgia with some mates and we could hear a funny noise, it turned out to be a elephant seal pup, it had become stuck in an underground stream and was calling for its mum, she could not get to it and had enough sense not to go into the same hole in the ice.
As a group six of us went on a rescue mission, 2 to keep the mother at bay and four to get the pup out of the hole that it was in.
We managed to coax the the pup onto a tarp (it took nearly an hour) that we thought that would take the weight (they are not exactly light and we didn't want to get our smell on the pup in case the mum rejected it) and lifted the pup out to its mum, it was a very happy moment when it was re-united with its mum an an abiding memory
.
The mum then proceeded to chase us off and once everything was over and about fifteen minutes had passed we had the harbour master (a member of greenpeace) congratulate us. :wave:
We didn't need it we were on a buzz for our good deed of the day. :-D
The major thing to remember I suppose is, if you come across an animal that is alone and young DON'T TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS IF AT ALL . If you do and the mother returns she may reject it because of your smell or even attack if she gets back whilst you are handling the youngster.
We were given a state of grace to remove the pup from a bad situation by its mother, the majority of the time this may not be the case.
Andy this is not part of the competition, it was all the reward that was needed in itself.
As a group six of us went on a rescue mission, 2 to keep the mother at bay and four to get the pup out of the hole that it was in.
We managed to coax the the pup onto a tarp (it took nearly an hour) that we thought that would take the weight (they are not exactly light and we didn't want to get our smell on the pup in case the mum rejected it) and lifted the pup out to its mum, it was a very happy moment when it was re-united with its mum an an abiding memory
.The mum then proceeded to chase us off and once everything was over and about fifteen minutes had passed we had the harbour master (a member of greenpeace) congratulate us. :wave:
We didn't need it we were on a buzz for our good deed of the day. :-D
The major thing to remember I suppose is, if you come across an animal that is alone and young DON'T TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS IF AT ALL . If you do and the mother returns she may reject it because of your smell or even attack if she gets back whilst you are handling the youngster.
We were given a state of grace to remove the pup from a bad situation by its mother, the majority of the time this may not be the case.
Andy this is not part of the competition, it was all the reward that was needed in itself.
Many thanks Wayne, but it is probably no more than anyone here would have done.
Will see you at the meetup :wave:
Will see you at the meetup :wave:
#1997
Always pack away your kit after each outting. Don't forget to empty water bottles, clean billies/mugs/spoons. Sharpen your knife. Air your sleeping bag (loosen any compression straps) and thoroughly dry out any wet kit.
Of course all that's easier said that done! opsb:
Always pack away your kit after each outting. Don't forget to empty water bottles, clean billies/mugs/spoons. Sharpen your knife. Air your sleeping bag (loosen any compression straps) and thoroughly dry out any wet kit.
Of course all that's easier said that done!
opsb:
MagiKelly
Making memories since '67
are we done then d'ya reckon?
too many great replies to keep track of :You_Rock_ :super: thanks for all of 'em. pretty much what was expected. so i'll have to away and consult the oracle for the winning tie breaker number...
back soon!):
cheers, and.
too many great replies to keep track of :You_Rock_ :super: thanks for all of 'em. pretty much what was expected. so i'll have to away and consult the oracle for the winning tie breaker number...
back soon!
): cheers, and.
S
Strider
Guest
the suspense is killing me too, i did find out what the winning number was, but i forgot it on the way back down the mountain :shock: time to sneak a couple more entries in? ):
cheers, and.
(back off up the mountain....)
): cheers, and.
(back off up the mountain....)
Ah well, if there's time for one more, then don't forget that one of life's simple pleasures is peeing outdoors ):
#1965
): #1965
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