Into the Sea

Into the Sea

Hail Bravehearts

To the adventure of your lives! What’s out there?
The inventor is the genius who calls us. Rally your spirits oh brave ones and join the adventure of the day. To challenges and perseverance, to the call of the wild and the wind, to set sail on the great ocean and to let your spirits soar with the thrill of adventure.
That far off land mass, too far to swim to, the oceans too dangerous, with lurking sea life. To swim the channel and cross the strait, hopping from island to island until what? Now, that ones too far, so great genius, show us the way. Invent something, so that we can continue on our journey of discovery.
The fabulous planet, so awesome and intriguing, compelling the spirit of this early species, to explore. Come, oh brave ones, venture forth, into the wonder of the great planet, into the wonder of the world. Cast your eyes, oh brave ones, onto the splendor of the earth. Feast from the fruits of the trees, the abundance of the vegetation, the shy prey and the tantalizing delicacies of the sea. View the wondrous, breathtaking awe of the beauty of the earth. Explore, oh brave ones, see the marvelous planet and behold the wonder of its creation. Another new land, another new world, still more beauty, more life, more variety, more wonder and more greatness. The awesome planet, compels the early human, come, venture, there is still more.

http://www.dnalc.org/view/15892-Human-migrations-map-interactive-2D-animation.html map showing the migration of homo erectus

This early man, with skills and tools, has imagination and daring. An intelligent mind with creativity and curiosity. Great inventor, who’s skills create tools, who hunts and roams, and travels the world, spreading himself throughout continents and crossing seas. Cast yourselves adrift, oh mighty ones, into the roaring seas and set your focus on the new world. For man is man and the species of a million years ago, spread himself throughout the warm climates of the earth. A migration from land to land to island to island, by means of some sort of seaworthy craft. Following game, hunting and gathering. Exploring and building and populating the world.
Hail, oh brave ones. Follow your instincts. The world opens it’s divine doors and presents the fabulous, the exciting, the intriguing, the breathtaking, the challenge.
800,000 years ago the challenge was to reach an island and homo erectus built a raft. A raft that carried him to the new world, a land of beauty and discovery. A new world and a new home. A raft that carried him all throughout the islands of Indonesia. Some were close, some were far. The daring adventure of the seafaring sailor, travelling the mighty oceans in search of the new world.
Oh spirited species, with brave intentions, to venture to the unknown. Time and again, to cast the raft into the sea.
Climb aboard all you stalwarts, brave hearts are we. Come, join us. Into the world, into the land of discovery. Come with us, as we cast ourselves, into the sea, for exploration, discovery and for adventure.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 5, 2014

Boats and Things

Boats and Things

Hail Bravehearts

To the ingenuity of early man. Praises to the brilliance. To the inventor, the genius who can’t stop learning. Since the time before humans, boats have been built. With skill and ingenuity, to cross the high seas, in search of discovery, new worlds, new beginnings, new adventure, new life, new home, a new land.
Brave homo erectus, 800,000 years ago, lashed together reeds to sail the high seas. An intelligent forerunner of the human, so daring and interested, to find out what lies beyond the comfortable domain of his estate. To hand to us the skills and invention of ocean going craft.
A daring adventure on quiet waters, poling a raft around the rivers. Caution and careful, trial and error, not to tip or fall into the water. The genius at work, preparing for a great day. A day on the water, maneuvering carefully, learning skills without a teacher. Teach yourselves, to build and propel, to drive the craft and to be in control. Time and again, the master at work, reading the water, for eddies and rapids and rocky outcrops, sand bars and current, undertoe and dangerous deadfall. What catches the craft and spins it out of control? Into the deep water, where the pole cannot touch bottom. Dangerous, yet thrilling! The raft moves on, controlled by the current, until, luckily it breaches on the rocky bottom. Victory! Another lesson learned, the hard way, but this is the only teacher they had. A longer pole, a larger raft, another attempt. Try again, to build and control, to master the water and to ride the seas.
The destiny will be to conquer the ocean and reach the land mass that lies beyond.

http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~vaucher/History/Prehistoric_Craft/ sail the high seas.

A simple vessel, but not from a simple mind. The migration of the species to lands beyond is accomplished by the brave and the daring, the curious and the willing. Who would like to ride in the boat of simple reads, lashed together, and to take their chances on the high seas? The migration to the new worlds has begun and the pursuit of adventure and discovery is upon us. 800,000 years ago, the spirit of discovery is compelling. To new worlds, to seek new land, to discover more and more. Ancient as they are, the drive for discovery and adventure is in them. A new frontier to be explored. A quest which ignites the flame of power and curiosity. What lies beyond our own safe home? What is out there?
Brave homo erectus, who sails the oceans, the mighty waters couldn’t stop them. Only the discovery, the opportunity, the chance to answer the still, so often asked question. What lies beyond?

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
October 30, 2014

Fishing

Fishing

Hail Bravehearts

Cast your nets into the seas and prepare for the harvest that mankind has consumed for thousands of years. Fish. Fish a plenty from the great store of the waters, direct to your platters. A grocer, a farmer, a store of great variety, of fish and ocean dwellers, that serve as your dinner, your lunch, your breakfast, your snacks.
Cast your line into the water with baited hook and wait for the unsuspecting prey to catch your lure. Cunning and careful, not to divulge yourself, so that the wary prey will not suspect your presence and a trap. Fishing, for sport, for markets, but always for dinner, the catch of the day is your daily choice. All over the world, the waters feed the hungry. A seemingly endless supply of food.

http://www.overfishing.org will it last forever?

The trawlers raise anchor and set sail. The consumer lines the ailes in the grocery store, waiting for the verdict of today’s perils. A stormy sea, turbulent waters, murky depths and dark, brown waters. The nets were cast and the catch is there, but sparse today, as fishing for the multi-millions, the billions is an exertion for fishermen and oceans alike. The markets are waiting, the consumer still hungry, their bellies empty and their wallets ready. There are markets galore, and wealth to purchase, but the vanishing species determines the day. Not that fish today. Last seen, a year ago, and still that product evades us. Well, something else then.
Still the smiles as the purchase is made, not their favorite, but a food source still. Some spices and some creative cooking will prevail.
But what of the species that vanished. How far off shore to find it?
The fishermen traveled throughout the usual territory, but to no avail. Where did they go? There are only seven billion of us feeding from the oceans. Did we eat it all?

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-overfishing/ overfishing of the worlds oceans

The demands upon the oceans are exhaustive. Another net thrown in to sea. Another chance of pay and prosperity. Lines go out, a sportsman’s day. A fun and thrilling adventure, to fish the oceans and catch that handsome, mighty prey.
The fun, the daring, the challenge, the adventure and then, of course, the delicacy, served to you, for dinner.
For thousands of years, mankind has fished and loved the waters that serve up so much delight. A wonderful day, a wonderful life, to fill you larder from the grocery store of the sea.
Countless recipes, countless cooks, endless lines and nets and traps and variety. Cookbooks and chefs, diners and beachcombers, all of us, all the world, fishing the oceans for food.
Will it last forever?
The oil spills contaminate the water. Pollution and waste drift throughout the sea. Fish consume indigestible product and their breeding grounds are lost to development.
We love the sea. We love the beaches. We play and rest and nourish ourselves by the ocean waters. We look for shells and play in the sand, on the water, in the water, the waves, so much fun and so much life. The waters give us food, play, sport, relaxation, holidays, work and pay. The oceans, so much to live for, our dependency and our nourishment. Survival?

written by Dr. Louise Hayes

The Mighty Ocean Calls Us

The Mighty Ocean Calls Us

Hail Bravehearts!

The mighty ocean is our home and the seas and wind will call us. Billowing sails and mighty ships, the stalwart companions of daring and adventure, ride through storm and high seas to their destiny, the unknown. Brave spirits, the athletic adventurer of the world four hundred years ago. The extreme sportsman of yesteryear, pursuing the call to the wild life, of weeks and months, of toil and trouble, on the high seas. Education and skills and the spirit of champions, brought forth the sailor, from all walks of life.
The sea is now their home and they live with the water, the whales, the dolphins and birds. The circling seagulls capturing their fishes and taunting with their calls for food. Food! Everyone must be fed.
The rolling waves crest at dizzying heights and the sails rip and rattle with the wind. Rain and torrents hail upon them, but the ship and mast hold fast and the rolling ocean carries them off to the unknown.
The perils of the ocean were the call for this era. Come, oh brave hearts, to the horizon. Quell your fears and enter here, where myth and danger lurk in the deep blue sea.
Ocean and ship, water and boat, rivers and canoes. The waters call us as a highway to float upon, sail upon, paddle and motor. The ocean of prosperity and need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRSTK9TyUYs&spfreload=10 ocean tranquility message.

Set your nets, for most of ocean faring was discovery and food. Catch the fish, fill the hold, feed the hungry. The ocean has fed us for thousands of years and the ocean feeds us still. A line cast into the water from shore, fishing is a hobby, a past time, an occupation and a necessity. Thousands of years of fishing. Thousands of years of being fed by the sea.
The nets cast into the water, pull out the fish in abundance. Time and again, hundreds of craft, cast their nets into the sea, expecting the mighty ocean to release its bounty to them. Feed us, mighty ocean, calls mankind and the ocean plays its tantalizing game. Come into the water, out to the deep water, come to play and fish and find sport. Your sturdy craft will roll high on the waves and the rhythmic lapping of water on your boat will lull you to peaceful slumber. Spend your time on the ocean, live your lives on the high seas. For your vessel is your home and the ocean will feed you and fishermen and heroes you will be.
The challenge is daunting, but courageous contenders they would be. The spirit, the life, the call of the ocean. A new home, a new world, stretches out to them and the horizon keeps drifting farther and farther away. Do they dare to be so courageous as to follow that line? Will it take them to new worlds or tip them off the planet? What lies in the horizon or beyond?
The sea, the fabulous sea, captivated their minds and holds it still, in tranquil dreamy waves and ocean play.
written by Dr Louise Hayes
October 27, 2014

To The Sailors

To The Sailors

Hail Bravehearts

The adventure begins! Of boats and strings and sails and things, the mighty oceans call us. Venture, my friends into the wild Atlantic! Cast your fears aside and unfurl your spirit, the sails rise high and the wind is blowing. A day for adventure on the high seas, as the wind takes you out to sea. To the high seas, of ocean faring in a sturdy craft of wood and sail. The crew of stalwart sailors, unleash the sails and the mighty wind propels them onward. Onward to the journey, to the adventure, to the marketplace, to the catch of the day.
An occupation as a sailor in search of the newest land of plenty, the newest riches, the newest gold. Will it be jewels, artifacts, gold or silver? What will you discover, mighty sailor, in the new land? What new trade will you bring us?
Feed us, oh sailors, for we starve and die of hunger. Bring gifts of food and make it plenty.
Oh fine sailors, bring us gold, for we are fat and our stomachs overfull. Dollars and cents is what we live for. Just tell us how much wealth so we can profit more.
Hail, almighty sailors, as you cast yourselves off to the wind. God speed to you and bless your daring souls. You, the wanderers, the explorers, the adventurers, the daring, the brave, save us! For as some lay dying of hunger and poverty, the others drink in vast amounts of wealth. Save us, oh sailors, save us all.
A food source for the poor, a gold mine for the rich.
As the sailors cast off, the crowd at the docks, wave goodbye and pray for the mortal souls of these bravehearts. So much depends on their success. Greed for some, survival for others, but prayers and praises still.
The route to the new world has been explored already, so the ships captain navigates well. High rolling waves and turbulent ocean, storms and calm, all mastered by the knowledge of this almighty human. Skills, human. Skills. For the brave captain has learned his lessons well and thousands of kilometers of endless water, no landmarks in site, won’t ruffle the unbeatable education of this sea worthy man. He knows it all. How to set his sails, how to set his compass, how to set his mind. This almighty human will save them. The route to the new world and the conquest of the new land is upon us.

http://www.sailorsforthesea.org

Hail to the mighty sailor and to his precious cargo. What fortunes lie beneath the hold? Is it the wealth that we dream of? Do we have markets to explore? Is there plunder for the greedy and scraps for the poor? Oh,great sailor, who opens our minds to discovery, you are champions. The far off places, the adventure, the awesome and brilliant places. You, great sailor are the heroes of the day. Praises to your strength, your courage, that we may all live in ease and prosperity. Good fortune lights your way.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
October 24, 2014

New Found Land

New Found Land

Hail Bravehearts.
To visions of grandeur and to the thrill of victory, the passionate human, arrived to the call of the land. Courageous human, to venture forth into the high seas, for a life of adventure and discovery, to the land called the new world, the land that was also called new found land.
A small ship sets forth from Bristol England in 1497, to capture a new title of exploration across the Atlantic. John Cabot was the master of this vessel, with his small crew of twenty people and a daunting voyage of 30 days of ocean travel. The perils of the high seas were know to this man. His past was brilliant and his experience was superb. The feats of ocean travel were difficult and required specialized skills. This one small ship, with it’s one small crew, were courageous people, skilled and daring.
What lies beyond the horizon and across the huge ocean, was a land worth exploring, worth the money, the time, the extravegance of the venture. A land of unusual wealth, riches in food, raw materials, a different kind of money.
For twenty people to choose to embark on such a journey, cast alone into the high seas, proves their capable experience, congeniality and self confidence. Brave human. The call of the land whistles in your ears and the wind pushes you onward to a destiny of true brilliance. The land, the new found land! Full of promise and enterprise. Here is the opportunity of lifetime. As perilous as the journey is, this opportunity cannot be passed by. To take a ship and traverse the ocean, to navigate the high seas and to return victorious, unscathed by the adventure, instead, proud and accomplished and famous.
Such a fate followed John Cabot as he and his crew left England and surpassed their own previous accomplishments. They landed on the shores of New Found Land and found some articles proving human occupation of the land, but no encounter with the inhabitants. They laid claim to the land for the King of England and established a route to prosperity in the land of plenty, across the high seas.
Now, to venture forth again, with more ships and more intention of discovery. The mighty human rises to the call of the unknown and reaches a destiny of triumph. The land, a new land. The discovery of Newfoundland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cabot

written by Dr. Louise Hayes,
September 28, 2014

Again, the European

Good day, almighty human

 

We sing our songs of praises to the great works of the mighty human.  Strong and courageous, he leads us in battle.  Fight the fight of victory and win the battle, be the unbeatable foe.  His words echo in our minds, our hearts follow the courageous leader, and our souls sing the destiny that the champion creates.  

Hail!  Calls out the almighty human and we respond. Hail!  Yes, we will follow, the awesome deeds to victory, the battle must be won.

To build a nation from the great wild and to turn the country into a unified force of goodwill and compassion, each to one another.  An awesome scheme, a grand and glorious notion, a courageous adventure.  From our roots as kindred spirits, surviving and thriving in the great north, we carve our niche in the world and plan and prepare for the great life.  A life  of living the great adventure. The dreams of brilliant forefathers who planned and prepared.  Wealth, riches, the fabulous new world.  The glorious ambition and awesome challenge, to build a nation from the endless stretches of wooded land and rugged landscape.  To carve a niche on the planet and to call that negotiation a nation.  All lands under one contract, all peoples under one law, to live and to die, for the energy and enthusiasm of the quest to build a country.

The west stretched onward in a glorious and encouraging land.  The mighty forests, the endless prairie, the majestic mountains and the far off ocean.  A dream of grandeur, to unite the nation. The negotiated settlements of trading posts, furs for blankets, ammunition, food and craft.  The people prepared for a land of settlement, believing in the sound judgment of their leaders and the peace and prosperity that their brilliance would bring them.  They arrived in anticipation of a new life, a new world, and a new venture.  Farmers, merchants, fur traders.  The energy of freedom filled their bodies, their minds, their hearts and their souls.

“Come!”  called the land. ” Meet my people!”  and the courageous new comer came forth to meet the challenge and be victorious.

It had been 500 years since the Vikings had abandoned the settlement at L’Anse Aux Meadows and again the European came to the call of adventure and to establish himself in the new world.  A fort, a home, a colony.  The French from France now became the new masters of the brave new world.  Again the call for settlement came from the land north of the 49th parallel.  Colonize.

http://www.canadiana.ca/citm/themes/pioneers/pioneers2_e.html

Although the British, Spanish and Portuguese were fishing the oceans off the Newfoundland shore, it was the French who decided to rise to the challenge and to meet the task of colonization.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/qc/cartierbrebeuf/index.aspx  Parks Canada.  Wintering place of Jacques Cartier.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes

July 20, 2014

Cavell Meadows

Cavell Meadows

The Meadows have finally opened. It ‘s late for this year, being the second week in July, and we braved the sweltering heat wave at 35 degrees, just for another peek at the outstanding Cavell Meadows.
It’s 8:30 am and already the warmth of the day is upon us.  A few vehicles are already in the parking lot and some early tourists have focused their cameras on a site, way  up the side of the mountain. Way up, only a speck of white, is a lone mountain goat. We view his early morning activity through the borrowed cameras of the tourists. Their good fortune for this photo opportunity is far better than mine, since their equipment will give them that superb, possibly once in a lifetime  shot,  that my cellphone camera can’t manage.

Packing light sometimes has its downfalls and this is one of those times. I’m grateful to the tourists for giving me the opportunity to view the goat through their lenses and to see the wonderful photo that they have been able to take.

We continue on our way.  The runoff from the Angel glacier is streaming in torrents into the lake below.  The heat of the day, already melting the skirt of this Angel, and we wonder how much longer we will be seeing this beautiful sight.  We make our way up into the meadows, so full of colour, it’s a spectacular sight.  Although this is an annual hike, we never tire of the splendor that awaits us in this easily accessible alpine terrain.   The wildflowers are unbelievable.  Heath and arnicas, paintbrush and avens, they stretch on and on and on, with a backdrop of mountains and the beautiful hanging  Angel Glacier.

Our destination, is the climb to the summit of the meadows.  A rough path of scree and a scramble at the top, that make the already steady climb, more challenging at the top. We’ve planned for a seven hour day, with time for photos and a relaxing lunch when we reach the summit.  The steady uphill hike, takes us through outstanding alpine meadow, to the well worn, rocky path above.   Then on to the scramble at the finish which will take most of the morning.  The views become more and more fabulous and the marmots come out to play.  Today, they are not shy.  They don’t hurry away.  Instead, they pose for photos and watch us with curiosity.  We are one of the first visitors to the meadows today, and since it’s so hot, one of the few.

The climb through the rocky scramble is difficult at times, but the finish greets us with an expansive view of the valley on the other side.  We can see the Whirlpool River, Leach Lake and a long stretch of the Athabasca River.  Unfortunately, the haze of wild fires burning in the south, cloud our view, so the landmarks aren’t as distinct as they usually are.  We peer into the valley below.  There are many snow patches, which is a good sign.  Usually caribou inhabit lands like these.  They like the snow patches to cool their bodies on hot days.  No sign of any.  That is, not until a pair of biologists on the grizzly bear study, join us at the top, and the keen eyes of one of them, spots a caribou and her calf in the valley below.  I pull out my binoculars and hand them around for everyone to have a look.  We linger for about twenty minutes, watching these animals, listed as a threatened species,  until  finally she moves out onto the snow patch with her calf, and lays down beside a large rock.

http://www.mountaincaribou.ca/content/recovery-plan

Mission accomplished.  We have the sighting that we wanted, but not the photo. Impressed and satisfied, we make out descent, through the glorious meadow and back to the nearly empty parking lot.

Now on to the next most splendid venture, the lake.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes

A Great Escape

A Great Escape

Good Day Bravehearts

The splendid great wild, with its remote and awesome places. Here, in a world class national park, a UNESCO world heritage site, we live and play and hike to our hearts content. The world of opportunity knocks and we respond with enthusiasm, for the endless adventure in hiking the great wild.
This week, we travel into a remote and little known mountain pass, high up in the alpine. where the curiosity of remote, wild adventure takes us. Ever cautious, we prepare for all weather, rain suites, first aid kits, water ,sunscreen, food, insect repellent, hat, gloves, binoculars and cameras, maps and gps.   It can be cold in the alpine, with changeable weather and here it can be blistering hot, or freezing rain, sometimes turning to hail or snow. We all pack bear spray.
It’s been a good year for bears. Many sightings of females with two and three cubs and the powerful grizzly bear has made her presence well known, with frequent sightings and photo chances of her and her healthy offspring. The alpine is a favorite place of the grizzly and we don’t want to startle one, so our group is large and loud. It’s better to be safe, with large numbers, so the resident predator hears us coming.

The climb is steep and the footing is uneven.  We spent three hours hiking to this remote place, high up into the alpine for a view of the glaciers on another mountain range.  The intermittent showers cooled us and the climb was not as difficult as it sometimes is.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/jasper/index.aspx  Jasper National Park

Our fathers fought for this great land.  A magnificent mountain range in a far off place.  They fought for  freedom, for prosperity, for a better world and here, in a remote and little known mountain pass, we enjoy and praise the brilliance of that choice.  To protect the land, to save it for future generations, relatively untouched, preserved and intact.  A home for the wild and an escape for us.

We are early in this years adventure.  The spring was late and the wild flowers are not yet as showy as they will be.  But also, we have left the great bear behind us, to forage in the valleys until the alpine will give them a meal.  They will be here soon.

Today, the pass is for us, with only the calls of the birds and the rushing water, the insects and the wind.

The far off glacier is the head waters of our rivers and the source of our daily water supply.   Protected high up in a mountain top, the glacier lies in its own protected domain.  Remote enough, that it is rarely visited and high enough that is remains intact.  The grand great wild, providing fresh drinking water for us and the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF05-slHnNk  Fukushima

These rare, protected places, great mountain ranges like the Rocky Mountain National Parks are home to the awesome wild, the glaciers and the beautiful flowers. The power of the earth lies in these special protected places, where only the fortunate few can roam.  Our drinking water, our air supply, our dark sky,  our much needed connection to the natural world.

Here is where we live and play and praise the foresight of brilliant people who saved this land for us to enjoy.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes

 

It’s Only a Tree

It’s Only a Tree

Good Day Bravehearts

The forests of our country are a milestone of preservation. Intact lands, intact lives, intact preservation. The delicate balance of satisfying the needs of competing interests while we grow and prosper, but still fulfill the needs of the great land. The earth cannot survive without the large expanse of lands and environmental protection has called us all to be watchful of the contamination and ruin of the earth. Another mountain of preservation destroyed, another hard fought victory to win. It only takes a few minutes to destroy, what has taken a milenium of earth years to build. A forest, brought down by over harvesting. The balance of the environment overturned. The delicate marshes and the songs of the birds, happily existing in the structure of an ecosystem, so uniquely contrived and so exquisitely orchestrated. The balance of life in the land of the great wild.
The fabulous wild, where the predators roam and quietly, stealthily stalk their prey. A harvest of the weak to strengthen the strong, and to cull the over abundance of grazing and browsing prey. The forest needs the predator, to save it’s new growth, and to take a stand for the preservation of large landscapes.
The balance is superb! The forest thrives and the lives of the living, fill their world with the earth songs of their making.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BickMFHAZR0 The Most Amazing Thing About Trees.

The joy of the wild as it sings the song of the earth to us, the great human. Save us! Only in saving the great wild, will the human be able to save themselves. The preservation of the forest, for our own clean air, for oxygen, for shade, and the protection of the soil. The trees are a necessity. Food, shade, warmth, air, environmental protection and decoration. The varieties are immense and all so different. Large and small with canopies for shade, or strength for wind protection. A tree, such a common plant, so needed and so fragile.
Our houses, from their wood. Furnishings, flooring, cabinetry, whole fields of study from the common tree. Carpentry, logging, forestry, massive business enterprise and international trade. Wealth from wood, paper from by product, our logging industry employs thousands.
Hail to the almighty human, for ingenuity and invention. Your awesome minds and clever imaginations save you there, but lack of foresight is the curse of the human.
Oh brilliant ones, you cannot stop your thinking. The wide expanse of knowledge becomes you and the perpetual motion of time turning to wealth propels you. No poverty there. A world without end. It has to be.
So, brave hearts, as the world turns and another day is upon us, the call from the wild is more urgent and compelling.
Come! calls the great land. Visit and explore. Come to the luxury, to the beauty, to the serenity of the wild! Come to the adventure, to explore and discover. The earth sings, oh great human, don’t be the last.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
July 1, 2014