Category Archives: Uncategorized

Patagonia – February 6-March 4, 1996 This was a 4-week tour operated by GAP (now G Adventures), a popular travel company with a reputation for offering hiking and active tours. I went on the tour with Jan Micklethwaite. There were … Continue reading →

When I was on the North Brooks cleanup, Reale talked about the plans for the Gar-Barge. As soon as I heard of the plan to use a helicopter to pick up marine debris from the entire West Coast of Vancouver … Continue reading →

MARINE DEBRIS CLEANUP at the CHAINED ISLANDS August 12-17 2016 Not associated with the Japanese Tsunami cleanup limited to the outside West Coast, this cleanup was organized by BC Marine Trails as part of their mandate to develop campsites as … Continue reading →

An economic history of restaurants And how the pandemic may change them Apr 28th 2022 ECONOMIST  April 9th 2020 was the restaurant industry’s darkest day. The imposition of lockdowns to slow the spread of covid-19, combined with people voluntarily avoiding others, … Continue reading →

Marine Debris, Glass Floats 2016 The Japanese 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami, Cleanup on Vancouver Island The Gar-Barge Chained Islands 2017 Gerald Island Ivy  2020 Marine Debris Removal Initiative 2022 Vargas Island May 25-30, 2022. BCMT clean up of several beaches on … Continue reading →

Dec 18th 2021 National Geographic The outer wall of the Great Enclosure, the apogee of the medieval state known as Great Zimbabwe, is a triumph of engineering. The elliptical structure, 250 metres round, rises 11 metres towards the sky. More than a … Continue reading →

1. FOOTWEAR. I have at least 5 types of kayak footwear: 2 pairs of knee-high neoprene boots, Keen sandals (terrible with sand or stone beaches as toe always full of stones), Ten Fingers (cumbersome to get on, drain well), very light … Continue reading →

The world’s first WhatsAppocracy Government by social media in Somalia Cheap data, social media and creativity are filling in for an absent state Illustration: Lehel Kovacs Jan 23rd 2025|ADDIS ABABA THE ECONOMIST Thirty years ago, making a phone call from Somalia … Continue reading →

The most serious hazard for sea kayakers on exposed coasts is surf – most kayakers aim to spend as little time as possible surf kayaking. Loaded kayaks are not really suited for riding breakers. Helmets should be worn in the … Continue reading →

What’s the oldest tree on Earth—and will it survive climate change? Bristlecone pines in the western U.S. have been alive for nearly 5,000 years, but an upstart Patagonian cypress challenges that record. This 1,400-year-old bristlecone pine on Mount Washington in … Continue reading →