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Tips on building a Campfire
Make a clearing for the fire pit, ideally, on bare dirt. Create a shallow dish/fire pit into the ground where you have chosen to build your campfire. Position stones in a circle around the fire pit to keep your fire contained Gather your Tinder: dry leaves, dry bark, dry glass and any dry twigs Collect your kindling; dry and dead wood and small dry branches Stack the kindling in the shape of a tepee over the tinder Leave a space in the wind’s direction so air can flow! Ignite your tinder; using Fire-Rod, Storm Matches or lighter. Strike fire tinder cards are waxed to cope with low levels of moisture Keep adding…
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My not so secret tips ‘Before’ Coastal Rowing or More!
Train in an open water boat as often as possible. Rowing machine… priority is not speed or distance…its TIME Weight training…Ocean rowing, you use your upper body far more Cross-training machines… Endurance and general fitness Mental Toughness… Brain training and mental strength is the key I strongly suggest enrolling in formal training RYA Courses – (Royal Yachting Assoc.) First Aid at Sea VHF Marine radio, GPS and Sat phone Essential Seamanship and Navigation; including, celestial navigation and meteorology Sea Survival Useful Practical Skills – best learnt on the Water. Use of all marine instruments Navigation skills Service and repair of equipment; including the water maker Personal Hygiene and personal care; sustain…
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Water …………It Sustains Life!!!
An average person can survive up to 3 Days without Water Oasis Water Purification Tablets, decontaminates water making it safe to drink. Convenient to use – just drop into water, it dissolves – wait an hour Recommend boiling, as this will remove any chlorine aftertaste. Destroys water-borne diseases (Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, polio, diarrhoea and more). Kills bacteria, bacterial spores, cysts, algae, fungi, protozoa and virus and are especially lethal to Entamoeba Histolytica. One tablet purifies a litre of water Ideal for NGO’s humanitarian aid projects. Handy for communities and school in rural areas For trekkers, backpackers and campers, tablets are light-weight, easy for carrying. Clean Water – Additional Benefits Detoxifies…
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My not so secret ‘On the trail’ cooking tips
Our Kitchen , North Pole 2009 Practise cooking with your compact gas stove and refilling it at home A long-handled spoon and a small sharp knife are all you require for basic food preparation and cooking on the trail Spork– is a combination spoon, fork with a cutting edge; the perfect utensil for travel, camping and adventures; my preference is the light weight titanium, easier to keep clean and virtually indestructible; I always take two in case I lose one! In colder conditions, a simple insulated sleeve designed to fit your cooking pot keeping food hot for up to 15-20 minutes Similarly, your dehydrated meal packet will retain heat and…
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My, not so secret Bugs n’ Grubs Warning Signals
Insects, worms, grubs, beetles and termites can be a good source of protein… But, as a general rule, avoid >>> Brightly coloured insects / bugs Insects / bugs that are extremely smelly Hairy creepy crawlers Insects and bugs that sting and bite **Ask your local guide if a ‘Bug’ is edible…BEFORE popping it into your mouth
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My, not so secret basic Tips, when ‘Foraging’ for Wild Food
Plant Warning Signals Don’t eat mushrooms, some are safe, some are toxic – even deadly Never eat plants with thorns Stay away from Umbrella- shaped flower/plants Never eat plants with yellow or white berries Avoid plants with shiny leaves and plants with seeds in a pod Plants with discoloured or milky sap are a definite no, no. Spit out any fruit or plant that tastes soapy or bitter Keep away from any fruit or plant that smells of almonds Always check with your local guide BEFORE tasting the wild fruits of the jungle!
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My secret Tips about useful Knives for Backwoods/Camping/Hunting
Common range of blade points and what tasks they are best suited… Drop-point : good compromise between strength and utility Sheepsfoot : false point – slicing, whittling & ideal to cut rope Clip-point : for more delicate and precision work Straight Back : sturdy, ideal for cutting and chopping Tanto Blade : strong, handy for pushing cuts and piercing Gut Hook : skinning and field dressing wild game Trailing-Point : filleting, skinning and camp food prepping “Your knife is your life”: You’re only as sharp as your knife and your survival knife is the one that you have on you at the time. If you’re out and about and everything…
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An average person can survive up to….
3 Weeks without Food 3 Days without Water 3 Hours outside of the body’s core temperature Critical items you ‘Need’ to Survive in the Wilderness Hydration: Water…water purification system Nutrition: Food…. Survival Knife…. Shelter; tarp, tent, space blanket…. First Aid Kit…. Jacket, hat, sunglasses, gloves, raincoat/shell & thermals…. Navigation; map, compass & GPS (mobile phone)…. Headlamp, flashlight, signalling device, whistle…. Repair kit; multi-tool, duct tape, cordage, spare batteries…. Fire Starter; striker, matches, lighter…. A sense of Humour!
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Action in Remission
In training, post Chemo, for the challenge, whilst showing off my Chemo Curl. I supplemented time on the water with a gym training schedule that included hard hours on the rowing machine (Ergo), pumping a little iron and a strengthening exercise routines using all major muscle groups. Tuesday 3rd August 2021 I Kayaked from Dungeness to Boulogne and returned on 13th October 2021, to celebrate eight months since my last chemotherapy treatment. A long-distance sea paddle is formidable, and not necessarily just physically, it also demands mental strength and big balls. Or, as in my case, a stubborn septuagenarian and a very grateful cancer survivor who wants to carry the message of…
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Let’s talk about Cancer & Chemo
On Monday 21st September 2020 I underwent a CT scan on my thorax; and on the 29th, Dr T Nakos told me that I did indeed have cancer. A few days later Dr J R Jones, a consultant haematologist confirmed the diagnosis; I had B-cell lymphoma cancer. My first thought was ‘game over’ My second was ‘you bloody drama queen!’ After the initial shock of being told I had cancer, I felt numb; then slowly emotions of anger, anxiety and sadness jumbled around inside my head. I felt I had to ask the big question: ‘OK, doc, give it to me straight. How long have I got?’ The answer I…
