Tuesday, July 11, 2006
"Nature Reclaims All"......
Friday I flew Dixon Gould and friends to O'Kelly Lake, and my "Post" on Saturday, "O'Kelly Lake", on "Goose Creek"!, stated that when I picked them up Sunday, I would try to take some pics of the old "trapper's cabin". Well, as I waited for the boys to gather their gear Sunday about noon, I stumbled through the bush to where I thought the cabin should be, and here is what I saw. Remember, I haven't seen the cabin in 20 years.
"Aye, Caramba"! The newer "low-slung"cabin Howard had built had been demolished by a large "jack-pine" that went down in the wind!
The jack-pine went straight through it!
Then I looked for the "original cabin", belonging to Howard's Dad.
Found it!
Time and neglect are demolishing this cabin.
Even the "low-slung" log "shithouse" is returning to nature.
"Shithouse" from behind.
A "relic", an old "air-tight" stove, rotting away.
Two more "relics" I found, an old "bow saw" and a piece of a "moose jaw"!
Relics from a "way of life" passing into history. I decided to head back to my airplane.
I emerged from the bush at Dixon's cabin, and the boys and UKN were awaiting my arrival............
We flew back to Pine Dock, and in "my mind's eye", I could see families trapping and living off of the land. It wouldn't have been an easy life, but it would have been fulfilling. The knowledge gained and retained about nature would have been astounding. Unfortunately, the "Reserve System" in Canada has "demolished" the aboriginal "way of life" in Canada, much as the jack-pine demolished Howard's cabin. Too bad. Some of the old trappers I used to fly around when I just started my career are some of the people I still have the greatest respect for today, along with the "Veterans"........
Suddenly, I returned to the present, as I was descending and crossing Lake Winnipeg. Time to be alert! As my ponderings on the native way of life "faded to black" in my mind, I noticed some colour on Lake Winnipeg. I leave you with some pics from the July 9, 2006, Lake Winnipeg "algae bloom"!
"Adios"!
"Aye, Caramba"! The newer "low-slung"cabin Howard had built had been demolished by a large "jack-pine" that went down in the wind!
The jack-pine went straight through it!
Then I looked for the "original cabin", belonging to Howard's Dad.
Found it!
Time and neglect are demolishing this cabin.
Even the "low-slung" log "shithouse" is returning to nature.
"Shithouse" from behind.
A "relic", an old "air-tight" stove, rotting away.
Two more "relics" I found, an old "bow saw" and a piece of a "moose jaw"!
Relics from a "way of life" passing into history. I decided to head back to my airplane.
I emerged from the bush at Dixon's cabin, and the boys and UKN were awaiting my arrival............
We flew back to Pine Dock, and in "my mind's eye", I could see families trapping and living off of the land. It wouldn't have been an easy life, but it would have been fulfilling. The knowledge gained and retained about nature would have been astounding. Unfortunately, the "Reserve System" in Canada has "demolished" the aboriginal "way of life" in Canada, much as the jack-pine demolished Howard's cabin. Too bad. Some of the old trappers I used to fly around when I just started my career are some of the people I still have the greatest respect for today, along with the "Veterans"........
Suddenly, I returned to the present, as I was descending and crossing Lake Winnipeg. Time to be alert! As my ponderings on the native way of life "faded to black" in my mind, I noticed some colour on Lake Winnipeg. I leave you with some pics from the July 9, 2006, Lake Winnipeg "algae bloom"!
"Adios"!
Comments:
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Steve,
Thanks for your awesome blog that you share with us "wanabee" bush pilots. There are many who view your site daily i am sure, like myself who are pilots and aviation enthusiasts, and we drool over the daily pictures and thoughts of a bush pilot. I am in South Carolina, USA and am from Michigan origianly. I joined the Air Force and it brought me to SC. Now, I am a contractor and work on the Boeing C-17. Practicality, dictates that it is just not going to happen that I am going to be a bush pilot, but it is so cool to see parts of your life through your blog. I particulary love the outdoors and exploring, and of course flying, I would have to save a year, just to take one week from this hectic paced life and go get eaten up by those big skeeters and horse fly's and put some rods in the water with my father in law, but it would be worth it!
Thanks again! keep up the good pics and safe flying too ya!
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Thanks for your awesome blog that you share with us "wanabee" bush pilots. There are many who view your site daily i am sure, like myself who are pilots and aviation enthusiasts, and we drool over the daily pictures and thoughts of a bush pilot. I am in South Carolina, USA and am from Michigan origianly. I joined the Air Force and it brought me to SC. Now, I am a contractor and work on the Boeing C-17. Practicality, dictates that it is just not going to happen that I am going to be a bush pilot, but it is so cool to see parts of your life through your blog. I particulary love the outdoors and exploring, and of course flying, I would have to save a year, just to take one week from this hectic paced life and go get eaten up by those big skeeters and horse fly's and put some rods in the water with my father in law, but it would be worth it!
Thanks again! keep up the good pics and safe flying too ya!
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