Humakt
18-05-2014, 03:17 PM
Yesterday (saturday) I managed to get out for the day with my bushcraft partner.
Neither had been out for a while. He'd been in 'putting-a-new-kitchen-and-bathroom-in' hell for the previous few weeks, and I'd been out of action with a torn ligament in my foot (I'd like to call it a football injury. But who am I kidding? I'm a bushcrafter, and wouldn't know a mass appeal sport if it came along and bit me on the backside).
We had several plans for the day. He wanted to play with his new camera. Both of us wanted to do a bit of map and compass work to keep skills honed, but we also wanted a wander, and I wanted to do some carving.
We set out early, for Conyer Creek, on the north Kent coast.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/14209764031_6e467bfdcd_b.jpg
There were lots of sand martins flitting along the creek, but too quick to get a picture of. However, amongst all the reeds could be heard lots of warblers. More often heard than seen, the warblers stayed deep in the reeds. Then one popped out, and stood still long enough for us to get a picture of him.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/14209764741_a970002722_b.jpg
We carried on out long the creek toward the Swale estuary. And there, waddling along on the grass we came across a pair of oystercatchers. One of them took to wing the second we got the cameras out, but the juvenile stayed still long enough.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/14209764441_2abcf914b3_b.jpg
With that we stopped for a brew-up, and then made our way back to the car.
The plan next was to head for some nearby woods, where we'd do some navigation exercises. We spent a while trouncing around the woods, using map, compass, and pace beads, before coming to stop in an area of pine woods.
Where we decided to make camp for a couple of hours. I found a fallen pine tree to sit and I left my companion to go off and take some pictures - panorama shots and macros shots and all that. I stayed where I was and did a bit of whittling.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5319/14209764751_5e413a03c1_b.jpg
It had been a great day. Great because it was the first time either of us had been out in weeks. Great because we both had things we wanted to share with each other, and yet also had personal aims for the day. And great because we had split the day in the two different environments - the marshy creek by the coast and then inland to the woods.
A perfect mix.
Neither had been out for a while. He'd been in 'putting-a-new-kitchen-and-bathroom-in' hell for the previous few weeks, and I'd been out of action with a torn ligament in my foot (I'd like to call it a football injury. But who am I kidding? I'm a bushcrafter, and wouldn't know a mass appeal sport if it came along and bit me on the backside).
We had several plans for the day. He wanted to play with his new camera. Both of us wanted to do a bit of map and compass work to keep skills honed, but we also wanted a wander, and I wanted to do some carving.
We set out early, for Conyer Creek, on the north Kent coast.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/14209764031_6e467bfdcd_b.jpg
There were lots of sand martins flitting along the creek, but too quick to get a picture of. However, amongst all the reeds could be heard lots of warblers. More often heard than seen, the warblers stayed deep in the reeds. Then one popped out, and stood still long enough for us to get a picture of him.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/14209764741_a970002722_b.jpg
We carried on out long the creek toward the Swale estuary. And there, waddling along on the grass we came across a pair of oystercatchers. One of them took to wing the second we got the cameras out, but the juvenile stayed still long enough.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/14209764441_2abcf914b3_b.jpg
With that we stopped for a brew-up, and then made our way back to the car.
The plan next was to head for some nearby woods, where we'd do some navigation exercises. We spent a while trouncing around the woods, using map, compass, and pace beads, before coming to stop in an area of pine woods.
Where we decided to make camp for a couple of hours. I found a fallen pine tree to sit and I left my companion to go off and take some pictures - panorama shots and macros shots and all that. I stayed where I was and did a bit of whittling.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5319/14209764751_5e413a03c1_b.jpg
It had been a great day. Great because it was the first time either of us had been out in weeks. Great because we both had things we wanted to share with each other, and yet also had personal aims for the day. And great because we had split the day in the two different environments - the marshy creek by the coast and then inland to the woods.
A perfect mix.