A short fishing story??

I've been preparing to going to Guatemala on a Mission Trip recently and the trip starts tomorrow morning.  Since I will be away from home for over a week and a half, I wanted to spend some quality time with my son.  What better way to do that than to take him fishing.  We invited his grandfather to come along and decided to head to the headwaters of a stream I know well.  Small cascades, or waterfalls, depending on whose perspective you use, dominate this small brook, and my son loved watching the water cascade over the rocks, but it was even more fun to toss sticks in and watch them go down stream as well.  We didn't make a great deal of distance fishing but we did catch 4 brook trout; 5", 7" and two 10", of which we kept one trout to take home.  Seth managed to hook a trout on his own but couldn't land it.  This resulted in numerous tellings of "the one that got away" by him when we returned home.

It was a great evening and a wonderful way to bond with him and letting him know about the purpose and length of my mission.  Now though, I haven't even left, and I can't wait to get home and take him fishing again.

 A Mission Trip Involves Two Communities

I've been on some great treks lately up and down rivers and along some small ridges and this is usually enough to inspire me to write.  This week though I want to write about something that is coming up, rather than something I have already done.  This is no small event, at least not for me.  I have been given an incredible opportunity to be part of a Mission Trip to Guatemala, and I will be leaving in two weeks time on May 20^th. 

Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about this trip.  For the first time in my life I have a passport and I will be flying.  I am use to driving or walking every where so this in itself will be culture shock.  That shock will likely not come close to that which I will feel when I reach my destination in north central Guatemala.  With a team from the Atlantic Community Church, I am heading to Villa Hortencia II, a small, rural, mountain, community with a population of about 700 people.

The appeal to me for this mission comes from the fact that the Church is making a long term commitment to the Village in Guatemala.  The goal is to make the community more self sustainable and that speaks loudly for the environmentalist in me.  My own journey of faith has led me down this path and I am ecstatic about the chance to experience another culture, another continent, and to further my understanding of the world we live in.

This trip would not be possible without a good team.  The team is not simply those people who are heading to Guatemala but everyone who has donated time and funds to the team to get us there.  My family has been extremely supportive.  They have never wavered despite the looming time I will spend away from home.  With a big team we will accomplish big things.  The team aspect is important on this trip as well.  The building project we will focus on is to aid in building a sports court.  This court will allow the residents of Villa Hortencia II to participate in a broader range of recreational activities and provide them with a greater sense of community and camaraderie.  

Our path will take us from Apohaqui to Bangor, Bangor to New York City, New York to Huston, and then to Guatemala City.  We then will drive a great distance to Nebaj and from there we will gear up for the drive to Villa Hortencia II.  We have some tech types who are hoping to hook us up to internet services and I hope to blog from there.  One thing for sure, it will likely inspire a few Wandering columns with a global flavor.  Keep reading…you're part of the team.

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FW: McCrea Farms Fishing Derby

The following information was sent to me from the Fundy Model Forest.  If you are looking to try fishing for the first time this could be a great opportunity, or maybe you want the prize money.  What ever your reason, get out there and have fun.

McCrea Farms Annual Fishing Derby

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Registration at 9 am

$5 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12

Lunch will be served at noon (hotdog or hamburger, drink, chips, cookies) for $5

There will be lots of prizes including heaviest fish, most fish caught, oldest/youngest fisherman, etc.

Lots of Prizes, Lots of Fun for the whole family.  Come enjoy the outdoors, food, fun and fishing....

HHW and E-Waste Days

Do you have an old computer tower you need to get rid of?  How about an old TV that just refuses to show "Hockey Night in Canada"?  Maybe you just painted your house or changed the oil in your car and need to get rid of unused paint or old oil.  What ever the case is, this Saturday for those residing in the Kings County Region Solid Waste Commission (KCRSWC) region, you can get rid of your household hazardous waste and electronic waste for free.  All you have to do is bring it to the Sussex Waste Transfer Station on McLeod Street in Sussex from 10:00am-3:00pm on Saturday May 1, 2010.

The KCRSWC has partnered with the Westmorland/Albert Solid Waste Facility to bring its residents this great service.  The staff at the transfer station will help you unload your waste materials and make sure it gets disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.

"Gotta show Grammy Dad"

Fishing season is now about a week old, hard to believe, because the weather makes it seem like it should be a month old.  I had my son out over the weekend and despite spending a great deal of time untangling his line and unhooking him from trees, we managed to catch 6 trout.  Two of them were below 7inches and the others were between 9-10inches.  The afternoon started off slow and I had a hard time keeping my son interested.  It was an overcast day and there was no action at all.  As the sun broke through the clouds though the fish came alive and we couldn't keep them off the line.

Seth became so excited he forgot the sunglasses he had found earlier, two holes back.  Back we went, to retrieve the "dinosaur glasses" he had found and lost.  He quickly found them again with his keen memory and sharp eyes.  I hope in the future he can look back and appreciate the time we spend together the way I do.  One thing I don't have to worry about is the way he loves to show his grammy the fish he caught.  "We gotta show Grammy Dad" he enthusiastically insisted.  I snickered to myself as my memory flashes back to when I was a kid.  I always had to show Mom the fish I caugth.  I know now that she doesn't appreciate the smell or the sight of the fish dripping in her kitchen, but she always acted excited and happy and that afternoon was no different.  I smiled at her that afternoon as she faked excitement for my son's catch and I hope she realizes how much we love and appreciate her for that and so much more.

I don't keep many fish over the season but I always like to keep some on my first trip just so I can savour the taste but I'll leave that for another post.  I have to take the trout home to clean them and my wife, like my mother doesn't like the smell, sight, or even the taste of trout.  She too, for the sake of Seth's enjoyment fakes excitement as he comes in screaming about finding glasses, catching trout, getting wet, and seeing Grammy and Grampy.  She looks at me as I tell her I was going to clean them in the sink and says "You're not serious. You better clean up the sink when your done."  It is a quick task for me to clean the fish and my son still has no interest in this part of fishing but he peeps in from time to check on his fish.

Later as I tuck him into bed I thank him for a great day and then we say our prayers and thank God for fish and family.

See you on the water.

Whalen's Wanderings

 Completing the Circle, Walking a Loop

Shaylee, my daughter, sits on my lap as I write this column.  I feel that is very appropriate since this edition of my wanderings is very much oriented towards family.  I consider myself very blessed to have such a great family.  I took special note of this recently on a hike that I went on.  My father, my son, and I took a short hike along the ridge in Foxhill.

Over the years my father and I have logged a great deal of time together in the wilderness and I can usually count on him for companionship when I need it.  On this day he did not disappoint me and was eager to come along with Seth and me.  Seth too was excited to go, especially since his Grampy was going.  Seth must have asked 15 times between Sussex Corner and Apohaqui "Are we there yet Daddy?"  When we pulled into the parking area at Jones Park he was out of the car before it was fully parked.

We took off, the three of us, across Highway 121 and up the hill on the east side of the Millstream River.  Many times, on my way to church, I had looked up at these hills wondering what the view was like.  Now I was about to share it with two people who have a huge influence on me and my column.  The first hill was long but gradual and as we reached the top the wind picked up and chilled us all to the point where we all pulled our hoods up.  I stopped at the top and took some pictures and Seth asked if he could use the camera.  I handed him the camera and let him take a few pictures.  It was interesting to see what he focused on.  I typically take landscape photos while he focused on the hay bale sitting nearby, or the largest log in a woodpile.  My father on the other hand would likely turn the camera towards the nearest person and snap photos.  Three generations, with similar interests but different perspectives.

The hike continued along the south side of the Foxhill Ridge and it offered many great views up and down the Kennebecasis River from Sussex to well beyond Apohaqui.  The ridge dropped quickly to the river to the south while to the north a diverse forest offered more to explore.  We stopped for our first break at a large rock, that Seth thought, made an ideal seat.  After a short break we carried on into a small ravine and across a small stream where ice was still clinging to the large rocks.  After a series of small ups and downs, we reached a rock escarpment that offered a great resting place and view, we stopped for a few more pictures and carried on.  We reached the Allaby farm and made the turn to head home.  We stopped again at the escarpment for another snack but the cold wind chased us away prematurely.

As we started down the last hill to the car, completing our loop (circle), Seth was walking between my father and me holding our hands and it was then that I realized how lucky we were to have shared this experience.  My father, when I was young, gave me the gift of the wilderness, and now I get to share it with my son completing the circle.  It was, dare I say, an emotional moment for me and as I was about to verbalize it, my father gave me that knowing look and we thanked each other.

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Toilet Seats and Earth Hour 2010

The day started off like most Saturdays. I got out of bed and got my son his breakfast. There was nothing difficult about that, but my next decision would cause me a great deal of frustration. A few days ago our old toilet seat had broken and my wife and I had gone downtown Friday night as part of our date night to pick out a new seat. What a romantic date eh? We enjoyed strolling through the aisles at Kent Building Supply looking for other stuff we wanted but couldn't afford. We settled on a nice economical white toilet seat, and a couple of new light fixtures for the bedrooms. It was a productive trip. When I awoke the next morning I thought "Heck it'll only take me a couple of minutes to change the toilet seat. I'll do that before I have breakfast." Thus began the frustration. Have you ever changed a toilet seat where the bolts are completely rusted. I put the Phillips screwdriver into the slot and turned and the head of the bolt crumbled away. I tried lightly hammering the screwdriver into the bolt but even once I got the screwdriver to hold, I couldn't twist it because the nut was seized and there was no way to get at it. I thought about drilling it out but that made me nervous, as porcelain doesn't react well to drill bits. Finally I borrowed my father's hacksaw, and cut the bolts off. Now if I had of had the saw to start I likely would have saved a great deal of frustration but it was a lesson learned. I am almost certain now that on my next birthday my wife will buy me a hacksaw.

My frustration was quickly relieved and my day from then on went very well. After looking after my sister's two boys for the afternoon, my wife and I planned a quiet night at home. Being Earth Hour that evening we set out some candles and grabbed a book. We relaxed with our daughter in the candlelit living room and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Even after Earth Hour was over we still sat by candlelight and watched a great movie. My frustration from the morning chore was long behind me when I crawled into bed that night and in fact I felt rewarded from all that I had accomplished that day.

Forming the Future of FNP

Have you ever visited Fundy National Park? Have you ever wondered how the park is managed? Have you ever thought you might have a better way to offer a service or protect a piece of nature? If you have then you might be interested in learning that Fundy National Park is interested in hearing your perspective. This Sunday at the Alma Activity Center, 8584 Main Street, Alma, from 2-4 and 6-8, FNP staff will be hosting an open house. The objective is to inform people about the proposed 5year management plan and gather feedback to finalize the plan.

This morning I headed to Alma to provide stakeholder input in a focus workshop and found it very informative. I think that the park staff need to focus more on preserving the ecological integrity of the parks wilderness areas and the interpretive services, while leaseholders or contractors provide the recreation activities in a controlled environment. All partners need to work together to make visitors feel welcome and provide a memorable experience and how that happens really will depend on the visitor.

I encourage you, if you have the time on Sunday, March 28th to take the drive to Alma and have your say. I am almost certain your drive will be more enjoyable than mine was this morning. If you live near the Park and haven't been there recently, then I suggest you go see what it has to offer.

See you in the woods.

Electrofishing is a Blast

Earlier this week I was out electrofishing. I was part of a team working to collect data on slimy sculpin that would be used to model riparian or stream bank health. The weather was cold, wet, and sometimes windy but we pushed through the majority of the sites. The team was part of a Canadian Rivers Institute research project led by Master's candidate Gila Somers. I became part of the team thanks to my position as Project Manager for the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee. The research is being done within the Kennebecasis watershed and thus I get to take part in this cool field work.

Electrofishing in March poses some issues, mainly water levels, glare, and cold temperatures. I had on my chest waders from Moffett's Pro Hardware to combat the highwater level, my polarized Ryders sun glasses from Outdoor Elements to battle the glare, and lots of clothes on to fend off the cold temperatures. This is one of my favorite field activities and one of the reasons I really love my job. Even when the frazzle ice is slinking around my knees, my nose is a freezing light pink, and the snow is slowly turning to freezing rain, I still have a big smile on my face. What makes this even more enjoyable is the fact that we are catching fish, a good indicator that the work the KWRC is doing, may be having a positive impact on the watershed health.

Where else can I get a headstart on fishing season? Which is just around the bend by the way. If you like fish then maybe you should consider buying a ticket to the Atlantic Community Church-Guatemala Mission Team's salmon dinner. Tickets are $20 for dinner and silent auction on April 10 from 6-9 at the Apohaqui Community Center in Jones Memorial Park. Stop by Backstage Music and pick up your ticket today and support the Mission work being done in Guatemala, where the team will build infrastructure, relationships, and hope in a small impoverished community.

A Work and Learn Afternoon

This weekend past I had the opportunity to organize a work and learn day titled "Water and Willows" as part of my job with the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee. When you organize things like this you just cross your fingers and hope that someone shows up. You do the needed email postings, web advertizing, poster postings, and press releases with the hope of drawing at least a handful of people. You check the weather forecasts for the entire week leading up to the event hoping the sun is shining to increase the odds of having people there.

Well for me, this weekend came together rather modestly, with word getting around about the event and the weather sunny and above seasonal temperatures. It was a great day and I shared it with my son. The point of the "Water and Willows Day" was two fold. The first was to gather willow spikes that I would be striking into "Jiffy" pots at a tree nursery so they would grow to seedlings for use this spring on our river restoration sites. The second purpose was to simply get people on the river and show them how great it easy and how easy it can be to help improve it. The willows we were harvesting whips from, the KWRC had planted about 8years ago.

About 20 people met at the Millstream Rec Center and took in a brief presentation on how to harvest willow spikes for transplanting. Then it was a short walk to the banks of the Millstream River. Warm weather meant for a great day outside and people chatted and enjoyed the light work together. In all, over 3700 strikes were harvested.

I want to thank the Kennebecasis Naturalist Society, and the First Sussex Girl Guide members, who helped out, along with the individuals who showed up as well. Volunteers are an integral part of the KWRC and without them we could not carry out many of the projects that we regularly complete.