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09:43 EST: Sunday, February 11, 2007
It is snowing hard again this morning with a south wind carrying the sheets of snow accross the windows. The only problem with winter in Waupoos is that it does not last long enough. I love this living on the ice plain more everyday that I mellow out to the environments speed. Defiance is working perfectly and is a lot cheaper than a house to heat and most important Defiance provides a huge camera platform. It is obvious to me after the third winter on the plain that the wild animals are not at all bothered by my presence. In terms of wildlife photography this is the ultimate blind. Yesterday went better than expected and was overall more fun than I have had in a while. Waupoos is just about the level of social interaction I like. Waupoos has good people at its core.THen again For the trip north to work financially camera work/photo rights a a part of the plan. But, it will be no good me standing portfolio in hand at Nikon with 20 year old pictures, no matter how much I like those dye transfer prints. This has to be in character storytelling not simple record keeping which is what most of the Cruising Guide photography I would categorize. 
It was however the day I put the death knell on this stupid Cannon SD 600 camera. It just has to be a Nikon. If I have no money to buy a proper pro Nikon digital so I must return to film as the pictures must be commercial quality. I am sure the little Cannon is fine for the home photographer. But I have been living with Nikor or Blad lenses for 40 years the astigmatism and hollowing make it like shooting through a sock. I got what I needed to do to resurrect the Nikons started and am in the slow cleaning process now. At least these feel like a camera and I can feel the old feelings kicking in. 
Sweetie tried to come aboard last night but bad boy Rufus is not going to have any part of it. This is unfortunate as I love the kitty and was always hoping for the day she would come home. But it will not be as Rufus has decided and whatever her stressed out little kitty brain thought last spring after her multi a week survival experience it was her who made the tail decision to return to mom and the orange building. So now as winter draws long little kitty is paying for her tail choices big time and there is no turning back. It is over, Defiance will have to be a one cat boat and Rufus is going to have to learn to live aboard as the the to leave this dock is approaching like a freight train. This getting ready to go is moving into high gear as there is less than 60 days to break up! Once it hits the last couple of weeks of March I must be aboard as that is the highest risk time for a freeze in like me. Guaranteed nerve wracking as there is no slow melting away break up is in fact quite a sight with massive forces in play. I have a mast to get ready and will loose this hard point in less than 90 days. This ain't summer cruise from very shortly on things will just have to work without marinas period. 
For more on the DEFIANCE EXPEDITION NORTH click here
Then comes the issue of once the Dickinson runs 24/7 I think it is time to re locate the expensive and critical electronicsfrom the heat source. The monitor/TV which at 20" looks small be todays standards can be relocated to the existing laptop shelf on the port side. Must do oil stoves can burp and soot would be the sure death of electronics. Oh My! Too long winter days. Nothing like the body giving out 3 times in 6 months to make a person question what they really want to do with the remaining days. But the concept is hatching well the voyage will be amazing. This is the chance of a lifetime.  
Saturday, February 10, 2007Friday was a beautiful and cold day with a bitter wind cutting across the ice plain. In reality I ended up spending most of the day trying to sort out what to do about the job in the south as another warning from my shoulder have me toughly spooked. At least for once I have played it safe, perhaps learning a lesson from the ET job in the fall.  The superheater for the Dickinson stove arrived today so the wood stove replacement will have to start before long as I am running out of time here and must be 100% ready for whatever comes within 90 days when I will loose this hard point and work dock.  Dusk is the begining of my nightly camera cycle as I try to focus on the preparation job at hand. As the sun sets there is a still beauty that settles over the plain. Defiance is no longer a boat, but a outpost in the ice where everything must work in harmony with the purpose of a image platform and base. 
For better or for worse I have been up front with Charlie whose job it is I was headed south for. The little warning ouch of Thursday night was not much more than that but I am running scared right now. I have spent my entire life being able to “build” myself out of any financial bind and now I cannot see tomorrow with clarity. Ontario Health and having no family doctor is a super drag as I still am no further along than August when the right shoulder problem first appeared in earnest. If I do the job it will only be on the condition of travel expenses up front and the rest when I have successfully finished my 10 days of work. All laid out up front. |
I am slowly getting Defiance together as a blind and will pick up film today and go with my Nikons and film for night shots as this little Cannon digital is far below the image task I desire. Getting frustrated at a piece of consumer toy is not going to get the shot. The coyote/wolf pack is back up on the ridge behind Bob & Erin’s farm hunting the flock.Sebastian as I have named the grey beard alpha wolf, and I do mean wolf has the overriding howl, mixed with the lesser creatures calls which sound like yapping in comparison to his voice. This is year three that I have been fairly close to this wonderful boy and guarantee he is no coyote. This is where the wolf part of the pack comes from, and unfortunately he is breeding with inferior stock. Sebastian is at least 100 lb predominantly grey and black with a distinctive black chevron on his chest. When I do catch sight of the pack he is always the furthers away which is probably why he and his pack tonight. I have secured tranquilizer gun and am begining to contact wolf relocation people as I would hate to see such a specimen shot, no matter how cagey he is. 
I am beginning to wait for the evening ice migration when the wild ones come out and work the ice plain. A darling red fox bitch come by. She is so very pretty and dainty in her hunting technique. She started in from around the point of Smith’s Bay and came right up the boat. Be the time I got the final pictures (sucky Cannon camera) to no more than 15 feet from me, We talked for a while her curious but not particularly afraid until she moved off only to return in a few minutes to sit on an exposed area of the dock that the wind had blow clear to settle in for a house cleaning. The good news is that she does not seem to consider Rufus dinner, as dumb alpha male wanta-be Rufus had to try to check her out. I know Foxy saw him and made no attempt to attack him, meaning that the mouse population must be in good shape. 
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