Bluenose's Blatherings

[Bluenose]

I awake.  Its still pitch black.  While I try to decide if its time to get up my watch alarm goes off.  So much for staying in bed!  I drag my sorry arse out of the warmth of the sleeping bag and quickly don some warm clothes.  I make my way out of the tent and greet Davo as he emerges from his.  We quickly grab a bowl of cereal and wash it down with some orange juice, no time to boil the billy now!

We grab our fishing gear we got ready the previous night.  Ouch, my head hurts!  What time did we stop drinking the bourbon  and coke round the camp fire last night?  Must've had only a couple of hours sleep!  No time to worry about that now.  We make our way down to the beach that forms the bank of the Murray River where we camped and put our gear in the boat.  We hop in, start the motor and then slip our mooring.  We head down stream in utter darkness - the moon set several hours ago - using the spot to light our way, being careful not to look directly in its beam.  There it is, the snag we picked yesterday arvo.  We go past it and turn the boat around approaching the snag from down stream.  As we gently come up to the snag Davo ties us off and I allow the boat to settle in the current.  Once we're sure that all's OK I kill the motor.

We got the timing right, it's still black but a few minutes later we notice the faintest glimmer of light in the eastern sky.  Not quite time to drop our lines in yet, so we take our time baiting the hook using a red torch to see what we're doing.  Now we wait.  The eastern sky turns from the faintest grey to dark purple, the sky overhead from pitch black to deep indigo.  As the east lightens to a darkish mauve we begin to see our surrounds in a ghostly monochrome.  Soon the eastern sky is a light mauve, with purple above fading to indigo in the west.  As if on cue, the dawn chorus begins.  Birds of all description sing out the coming of the new day.  Still the eastern sky lightens, we can see our surrounds in washed out pastel colour, it's time, so we drop our lines over the side.

As we sit there, still it gets lighter.  We can see in dull colour around us as an enormous flock of sulfur crested cockatoos flies overhead, deafening us with their raucous calls.  The "cockies" don't believe in such an early start as the other birds who have well and truly gone about their business by now.  A little later a pelican flies by, gliding just below the tree tops with the occasional languid flap of its wings.  He has an appointment down stream, we may see him this evening as he makes his way back.  The eastern sky works its way through pale mauve, green orange until it is a brilliant gold.  Just then the fierce golden light touches the tops of the surrounding river red gums, high up on the banks around us and they explode in a riot of greens and olives and gold as if caught by ethereal fire.  We hear the cockatoos down stream and catch a glimpse of them as they cavort at the next bend in the river.  As they fly up to tree top height they are caught in the sunlight.  The flock looks like a pool of liquid gold.  Glistening.  Stunning.

We wait for a bite, it is morning.

[Black Bart]

It's alright for some people...lazing about fishing and the like...I'm still in bleeding work.

The desk is a light shade of tan, printed with an 'all too obvious' fake wood grain.  I look up over the computer screen and catch the late afternoon sun glinting off the top of Jim's bald head.

I sigh and reach for my coffee...I say coffee, it is a brown sugary liquid that squirts desolately from the office vending machine.

Suddenly my afternoon is brightened up by the appearance of Vicky from the press office.  She's tall and elegant with long legs and chest like Barabara Windsor.  I smile, forgetting I've been munching on a Salmon and spinach sandwich, and showing Vicky a set of mouldy green teeth.

I sigh again and look at the clock...only half an hour to home time...when I can look forward to wrestling with the sweaty commuters on the Windsor and Eaton riverside service.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

That's a vivid description, Blue!  I felt, for a nanosecond, that I was there, too.

Who says a picture is worth a thousand words?  Sometimes, a well-written collection of words is worth any number of pictures.

*sigh*

[Bluenose]

That story has been running around inside my had for a couple of years since I wrote a similar piece over at TOP.  Alas the original has landed in the bit bucket and although I made a couple of feeble attempts to rewrite it and post it here, I just never seemed to strike the right mood.

Then last night I posted an abbreviated version in a different context over at Topix and somehow I felt the time was right, so here it is.  I am trying in this piece to capture what it feels like to really experience the dawn.  I have had many such mornings and once, one just like this one - pelican, cockies and all.  It was a truly spiritual experience.  The splendor of this lovely planet of ours is awe inspiring.  I just hope I have captured even a just a pale reflection of the reality.  If my words have helped you feel you were there, or wished you were, then I am well satisfied.

Bart, when I am stuck in the office I feel privileged that I can close my eyes and imagine in my mind's eye that I am back on the river.  It has been a few years since I did this, I need to do it again.

[pieces o nine]

Bluenose: you could record your musings for one of those 'guided meditation/guided journey' enterprises.

B ^{L I S} S     B _{L I S} S        B _{L I S} S     B ^{L I S} S



Erm, yours too, Bart...

[goat starer]

What time did we stop drinking the bourbon  and coke

drinking coke is a waste. you should try sticking it up your nose instead. 

[Black Bart]

Mine was a load of made up nonsense apart from the nasty coffee, the fake wood grain and Vicky.  I was just jealous...sometimes everyone seems to be in a better place than yourself (other man's grass is greener).  But now I know Ol Bluenose was just conjuring up beautiful memories I don't feel so bad.

I find it interesting to hear about the locations of my fellow Toadfish Members.  I've been to Australia and it was awesome but the only place I've visited in the USA is New York, also awesome but scary.

To be honest I've been rather lucky with my office situation over the years.  I always seem to end up over looking Old Father Thames...not that I get much chance to look out of the window...

[Opsa]

Blue, I feel like you were truly in the moment, and when that happens to a person he can un-stick it from time and go back to it, whenever he likes. Now that you've shared it with us, I feel like even I can go there. Thank you!

I thought Bart's satire was a good one, too.

[Bluenose]

Ops, thank you.  It is one of the things about fishing in a river that I really like.  You get to sit quietly and just be.  I always remember that it is called fishing, not catching.  Actually catching a fish can be very exciting, but there is so much more to the activity that actually catching a fish is almost incidental.  Many a pleasant day fishing has not resulted in catching anything, yet some of these have been the best days of all.  And you are right, you can go back to it whenever you like.

I also enjoyed Bart's story, it made a really nice counterpoint to my one.  Thanks, mate!

[Opsa]

Being in the moment is so important, and so hard for us human beings to accomplish. Thank you for affirming the feeling. We spend so much of life stuck way up in our thoughts that when we shut up the infernal internal dialogue and dive into the moment experienced by the rest of our selves, things can really become tremendously vivid and amazing.

Sometimes people do drugs to get a similar experience, but they really aren't necessary (or recommended) when one can practice the art of just shutting off the inner noise and sitting in awe of NOW even if only for a few seconds every once in a while. Your writing makes me think of this sort of moment.

[Bluenose]

The sun is high.  It is warm.  Craig and I have been paddling our canoe since dawn.  Soon we will stop and light a fire and cook some lunch, but for now we drift along with the current as the Snowy River takes a break and slows for while.  The eucalypts line the sides of this deep narrow valley touching the water on each bank.  In the distance we hear a crow's mournful cry.  There are rustling sounds from the nearest bank, water dragons scurry about on their lizardly business.  One stops at the end of a branch and look directly at me, then dives into the water

We rest, no need to paddle.  I notice a disturbance in the water in the corner of my eye – it's a platypus.  Behind me, Craig spots him too.  He's come to the surface and just floats there.  I could literally reach out and touch him, but that would break the spell.  He dives, but soon he's back.  We sit entranced for half an hour as he goes about his business, the bubbles of air trapped in his fur glisten like little droplets of mercury.  We drift past.  Life is good.

The pool is coming to an end.  Another set of rapids approaches.  Pick a line of approach and we shoot through into the pool beyond.  There is a whirlpool off the the right just below the cascade, we turn the canoe around and head for it.  In the middle of the swirling water there is a large pile of debris.  A classic Australian bass lie.

Craig holds the canoe steady from the back, I make a cast towards the debris pile.  The lure sits on the surface I let it be for longer than I think necessary and then a bit more.  I crank the handle slowly for a half a turn, stop.  Wait.  Crank again SMASH!  A great explosion of water erupts where the lure was.  It's gone!  Where is it?  Seemingly in no time at all, my rod is bent right over, under the canoe!  The bass is out the other side.  I lift the rod and wind a few turns on the down stroke.  Lift, pump, lift, pump.  Gradually I gain some precious line on the fish.  I cannot believe how hard he pulls.  He is lightning fast!  I am thankful that I chose braided line, thin but very strong.  I gain the advantage on the fish and bring him to the canoe soon – no chance for him to tire himself out too much.  I lift the fish out gently with wet hands and quickly remove the barbless hook from his lip.  Good, a clean hook up, no damage done.  Time for a quick photo then back into the water.  He does not need any time to recover; I can feel his muscles as he swims out of my hands and quickly heads back to his hidey hole.  I am stoked.  My first bass.

[Opsa]

I love your respect for "the spell". Maybe the bass allowed you a victory because of this?

[Bluenose]

I love your respect for "the spell". Maybe the bass allowed you a victory because of this?

You know it may well be.

The things you see in the bush when you are quiet and just allow it to happen are truly amazing.  I felt no need to touch the platypus, he was not doing anything to bother me, why should I bother him?  (or her, of course)  I find that if you are quiet and do nothing to distub the wildlife you will be rewarded with sights you cannot see any other way.

Other times other places I have had the pleasure af handling a platypus - I was helping out with a platypus survey in suburban Melbourne.  But that was not this time.  Later that day we saw a large school of Australian grayling, maybe 300-400 fish.  These endangered fish were in a big feeding frenzy because of the hatch of some insects too small for us to see what they were.  The water was crystal clear and we just quitely drifted past taking the wonder of it all in.

In case you haven't guessed, I just love being out in the bush...

[Opsa]

It sounds enchanting. I would love to visit there one day.

[Bluenose]

It sounds enchanting. I would love to visit there one day.

Well if you ever do, I would love the chance to show some of the sights.  Plus we have a spare room to put you up in!  And I'm a passable cook...

[Griffin NoName]

My son is having his next honeymoon* in Australia around Christmas time.

*two weddings, so two honeymoons. They've just come back from Bath. My son booked a 5* hotel, bridal suite, secretly. I had to swear not to tell the bride. At the wedding, every table was talking about the suprise honeymoon. My son couldn't stop telling people. How my D-i-L never guessed is one of life's great mysteries.

[Opsa]

It sounds enchanting. I would love to visit there one day.

Well if you ever do, I would love the chance to show some of the sights.  Plus we have a spare room to put you up in!  And I'm a passable cook...

Wahsome, Duje!!!! Same here* if you come to the Washington D.C. area!

_{*I'm not a great cook, but could show you some fun places.}

[Bluenose]

My son is having his next honeymoon* in Australia around Christmas time.

*two weddings, so two honeymoons. They've just come back from Bath. My son booked a 5* hotel, bridal suite, secretly. I had to swear not to tell the bride. At the wedding, every table was talking about the suprise honeymoon. My son couldn't stop telling people. How my D-i-L never guessed is one of life's great mysteries.

Where in Oz is he going?  It's a BIG place. 

I used to work for the Australian branch of a US company, we had a great deal of difficulty in getting some of their people to understand that you cannot get from Melbourne to a mining camp near* Karatha (a very remote place in the Kimberly region of NW Western Australia) and back in one day, even by air.  In fact they did not believe us when we tried to explain it would take a 6 hour flight from Melbouren, a 4 hour flight from Perth and then a 4 hour drive from Karatha. 

* near is a relative thing, especially when your nearest neighbour lives over 100 km away...

Wahsome, Duje!!!! Same here* if you come to the Washington D.C. area!

_{*I'm not a great cook, but could show you some fun places.}

This reminds me of the time Mrs Blue and I went to visit some rellies in another State.  The evening we arrived my cousin said "What shall I cook for dinner?  Let me just get my recipe book.  Would you like Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Greek or something else from here?"  She then passed me the recipe book.  It was a presentation folder of all the menus from the local take away restaurants.  We had Thai and it was very good.

Since then Mrs Blue and I both call our collection of take away menus "the recipe book".

[Sibling Chatty]

Australia's HUGE.

My Dad was doing a shakedown cruise on a drill ship in the Singapore Ocean when they discovered Mom had a brain tumor. The docs said GET HIM HERE NOW. They took him off the drill ship on a helicopter and puddle-jumped, choppered and any-other-way-possible got him to a big airport and then put him on the direct, so stops flight to Los Angeles and held a plane to get him to Houston.

Took longer to get AROUND Australia than from there to LAX and on to IAH, and that was with EVERYthing and EVERYbody possible being involved. (Four hours before I picked him up, they were able to determine that the tumor was pituitary, NOT brain, and that she'd be OK for a week or so while they reworked current surgical strategies to get it out.)

He slept for most of the next 36 hours, after seeing Mom...and said that he'd never in his life felt as much caring and compassion from any human beings in his life as he did the bush pilots that got him on the way home.

[Bluenose]

It certainly is a way of life in the outback.  If anyone is in trouble there is simply no question that everyon will do whatever they can to help.  The simple fact is when "normal" help is at best half a day away, you have to learn to rely on yourself and on those around you.  Everyone depends on everyone else.