Yes, I know it seems like a nonsensical title. Our society's fear of cancer has given it a reputation as evil as Hitler, or rape, or maybe mental illness. Well, as nasty as the disease itself may be, God has amazing ways to bring blessing out of pain and despair.
A couple of weeks ago our daughter was diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma that had metastacized from her foot into a lymph node near her groin. Of course this was a rude awakening for us all and we can only make educated, optimistic guesses right now of how it will end up. So we're just in the early stages of this journey, as we prepare for her first round of chemo treatment. And yet I can see already that God is blessing even in the midst of despair and difficulty. As much as I don't care for rollercoaster rides, I do realize what an instructive word-picture they can be for life. The most terrifying parts can also be the most exhilarating, but only if you have complete confidence in the ride. Everybody's life will have ups and downs of some sort, but the Christian should be able to have a certain confidence in the God into whose hands we have entrusted our souls.
So I'd like to briefly mention two ways that God has blessed me during this time. One was quite expected, and one has been quite a surprise.
The pleasant surprise has been the Children's Cancer Clinic at Blair Batson Children's Hospital (within the University of Mississippi Medical Center). The thought of going into a children's cancer clinic would have struck absolute terror and dread into me before, with thoughts of a hopeless, pitiful, place of desperation. On the contrary, my experience these last couple weeks has been that it's probably one of my favorite two places in Jackson. (The other is Stewpot, in case you're wondering.) The staff are the most wonderful, caring, cheerful, and honest people that I've ever come across in a medical facility. The rooms are a joy to look at, with brightly painted walls, a huge aquarium, nicely laid out seating, and so forth. But most of all, the children themselves are amazing. Although there are some who are clearly having a much more difficult time and nobody is there by their own choice, there is a remarkable strength and innocent joy of childhood that sets the atmosphere. The crying, unruly, and fussy children that show up in other medical facilities don't seem to make it to the cancer clinic somehow. Maybe the presence of cancer in a young family tends to produce a greater maturity, love, and love for life than is typically seen. In any case, I love being there among them, just to smile at them, pray for them, and learn from them. Yes, I actually love the children's cancer clinic.
My other favorite thing so far is the love and support of so many friends and family. Without wanting to be presumptuous or flippant, I can't really say that it surprises me, at least in a general sense. Yes, I do get surprised by some of the specific acts of kindness and support. But I had every confidence that our church and family and friends would be there to help us through this however they could. Whenever I get discouraged by another website quoting statistics and scary experiences, God brings another person to tell me about their experiences in overcoming cancer. I'm amazed at how many people I know have gone through cancer treatment many years ago and have gone on to live healthy lives, or have had close family members overcome cancer. In the vast majority of cases, I had no idea before that they had a cancer story to tell. It was also a blessing during our first four-day hospital stay how many people we came across that we knew, including one of the nurses who was a big help during the first couple days. I need to also mention that Facebook, CaringBridge, and other online ways of staying in touch have been a tremendous advantage for connecting us with friends, family, and even sometimes friends of friends.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Why Would A Blind Man Want To See?
I've been thinking more lately about the dynamics of how God saves us. Of course there will always be an element of mystery. But at least some aspects have come into a clearer focus for me lately. The age-old debate as exemplified between the extremes of Arminius and Calvin largely hinges on the question of how someone who is spiritually dead in his sins can possibly respond to God's gracious offer of salvation. The applications then become how we should pursue evangelism. Should we pour our heart into passionate pleas, apologetics, and testimonies of how wonderful the Christian life is? Or should we focus instead on praying for God's Spirit to supernaturally and inexplicably draw people to salvation regardless of any direct effort on our part or theirs?
In John 9, we see Jesus healing a man of blindness. What is unique with this miracle is that we are specifically told that the man was blind from birth. I never gave that much thought before. Surely anyone who is blind or otherwise handicapped would desire to be healed, right? Except that: how can the man know that he needs to be healed unless someone has told him that there is a wonderful gift of sight that he has been missing out on for his whole life? Of course he could live in denial of his blindness in spite of how obvious it is to everyone. Or he could refuse to believe that being able to see is really as great as people claim. Or he could determine that sight is an impossible dream that fate has cruelly denied to him and there's no use giving it any further consideration. Since he has never seen before and has no way to verify that "seeing" is real, why would he want to see?
The parallels to our "sin problem" are striking. How can we know that we are separated from God by our sin unless we are told? That knowledge should naturally come from the witness of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and believers (working together). The sinner may of course deny his condition. Or he may determine that it's not really such a big deal and spending eternity with God just doesn't appeal to him that much anyway. Finally, he may be fooled into believing that there's no way that God could redeem someone so worthless. Just as the blind man must be convinced of his handicap and of its remedy, the sinner must be convinced both of his sinfulness and of Jesus' power to save.
How does a sinner reach that point of conviction of sin and hope for salvation? The certain truth is in God's Word. The evidence of it should be witnessed in the lives and words of believers. But the final persuasion on a spiritual level must depend upon the working of the Holy Spirit. As believers, God's work of grace in our lives should be so evident that the natural desire of an unsaved person would be "I want whatever he has". Then we need to be clear in testifying to them that we too once were blind, that God's salvation is available to all, that indeed today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
The blind man in John 9 not only was convinced that it would be a good thing to be able to see, but he also had a providential encounter with the Lord Jesus. No one that he had met before ever had the power to give him sight. In God's timing, Jesus came to him. Although we are not told much about the man's heart at this time, we can see later that he had a remarkable amount of spiritual maturity when addressing the Pharisees. We also see that he exercised faith by following Jesus' instructions to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, not necessarily an easy matter for someone who was not yet seeing.
However convinced a sinner may be of the Gospel, they will never experience forgiveness and new life without making a conscious choice to follow the Savior. God has given us the free will to choose life or death. So yes, we must do whatever God enables us to bring the plain truth of the Gospel to sinners. We must be fully aware of the role (and providential timing) of the Holy Spirit. And the sinner must ultimately bear the final responsibility for what he does with God's amazing offer.
Pray. Testify. Pray. Testify.
And marvel at God's amazing grace.
In John 9, we see Jesus healing a man of blindness. What is unique with this miracle is that we are specifically told that the man was blind from birth. I never gave that much thought before. Surely anyone who is blind or otherwise handicapped would desire to be healed, right? Except that: how can the man know that he needs to be healed unless someone has told him that there is a wonderful gift of sight that he has been missing out on for his whole life? Of course he could live in denial of his blindness in spite of how obvious it is to everyone. Or he could refuse to believe that being able to see is really as great as people claim. Or he could determine that sight is an impossible dream that fate has cruelly denied to him and there's no use giving it any further consideration. Since he has never seen before and has no way to verify that "seeing" is real, why would he want to see?
The parallels to our "sin problem" are striking. How can we know that we are separated from God by our sin unless we are told? That knowledge should naturally come from the witness of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and believers (working together). The sinner may of course deny his condition. Or he may determine that it's not really such a big deal and spending eternity with God just doesn't appeal to him that much anyway. Finally, he may be fooled into believing that there's no way that God could redeem someone so worthless. Just as the blind man must be convinced of his handicap and of its remedy, the sinner must be convinced both of his sinfulness and of Jesus' power to save.
How does a sinner reach that point of conviction of sin and hope for salvation? The certain truth is in God's Word. The evidence of it should be witnessed in the lives and words of believers. But the final persuasion on a spiritual level must depend upon the working of the Holy Spirit. As believers, God's work of grace in our lives should be so evident that the natural desire of an unsaved person would be "I want whatever he has". Then we need to be clear in testifying to them that we too once were blind, that God's salvation is available to all, that indeed today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
The blind man in John 9 not only was convinced that it would be a good thing to be able to see, but he also had a providential encounter with the Lord Jesus. No one that he had met before ever had the power to give him sight. In God's timing, Jesus came to him. Although we are not told much about the man's heart at this time, we can see later that he had a remarkable amount of spiritual maturity when addressing the Pharisees. We also see that he exercised faith by following Jesus' instructions to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, not necessarily an easy matter for someone who was not yet seeing.
However convinced a sinner may be of the Gospel, they will never experience forgiveness and new life without making a conscious choice to follow the Savior. God has given us the free will to choose life or death. So yes, we must do whatever God enables us to bring the plain truth of the Gospel to sinners. We must be fully aware of the role (and providential timing) of the Holy Spirit. And the sinner must ultimately bear the final responsibility for what he does with God's amazing offer.
Pray. Testify. Pray. Testify.
And marvel at God's amazing grace.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Hiking the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
Bit by bit over the last few months, I’ve been hiking and mapping out the Ridgeland District section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. In spite of being the only national scenic trail (out of 11 total) that is entirely on National Park Service land, nobody seems to know about it or hike it. Partly that may be due to it being the most incomplete of the national scenic trails (65 miles out of over 400 miles authorized) and spread out over multiple widely spaced sections. At a little over 25 miles, the Ridgeland section is the longest. It’s also close to the metropolitan area of Jackson (Mississippi, not Tennessee!).
When Helen McGinnis’s book “Hiking Trails of Mississippi” was published in 1994, this section was still under construction and was listed under the tentative name of the Lonesome Pine Trail. I suspect that the name didn’t hold partly because pines are not really the predominant forest type for much of the trail. In any case, what I found was a surprisingly enjoyable trail, with a feeling of remoteness even though closely paralleling the roadway of the Natchez Trace Parkway. In some parts the trail was in quite good condition, while in others it deteriorated to the point of almost being nonexistent. The biggest problem by far was the presence of a lot of fallen trees on the trail. There were also a couple of bridge challenges, some aggressive briars, occasional wet areas, and some open mowed areas that had to be crossed without a trail.
So what were the more pleasant surprises? A feeling of silence and isolation that is hard to come by in Mississippi. In over 60 miles of hiking (going over most sections at least twice) spread over several days, I saw maybe five people on horseback and not one single hiker. Most days I saw no one on the trail. It was apparently by design that this would be the one national scenic trail to give a special focus on equestrian use, to reflect the historic heritage of the original Natchez Trace. But this is one nationally significant trail that I believe I can say is actually in need of more hikers. Only at River Bend (near the middle) and Yockanookany (the northern end) were there trail registers available. I was the first to sign them in over a year!
So why is no one else on the trail? I’m sure that the inability to do loop hikes is a factor for some, though one-way linear hikes are the norm for national scenic trails anyway. Another factor surely would be the lack of dramatic scenery. But the biggest problem is probably that people just don’t know. They don’t know the trail exists, they don’t know what to find on it, and they’re not really sure how to hike it. At least those were some of my excuses over the last few years. About the only reliable information is the NPS website, which only gives the basics. There is no mention of the historic cemeteries, overnight camping opportunities, where to access the trail, or how to follow it. Amazingly, at the north and south ends of the trail there are no signs at all visible from the parking areas to alert anyone to the presence of a trail nearby. And at Upper Choctaw Boundary, there is an interpretive trail that goes within about 20 feet of the (much more enjoyable) national scenic trail, but you have to know where to look to see that the trail is there.
A short distance away from the southern end, the City of Ridgeland and NPS have built a paved multiuse (mainly jogging) trail that is well used and will probably be connected with the national scenic trail soon. Although that could possibly be viewed as an extension of the trail, it certainly does not offer the same type of experience.
When Helen McGinnis’s book “Hiking Trails of Mississippi” was published in 1994, this section was still under construction and was listed under the tentative name of the Lonesome Pine Trail. I suspect that the name didn’t hold partly because pines are not really the predominant forest type for much of the trail. In any case, what I found was a surprisingly enjoyable trail, with a feeling of remoteness even though closely paralleling the roadway of the Natchez Trace Parkway. In some parts the trail was in quite good condition, while in others it deteriorated to the point of almost being nonexistent. The biggest problem by far was the presence of a lot of fallen trees on the trail. There were also a couple of bridge challenges, some aggressive briars, occasional wet areas, and some open mowed areas that had to be crossed without a trail.
So what were the more pleasant surprises? A feeling of silence and isolation that is hard to come by in Mississippi. In over 60 miles of hiking (going over most sections at least twice) spread over several days, I saw maybe five people on horseback and not one single hiker. Most days I saw no one on the trail. It was apparently by design that this would be the one national scenic trail to give a special focus on equestrian use, to reflect the historic heritage of the original Natchez Trace. But this is one nationally significant trail that I believe I can say is actually in need of more hikers. Only at River Bend (near the middle) and Yockanookany (the northern end) were there trail registers available. I was the first to sign them in over a year!
So why is no one else on the trail? I’m sure that the inability to do loop hikes is a factor for some, though one-way linear hikes are the norm for national scenic trails anyway. Another factor surely would be the lack of dramatic scenery. But the biggest problem is probably that people just don’t know. They don’t know the trail exists, they don’t know what to find on it, and they’re not really sure how to hike it. At least those were some of my excuses over the last few years. About the only reliable information is the NPS website, which only gives the basics. There is no mention of the historic cemeteries, overnight camping opportunities, where to access the trail, or how to follow it. Amazingly, at the north and south ends of the trail there are no signs at all visible from the parking areas to alert anyone to the presence of a trail nearby. And at Upper Choctaw Boundary, there is an interpretive trail that goes within about 20 feet of the (much more enjoyable) national scenic trail, but you have to know where to look to see that the trail is there.
A short distance away from the southern end, the City of Ridgeland and NPS have built a paved multiuse (mainly jogging) trail that is well used and will probably be connected with the national scenic trail soon. Although that could possibly be viewed as an extension of the trail, it certainly does not offer the same type of experience.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Just A Poor Wayfaring Stranger
Over the last month or so, I've been preparing to start a new Sunday School class that would use John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" as a template to look at our Journey of faith. Yesterday was set as the start date for the new class, and last Thursday afternoon I was looking specifically at the material for the first class. Of course, I was also fighting off some butterflies and doubts about starting the new class.
As I started to rush over for the Metro Baptist Association missions banquet, the Bill Monroe song "Wayfaring Stranger" came into my head. It really struck me how the song fit so well the description by Bunyan of our "pilgrimage" through a world of trouble and temptations in pursuit of a heavenly home with Christ. When I got to the banquet, I was surprised to see a bluegrass band on the program. The fact that the name of their first song was not listed added to my shock when they got up and started on "Wayfaring Stranger"! As I listened to their beautiful performance of the song, I knew for certain that God had heard my need for assurance. Beyond the Sunday School class, the song also meshed amazingly with other areas where God has been challenging me. More pieces of the puzzle in seeking God's will, in hearing His voice. Good thing I didn't miss the banquet this year!
As I started to rush over for the Metro Baptist Association missions banquet, the Bill Monroe song "Wayfaring Stranger" came into my head. It really struck me how the song fit so well the description by Bunyan of our "pilgrimage" through a world of trouble and temptations in pursuit of a heavenly home with Christ. When I got to the banquet, I was surprised to see a bluegrass band on the program. The fact that the name of their first song was not listed added to my shock when they got up and started on "Wayfaring Stranger"! As I listened to their beautiful performance of the song, I knew for certain that God had heard my need for assurance. Beyond the Sunday School class, the song also meshed amazingly with other areas where God has been challenging me. More pieces of the puzzle in seeking God's will, in hearing His voice. Good thing I didn't miss the banquet this year!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A Scientist's Lament
When God drops a powerful book into your lap, you can be assured that it does not come by accident. A couple days ago I met a representative of Voice of the Martyrs who gave me a copy of "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. Today I'm a bit over halfway through reading it. It's gripping, painful, revitalizing, and real. That in itself would be noteworthy.
Today I watched the worship of a beautiful house of cards. It was my role to observe and take notes on a teacher training workshop at the university. The instructor masterfully wove his tale of the discovery of geologic timescales over the last few hundred years. I've always loved the geosciences, whether meteorology or oceanography or geology. I love the amazing variety and intricacy of this earth that God has given us. But I can not love the way that science (especially geology and biology) is so often hijacked to try to tear at the fabric of Christian faith. Today's instructor was nice, entertaining, and very well prepared. The kind of guy you can't help but like. He tried to preempt any religious concerns by claiming that his issue was not who made the rocks but just when and how. Just like in the Garden, the deception builds gradually in bits and pieces, until the final result is totally at odds with the revealed Word of the Creator God who is Himself the very embodiment of truth and reality.
I knew the topic for today ahead of time, and his arguments were largely familiar. But two points hit me head-on without warning near the end. First, I can not think of any real practical scientific value in the seemingly fanatical addiction that so many geologists have in trying to date rocks. The only reason I can see for caring to show that a rock or fossil is millions of years old instead of thousands is to try to discredit the Bible. Yes, they may say that they can still believe in God (as even the demons do!). But who really wants to give their life to a God that you can't believe what He says?
Secondly, I was struck by the contrast with some of Wurmbrand's stories from Communist nations. He pointed out cases of students and uneducated workers who courageously stood up to refute atheistic arguments in university and public lectures, at a very very high price. And yet here in the sanctuary of America's Bible Belt . . . not one person (of the cream of the crop of high school science teachers) gave any public indication today that they did not buy into all they were being fed. An hour later now I still can't stop shaking or easily hold back the tears.
The truth of God's Word may seem to lack the ornamentation and popularity of the anti-Christian house of cards. But the stone blockhouse built upon the Cornerstone that was rejected on Calvary will stand long long after man's ideologies. Yes, even eternally.
Today I watched the worship of a beautiful house of cards. It was my role to observe and take notes on a teacher training workshop at the university. The instructor masterfully wove his tale of the discovery of geologic timescales over the last few hundred years. I've always loved the geosciences, whether meteorology or oceanography or geology. I love the amazing variety and intricacy of this earth that God has given us. But I can not love the way that science (especially geology and biology) is so often hijacked to try to tear at the fabric of Christian faith. Today's instructor was nice, entertaining, and very well prepared. The kind of guy you can't help but like. He tried to preempt any religious concerns by claiming that his issue was not who made the rocks but just when and how. Just like in the Garden, the deception builds gradually in bits and pieces, until the final result is totally at odds with the revealed Word of the Creator God who is Himself the very embodiment of truth and reality.
I knew the topic for today ahead of time, and his arguments were largely familiar. But two points hit me head-on without warning near the end. First, I can not think of any real practical scientific value in the seemingly fanatical addiction that so many geologists have in trying to date rocks. The only reason I can see for caring to show that a rock or fossil is millions of years old instead of thousands is to try to discredit the Bible. Yes, they may say that they can still believe in God (as even the demons do!). But who really wants to give their life to a God that you can't believe what He says?
Secondly, I was struck by the contrast with some of Wurmbrand's stories from Communist nations. He pointed out cases of students and uneducated workers who courageously stood up to refute atheistic arguments in university and public lectures, at a very very high price. And yet here in the sanctuary of America's Bible Belt . . . not one person (of the cream of the crop of high school science teachers) gave any public indication today that they did not buy into all they were being fed. An hour later now I still can't stop shaking or easily hold back the tears.
The truth of God's Word may seem to lack the ornamentation and popularity of the anti-Christian house of cards. But the stone blockhouse built upon the Cornerstone that was rejected on Calvary will stand long long after man's ideologies. Yes, even eternally.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Outer Banks, Ferries, and Good Eats (Part 3)
On Monday morning, I missed an exit returning the rental car, and got to the airport just one minute before the car was due to be returned. I showed the guy where the car had been bumped, and he said not to worry about it. Whew! He also told me that Enterprise still gives a half-hour grace for returns, and that I could return the car to a neighborhood rental location for no extra charge. That way I could get a free ride back to the motel. God is so good! It still was stressful though since his directions to the other rental location just got me to the right general area . . . where I did not see any Enterprise signs at first.
The rest of the week was mainly occupied with work, of course. But I did eventually make time during a lunch break to ride the passenger ferry across the Elizabeth River and back. The dock was within about a block of the conference site. This was my first ride on a paddlewheel boat. Since it was covered by my 7-day bus pass, I didn't have to pay a fare either!
After the nasty nor'easter weather of the weekend, most of the week had great weather for my commutes back and forth on the bus. Of course the buses offered a wide cross-section of fellow passengers, everything from gangsta types to an evangelist and college students and old folks and cute little kids. Generally the rides were pleasant and timely, although there was one Third World-like experience where the connecting bus apparently ran out of gas at the transfer stop. Obviously somebody really messed up to let that happen.
The rest of the week was mainly occupied with work, of course. But I did eventually make time during a lunch break to ride the passenger ferry across the Elizabeth River and back. The dock was within about a block of the conference site. This was my first ride on a paddlewheel boat. Since it was covered by my 7-day bus pass, I didn't have to pay a fare either!
After the nasty nor'easter weather of the weekend, most of the week had great weather for my commutes back and forth on the bus. Of course the buses offered a wide cross-section of fellow passengers, everything from gangsta types to an evangelist and college students and old folks and cute little kids. Generally the rides were pleasant and timely, although there was one Third World-like experience where the connecting bus apparently ran out of gas at the transfer stop. Obviously somebody really messed up to let that happen.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Outer Banks, Ferries, and Good Eats (Day 2)
Although the wind was strong enough to blow some small branches down, I had a nice dry night. I headed into Washington and then east toward the Outer Banks, to see how far I could get before church time. It was interesting to discover that Washington, NC was the first city to be named for George Washington. It was close to 9:30 by the time I got to Swanquarter, so I started looking for churches. No one was at the Baptist church yet and there was only one car so far at the Christian church. So I killed a little time looking around the waterfront and watching the ferry come in. By this point, a couple more cars had shown up at the Christian church, so I decided to give it a try.
After a good "whole church" Sunday school class, the people started pouring in. By God's grace, I just happened to be there on the day of their once a year homecoming/reunion service. So the church of maybe 20 or so mostly elderly members filled up with about 100 people. It was an interesting and enjoyable worship service, with the pastor holding firmly to the Word in spite of the discouraging size of the church. I was surprised to find out that this "Christian" church is actually associated with the Churches of Christ, and yet that they also included some wonderful non-acappello bluegrass for special music. The group is called the Believers Trio, although only two were present. Since it was homecoming day, of course I was encouraged to stick around for dinner on the grounds. It was nice not only to get bunches of wonderful free food, but also to get to know some folks. In particular, I talked a good bit with "J.D.". He was one of the out of town visitors who comes every year to homecoming at the church through his wife's connection. He told me he's active in a Missionary Baptist church, and that his initials stand for "Junk Dealer". It never ceases to amaze me how God has so often provided these opportunities since I decided to trust Him that I could travel without eating out at restaurants on Sunday.
I still had a long drive to get to the Outer Banks. I stopped briefly at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge along the way. After many miles of flat and fairly monotonous driving, I was surprised to see a sign for "Stumpy Point Ferry". Not only was I not aware of any ferry in the area, I like the name too! I drove down to look and was stopped by a gate that said "State property. No trespassing." That left me scratching my head a bit, but I resolved to figure it out once I got access to the all-knowing Google. What I discovered is that there is an emergency evacuation ferry between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point to help with getting people off the Outer Banks before a hurricane.
Finally, I got out to Nags Head and exposure to the misty winds of an early nor'easter. The waves on the open Atlantic were pretty impressive and frothy at
Coquina Beach. Of course, I had to think about whether they would be passable by kayak. There seemed to be gaps where it would be possible to get out without being pummeled by a ten foot breaker, but it's always really hard to judge waves from a distance. I also made a sidetrip over to see the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Going further south into Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, I reluctantly decided to turn back. Even at low tide there was still water over the road in many places. Not knowing how deep or salty the water would get and remembering that I was in a little tiny Rio rental car, I opted for the responsible backtrack to the north.
The north side of Nags Head was a lot more commercial/residential/touristy. The Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk was closed up by the time I got there, but I did get to go into Jockey Ridge State Park for a look. They claim it's the highest sand dunes in the eastern U.S. and a popular place for hanggliding. I don't think anybody was hanggliding today, but it's definitely a mighty big pile of sand. I took a few pictures and then headed on up to Norfolk.
The temperature was in the low 40s, with a wet wind chill, for most of the afternoon. But the only thing to dampen my spirits heading up to my motel was a sign shortly after crossing the Virginia line. "Last exit before toll road". What?! I had been down this way several years ago and did not remember there being a toll road. I quickly turned off and started trying to figure out what to do. Of course I couldn't find a decent place to pull over and look over my map (which didn't show a toll road anyway). I found where the "Business" version of the road was and continued blindly northward, wondering if it would disappear or change names or eventually push me onto the toll road anyway. When I came to a confusing intersection, I angled back toward the highway, discovered that it was now toll-free, and resumed my journey to Motel 6. Actually, I still managed to miss an exit before settling into my home away from home and gradually shifting mental gears to think of the next day's conference.
After a good "whole church" Sunday school class, the people started pouring in. By God's grace, I just happened to be there on the day of their once a year homecoming/reunion service. So the church of maybe 20 or so mostly elderly members filled up with about 100 people. It was an interesting and enjoyable worship service, with the pastor holding firmly to the Word in spite of the discouraging size of the church. I was surprised to find out that this "Christian" church is actually associated with the Churches of Christ, and yet that they also included some wonderful non-acappello bluegrass for special music. The group is called the Believers Trio, although only two were present. Since it was homecoming day, of course I was encouraged to stick around for dinner on the grounds. It was nice not only to get bunches of wonderful free food, but also to get to know some folks. In particular, I talked a good bit with "J.D.". He was one of the out of town visitors who comes every year to homecoming at the church through his wife's connection. He told me he's active in a Missionary Baptist church, and that his initials stand for "Junk Dealer". It never ceases to amaze me how God has so often provided these opportunities since I decided to trust Him that I could travel without eating out at restaurants on Sunday.
I still had a long drive to get to the Outer Banks. I stopped briefly at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge along the way. After many miles of flat and fairly monotonous driving, I was surprised to see a sign for "Stumpy Point Ferry". Not only was I not aware of any ferry in the area, I like the name too! I drove down to look and was stopped by a gate that said "State property. No trespassing." That left me scratching my head a bit, but I resolved to figure it out once I got access to the all-knowing Google. What I discovered is that there is an emergency evacuation ferry between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point to help with getting people off the Outer Banks before a hurricane.
Finally, I got out to Nags Head and exposure to the misty winds of an early nor'easter. The waves on the open Atlantic were pretty impressive and frothy at
Coquina Beach. Of course, I had to think about whether they would be passable by kayak. There seemed to be gaps where it would be possible to get out without being pummeled by a ten foot breaker, but it's always really hard to judge waves from a distance. I also made a sidetrip over to see the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Going further south into Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, I reluctantly decided to turn back. Even at low tide there was still water over the road in many places. Not knowing how deep or salty the water would get and remembering that I was in a little tiny Rio rental car, I opted for the responsible backtrack to the north.
The north side of Nags Head was a lot more commercial/residential/touristy. The Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk was closed up by the time I got there, but I did get to go into Jockey Ridge State Park for a look. They claim it's the highest sand dunes in the eastern U.S. and a popular place for hanggliding. I don't think anybody was hanggliding today, but it's definitely a mighty big pile of sand. I took a few pictures and then headed on up to Norfolk.
The temperature was in the low 40s, with a wet wind chill, for most of the afternoon. But the only thing to dampen my spirits heading up to my motel was a sign shortly after crossing the Virginia line. "Last exit before toll road". What?! I had been down this way several years ago and did not remember there being a toll road. I quickly turned off and started trying to figure out what to do. Of course I couldn't find a decent place to pull over and look over my map (which didn't show a toll road anyway). I found where the "Business" version of the road was and continued blindly northward, wondering if it would disappear or change names or eventually push me onto the toll road anyway. When I came to a confusing intersection, I angled back toward the highway, discovered that it was now toll-free, and resumed my journey to Motel 6. Actually, I still managed to miss an exit before settling into my home away from home and gradually shifting mental gears to think of the next day's conference.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Outer Banks, Ferries, and Good Eats (Day 1)
It had been several months since I had flown on business. So the National Weather Association conference in Norfolk, VA was a nice chance to get away. Of course, there was also some stress in getting my presentations together. But let's not talk about that for now.
Flying in as usual on the Saturday before the main conference, I was looking forward to seeing the Outer Banks of North Carolina and checking out some ferries. Things got kind of crazy before I even left Jackson.
I realized as I was waiting for my flight that I had forgotten to pack a belt and didn't know for sure if the pants I had packed were skinny enough to be "self-supporting". So I called my wife to see if she could rush back to the airport with my belt in time before my flight. Luckily the TSA folks were cooperative about her passing the belt through the X-ray machine to me. Unfortunately, she had a tire blow out on the van as she was leaving the airport. So wife and kids all got to sit on the side of the road at 6 AM watching the sunrise until AAA could get someone out to change the tire. I was very relieved on my next phone contact to find out that they all enjoyed the experience (as much as could be hoped for) and I wasn't in the doghouse for getting them into the mess.
Once in Norfolk, I made a look at where my motel for the week and Kinko's were, before grabbing some lunch at Hardee's. As I was eating, I was also observing the people around me and struggling with my Christian witness. The guy at the next table over particularly caught my attention. As he got up to leave, I was torn between regret at my lack of faith and wondering if I was off the hook now. But he didn't leave. He turned to me and asked if I was a Christian! When I said yes, he said "I thought you were. Sometimes you can just tell." Huh? Well, we spent the next half-hour or so talking about his walk of faith after being saved just a couple years ago. Lots of blessings. Please pray for Forest as he continues seeking to serve the Lord. Actually, I was impressed throughout my visit with how visibly Christian the area is.
After some minor challenges in finding where to buy a 7-day bus pass downtown, I headed southwest into North Carolina to look for some ferries. I was not able to reach the small river ferries that I was most interested in, thanks to the annoying fine print in the rental car contract forbidding me to go on unpaved roads. I got photos of the signs and considered walking the remaining distance, but there was not a suitable place to leave the car. Argh. I did a little better when I got down to the Bayview-Aurora ferry across the broad tidal Pamlico River. I caught the last ferry of the day at 7:30 (drastically reduced schedule due to budget cuts) and began the challenge of finding a place for the night.
I was afraid I couldn't make it around to Goose Creek State Park before the campground gate closed for the night, and I hadn't thought to bring a AAA CampBook with me. So I drove toward Washington with my eyes open for campgrounds. When I saw a sign for a campground/resort near Chocowinity, I figured I'd better give it a try. It turned out to be a lot bigger, fancier kind of place than I would normally bother with, but I kept thinking of that "bird in the hand" business. So I settled for having to pay thirty bucks as the one and only tent camper among hundreds of RVs, mobile homes, and yachts. The security guy kindly escorted me to a site and shared about how God had protected him and his church in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. And then . . . he put his truck in the wrong gear and backed into my rental car. Ouch. Amazingly, there was only a little bit of paint lost from the front license plate area. But you just never know how picky rental agencies will be when you return the car, and of course I didn't bother with any supplemental insurance. At least I had a nice comfy place to settle in for the night and wonder what Sunday would bring.
Flying in as usual on the Saturday before the main conference, I was looking forward to seeing the Outer Banks of North Carolina and checking out some ferries. Things got kind of crazy before I even left Jackson.
I realized as I was waiting for my flight that I had forgotten to pack a belt and didn't know for sure if the pants I had packed were skinny enough to be "self-supporting". So I called my wife to see if she could rush back to the airport with my belt in time before my flight. Luckily the TSA folks were cooperative about her passing the belt through the X-ray machine to me. Unfortunately, she had a tire blow out on the van as she was leaving the airport. So wife and kids all got to sit on the side of the road at 6 AM watching the sunrise until AAA could get someone out to change the tire. I was very relieved on my next phone contact to find out that they all enjoyed the experience (as much as could be hoped for) and I wasn't in the doghouse for getting them into the mess.
Once in Norfolk, I made a look at where my motel for the week and Kinko's were, before grabbing some lunch at Hardee's. As I was eating, I was also observing the people around me and struggling with my Christian witness. The guy at the next table over particularly caught my attention. As he got up to leave, I was torn between regret at my lack of faith and wondering if I was off the hook now. But he didn't leave. He turned to me and asked if I was a Christian! When I said yes, he said "I thought you were. Sometimes you can just tell." Huh? Well, we spent the next half-hour or so talking about his walk of faith after being saved just a couple years ago. Lots of blessings. Please pray for Forest as he continues seeking to serve the Lord. Actually, I was impressed throughout my visit with how visibly Christian the area is.
After some minor challenges in finding where to buy a 7-day bus pass downtown, I headed southwest into North Carolina to look for some ferries. I was not able to reach the small river ferries that I was most interested in, thanks to the annoying fine print in the rental car contract forbidding me to go on unpaved roads. I got photos of the signs and considered walking the remaining distance, but there was not a suitable place to leave the car. Argh. I did a little better when I got down to the Bayview-Aurora ferry across the broad tidal Pamlico River. I caught the last ferry of the day at 7:30 (drastically reduced schedule due to budget cuts) and began the challenge of finding a place for the night.
I was afraid I couldn't make it around to Goose Creek State Park before the campground gate closed for the night, and I hadn't thought to bring a AAA CampBook with me. So I drove toward Washington with my eyes open for campgrounds. When I saw a sign for a campground/resort near Chocowinity, I figured I'd better give it a try. It turned out to be a lot bigger, fancier kind of place than I would normally bother with, but I kept thinking of that "bird in the hand" business. So I settled for having to pay thirty bucks as the one and only tent camper among hundreds of RVs, mobile homes, and yachts. The security guy kindly escorted me to a site and shared about how God had protected him and his church in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. And then . . . he put his truck in the wrong gear and backed into my rental car. Ouch. Amazingly, there was only a little bit of paint lost from the front license plate area. But you just never know how picky rental agencies will be when you return the car, and of course I didn't bother with any supplemental insurance. At least I had a nice comfy place to settle in for the night and wonder what Sunday would bring.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Horn Island (Day 2)
After a decent night of sleep in spite of the wind, I got myself up just early enough to get a nice view of the sunrise. I didn't exactly rush to get going though, partly because I wanted to take my time to consider more how best to pack the kayak. And it's kind of challenging to fold up a tent and ground cloth by myself with the wind blowing. Not to mention the fact that it was just such a magical place to be and to reflect on God's will for me.
Horn Island sunrise
Clear water on the Gulf side of Horn Island
So it was past 10:00 when I finally shoved off in the kayak. The wind was blowing pretty good out of the east-northeast and it looked like there would be plenty of whitecaps over the Sound. I had hoped to paddle west a ways along the north shore of Horn Island to look around before heading for the mainland. But I decided that wouldn't be the most prudent approach since it looked like I was gonna have a tougher workout on my return. Not to mention the fact that I would still have the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Jackson after getting back to the boat ramp.
The paddle back did turn out to be somewhat brutal. To start with, I discovered that I had absolutely no sunscreen left, so I just had to accept that I was gonna get burned (on my hands at least). Since it's normally safer and easier to be oriented nearly perpendicular to the waves and I wanted to avoid being blown very much to the west, I tried to head more northeasterly instead of north on my way up to Round Island. As the wind intensified over the open waters though, whitecaps were sometimes breaking off the tops of three foot waves out of the east. None of the waves were scary enough to give me any real concerns, but it was plenty annoying to spend so much time paddling eastward when I wanted to go north! Between gusts I could angle more to the north while keeping a careful eye for changes in the waves. I discovered that there were two types of waves that I didn't get along so good with. I called them "sneakers" and "smackers". The sneakers were ones that would surprise me by coming out of a different direction or breaking with little warning. The smackers came from abeam to smack against the side of the kayak and splash over the cockpit. I was really wishing for a more waterproof neoprene sprayskirt, although very thankful for the comfortable water temperature. Unfortunately I didn't think I should take a chance to try to photograph the conditions. A later check of wind observations from Petit Bois Island indicated that the winds were gusting at over 20 kt. A comparison with a couple versions of the Beaufort wind scale in some kayaking books implied that the winds may have approached 30 kt at times, since there were very definite streaks of spray-foam on the sea.
It was a nice relief when I finally set foot on Round Island. The wind was still blowing like crazy, but I was good and ready to eat some lunch. I knew I still had some pretty tough paddling ahead, although I'd decided to scoot around the west side of the island to have a nice break from the rough conditions. Even walking around, I felt about like I would blow away. I discovered though that I could talk decently on the cell phone by facing away from the wind with the phone inside the hood of my jacket. The paddle along the west side of the island was amazingly tranquil, with the wind almost seeming calm at one point. Once I got into the unsheltered waters between Round Island and Singing River Island though, it was as rough as ever. The waves may not have been quite as high, but were steeper thanks to the shallow waters. And now my target was northeast instead of just north. After what seemed like too long of a paddle (and with the wind shifting slightly south of east), I decided that I was basically upwind of Singing River Island and made a turn to surf my way in towards its shore. After landing, I unfortunately confirmed my suspicion that I ended up on the southwest tip of the island instead of the southeast. I also discovered that the kayak seemed excessively heavy in spite of pumping water out of the cockpit. Either I'd acquired some unwanted water in the stern compartment, or I was just too worn out. In any case, I couldn't bring myself to consider pumping out the tightly packed compartment.
View from Round Island toward Bayou Casotte industrial area
Calm waters on the west side of Round Island
About the only "nice" thing about my remaining battle with the wind was that at least I was close enough to land so that I could see that I was (gradually) making progress. After crossing the Pascagoula ship channel, I had my one case where I was significantly concerned about losing control. I had just watched a tugboat go past and figured I was pretty much home free, with the wind at my back. And then I noticed the wake from the tugboat bearing down on me. It looked like it would build into about a five foot breaking wave, and there was no way for me to get turned the right way in time. And yet somehow it just passed right underneath me without any trouble. Thank you, Lord! Besides the wind and waves, the other big difference on today's paddle was the boat traffic that I saw. Crossing between Horn and Round Islands, I'd seen a big barge heading east on the Intracoastal Waterway. And there was an odd sort of construction barge that I watched come from near Gautier, pass to the north of Round Island, and then turn up toward Pascagoula.
When I hauled myself out at Lake Yazoo around four o'clock, I found that I did have a lot of water in the stern of the kayak and a very soaked sleeping bag. Good thing I wouldn't be needing it! Driving back to Jackson, my muscles were in total rebellion. With a few stops along the way, it was past 10:00 when I finally got home. I was amazed the next morning to find that I did not have any muscle pain at all. That definitely had to be a God thing! However I did have an incredible sun and wind burn on my hands. My hands were so swollen that Nancy claimed they were double their normal size. Frequent slatherings of aloe vera though throughout the week resulted in a surprising recovery, considering how bad it initially looked.
Pascagoula shipyards, from entrance to Lake Yazoo
Horn Island sunrise
Clear water on the Gulf side of Horn Island
So it was past 10:00 when I finally shoved off in the kayak. The wind was blowing pretty good out of the east-northeast and it looked like there would be plenty of whitecaps over the Sound. I had hoped to paddle west a ways along the north shore of Horn Island to look around before heading for the mainland. But I decided that wouldn't be the most prudent approach since it looked like I was gonna have a tougher workout on my return. Not to mention the fact that I would still have the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Jackson after getting back to the boat ramp.
The paddle back did turn out to be somewhat brutal. To start with, I discovered that I had absolutely no sunscreen left, so I just had to accept that I was gonna get burned (on my hands at least). Since it's normally safer and easier to be oriented nearly perpendicular to the waves and I wanted to avoid being blown very much to the west, I tried to head more northeasterly instead of north on my way up to Round Island. As the wind intensified over the open waters though, whitecaps were sometimes breaking off the tops of three foot waves out of the east. None of the waves were scary enough to give me any real concerns, but it was plenty annoying to spend so much time paddling eastward when I wanted to go north! Between gusts I could angle more to the north while keeping a careful eye for changes in the waves. I discovered that there were two types of waves that I didn't get along so good with. I called them "sneakers" and "smackers". The sneakers were ones that would surprise me by coming out of a different direction or breaking with little warning. The smackers came from abeam to smack against the side of the kayak and splash over the cockpit. I was really wishing for a more waterproof neoprene sprayskirt, although very thankful for the comfortable water temperature. Unfortunately I didn't think I should take a chance to try to photograph the conditions. A later check of wind observations from Petit Bois Island indicated that the winds were gusting at over 20 kt. A comparison with a couple versions of the Beaufort wind scale in some kayaking books implied that the winds may have approached 30 kt at times, since there were very definite streaks of spray-foam on the sea.
It was a nice relief when I finally set foot on Round Island. The wind was still blowing like crazy, but I was good and ready to eat some lunch. I knew I still had some pretty tough paddling ahead, although I'd decided to scoot around the west side of the island to have a nice break from the rough conditions. Even walking around, I felt about like I would blow away. I discovered though that I could talk decently on the cell phone by facing away from the wind with the phone inside the hood of my jacket. The paddle along the west side of the island was amazingly tranquil, with the wind almost seeming calm at one point. Once I got into the unsheltered waters between Round Island and Singing River Island though, it was as rough as ever. The waves may not have been quite as high, but were steeper thanks to the shallow waters. And now my target was northeast instead of just north. After what seemed like too long of a paddle (and with the wind shifting slightly south of east), I decided that I was basically upwind of Singing River Island and made a turn to surf my way in towards its shore. After landing, I unfortunately confirmed my suspicion that I ended up on the southwest tip of the island instead of the southeast. I also discovered that the kayak seemed excessively heavy in spite of pumping water out of the cockpit. Either I'd acquired some unwanted water in the stern compartment, or I was just too worn out. In any case, I couldn't bring myself to consider pumping out the tightly packed compartment.
View from Round Island toward Bayou Casotte industrial area
Calm waters on the west side of Round Island
About the only "nice" thing about my remaining battle with the wind was that at least I was close enough to land so that I could see that I was (gradually) making progress. After crossing the Pascagoula ship channel, I had my one case where I was significantly concerned about losing control. I had just watched a tugboat go past and figured I was pretty much home free, with the wind at my back. And then I noticed the wake from the tugboat bearing down on me. It looked like it would build into about a five foot breaking wave, and there was no way for me to get turned the right way in time. And yet somehow it just passed right underneath me without any trouble. Thank you, Lord! Besides the wind and waves, the other big difference on today's paddle was the boat traffic that I saw. Crossing between Horn and Round Islands, I'd seen a big barge heading east on the Intracoastal Waterway. And there was an odd sort of construction barge that I watched come from near Gautier, pass to the north of Round Island, and then turn up toward Pascagoula.
When I hauled myself out at Lake Yazoo around four o'clock, I found that I did have a lot of water in the stern of the kayak and a very soaked sleeping bag. Good thing I wouldn't be needing it! Driving back to Jackson, my muscles were in total rebellion. With a few stops along the way, it was past 10:00 when I finally got home. I was amazed the next morning to find that I did not have any muscle pain at all. That definitely had to be a God thing! However I did have an incredible sun and wind burn on my hands. My hands were so swollen that Nancy claimed they were double their normal size. Frequent slatherings of aloe vera though throughout the week resulted in a surprising recovery, considering how bad it initially looked.
Pascagoula shipyards, from entrance to Lake Yazoo
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Spring Equinox on Horn Island (Day 1)
It finally occurred to me that I'm many months behind on paddling trips to report about. This last weekend was one that I've wanted to do for quite a while. I'll try to start catching up on the past trips soon too.
As part of my training for this summer's Acadian Coast PrayerPaddle, I've tried to find time to get down to the Mississippi coast for some salt water kayaking. Horn Island has long been on the agenda since it's the most easily accessible of the barrier islands in the state. About nine miles south of Pascagoula, it's a wilderness island within Gulf Islands National Seashore. It offers the opportunity for paddling across a good bit of open water and the chance to practice going through the surf zone on the Gulf of Mexico side of the island. Since there are two other smaller islands along the way (Singing River Island and Round Island), the longest stretch between land is actually only about five miles. It also requires crossing two shipping channels.
I had hoped to go out to Horn back in December, but didn't since I wasn't able to find someone to go with me and it turned out a bit on the windy side and I also ended up with less time than I'd hoped for. So at the end of Spring Break I drove down to Pascagoula under beautiful weather. I felt more confident about going solo since I had a VHF marine radio and the water had warmed up to the upper 60s.
Loading up the gear at entrance to Lake Yazoo
I guess it was sometime around 11 am when I got on the water. There was a bit of a breeze (less than 10 kt) out of the north, which I figured would generally be a help. Although the wind picked up a bit, it was a nice ride over to my lunch break on Round Island. It was nice to see that there was still something left of the old lighthouse. As I shoved off southward to the east end of Horn Island, it was hard to make out exactly where I was headed to, but I knew it would get clearer as I got closer. Because of a break in the sand dunes, the easternmost part of the island really appears to be a separate island from a distance. It wasn't until I got to a couple miles offshore that I could clearly see the connection. Again I made good time on the crossing, and was surprised at how few boats were on the water.
Ruins of Round Island Lighthouse
Southeast side of Round Island
Looking east along the north shore of Horn Island
Upon landing on Horn, I took a break to look around and walk across the washed-over sand to the Gulf side. It was really a beautiful amazing place. So much sand! After a while I figured that I'd better inspect for waterlogged gear and then decide about doing more paddling. I was a bit annoyed to find that my leaking rear bulkhead had resulted in a wet tent. But with the wind blowing, I thought that I could dry it out pretty good if I went ahead and got it set up. So I set up camp a little after 4:00, before paddling around to the Gulf side to try out the kayak in the surf (about 2 to 3 feet). Surf landing and launching was an interesting and fun experience, but I knew that I didn't have a lot of time for playing around. While paddling just outside the breakers, I got a slight scare from a big big fish jumping behind me. Also saw some dolphins, but not close enough for decent pictures. A couple other surprises on the island were a big navigation buoy that had washed ashore and an impressive amount of smoke coming off the (presumably) prescribed fires on the mainland, probably in Misssissippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.
East end of Horn Island
Smoke from fires on the mainland
View across Mississippi Sound to Round Island and Pascagoula
Surf on Gulf of Mexico side of Horn Island
Navigation buoy washed ashore on Horn Island
East end of Horn Island
Pond on Horn Island
Small crab in pond
Dunes on Horn Island
Horseshoe crab
Arriving back at camp, I scrounged up some driftwood for a fire, broke off a piece of firestarter that I'd been carrying around for nearly 20 years, and had a nice little fire going with the first match that would light. (The matches were also ancient.) I bragged to my wife on the cell phone about the freeze-dried "barbecue chicken" that I was about to prepare. And then I found out how awful it was! But at least it did fill my belly pretty good. During the evening, the weak sea breeze that had finally kicked in shortly before sunset suddenly was replaced by a strengthened northerly wind that threatened to tear apart the tent's rainfly. Since there was zero chance of rain, I removed it and settled down to try to sleep amid the noisy flapping of the wind.
Campsite on Horn Island
Horn Island sunset
Campfire on Horn Island
As part of my training for this summer's Acadian Coast PrayerPaddle, I've tried to find time to get down to the Mississippi coast for some salt water kayaking. Horn Island has long been on the agenda since it's the most easily accessible of the barrier islands in the state. About nine miles south of Pascagoula, it's a wilderness island within Gulf Islands National Seashore. It offers the opportunity for paddling across a good bit of open water and the chance to practice going through the surf zone on the Gulf of Mexico side of the island. Since there are two other smaller islands along the way (Singing River Island and Round Island), the longest stretch between land is actually only about five miles. It also requires crossing two shipping channels.
I had hoped to go out to Horn back in December, but didn't since I wasn't able to find someone to go with me and it turned out a bit on the windy side and I also ended up with less time than I'd hoped for. So at the end of Spring Break I drove down to Pascagoula under beautiful weather. I felt more confident about going solo since I had a VHF marine radio and the water had warmed up to the upper 60s.
Loading up the gear at entrance to Lake Yazoo
I guess it was sometime around 11 am when I got on the water. There was a bit of a breeze (less than 10 kt) out of the north, which I figured would generally be a help. Although the wind picked up a bit, it was a nice ride over to my lunch break on Round Island. It was nice to see that there was still something left of the old lighthouse. As I shoved off southward to the east end of Horn Island, it was hard to make out exactly where I was headed to, but I knew it would get clearer as I got closer. Because of a break in the sand dunes, the easternmost part of the island really appears to be a separate island from a distance. It wasn't until I got to a couple miles offshore that I could clearly see the connection. Again I made good time on the crossing, and was surprised at how few boats were on the water.
Ruins of Round Island Lighthouse
Southeast side of Round Island
Looking east along the north shore of Horn Island
Upon landing on Horn, I took a break to look around and walk across the washed-over sand to the Gulf side. It was really a beautiful amazing place. So much sand! After a while I figured that I'd better inspect for waterlogged gear and then decide about doing more paddling. I was a bit annoyed to find that my leaking rear bulkhead had resulted in a wet tent. But with the wind blowing, I thought that I could dry it out pretty good if I went ahead and got it set up. So I set up camp a little after 4:00, before paddling around to the Gulf side to try out the kayak in the surf (about 2 to 3 feet). Surf landing and launching was an interesting and fun experience, but I knew that I didn't have a lot of time for playing around. While paddling just outside the breakers, I got a slight scare from a big big fish jumping behind me. Also saw some dolphins, but not close enough for decent pictures. A couple other surprises on the island were a big navigation buoy that had washed ashore and an impressive amount of smoke coming off the (presumably) prescribed fires on the mainland, probably in Misssissippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.
East end of Horn Island
Smoke from fires on the mainland
View across Mississippi Sound to Round Island and Pascagoula
Surf on Gulf of Mexico side of Horn Island
Navigation buoy washed ashore on Horn Island
East end of Horn Island
Pond on Horn Island
Small crab in pond
Dunes on Horn Island
Horseshoe crab
Arriving back at camp, I scrounged up some driftwood for a fire, broke off a piece of firestarter that I'd been carrying around for nearly 20 years, and had a nice little fire going with the first match that would light. (The matches were also ancient.) I bragged to my wife on the cell phone about the freeze-dried "barbecue chicken" that I was about to prepare. And then I found out how awful it was! But at least it did fill my belly pretty good. During the evening, the weak sea breeze that had finally kicked in shortly before sunset suddenly was replaced by a strengthened northerly wind that threatened to tear apart the tent's rainfly. Since there was zero chance of rain, I removed it and settled down to try to sleep amid the noisy flapping of the wind.
Campsite on Horn Island
Horn Island sunset
Campfire on Horn Island
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Another Ferry Accident in Bangladesh
Another ferry sinks on a river in Bangladesh after a collision. At least a couple dozen casualties.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Holidays and traveling
Although low gas prices definitely make traveling and adventuring more feasible lately, where I've gone has been more dictated by work and visiting family instead of just taking off somewhere. While out in Arizona a couple weeks ago for the annual conference of the American Meteorological Society, I managed to get out to some neat places. I also had some good visits with family in the Phoenix area and in Flagstaff.
Unlike the multiple snowstorms that my parents had while visiting in Flagstaff over Christmas, I had great weather the whole time. There was still lots of snow in most places above 5000 feet or so, but hardly a cloud in the sky and only a little bit of hard packed snow on the roads (the ones that were open of course). After a couple days trying to acclimate to the altitude, I made a dash up to the Grand Canyon for a long day-hike. Not as long as I would like of course; but I did manage to make it from Hermits Rest to Dripping Springs for the first time. Surprisingly I was able to do the 6 miles and about 5000 vertical feet in just about 6 1/2 hours, in spite of thinking that I was out of shape. And I didn't even hurt too terribly the next day! The trails were the iciest that I've seen them, but no problem as long as I had my in-step crampons on. And there was hardly anyone on the trail. A great place to be alone with God and to marvel at His creation.
The other little adventure that I fit in was to go through Jerome on the way back down to Phoenix. I'd never been over that way, and was really impressed at how the town really does pretty much hang on the side of the mountain. The drive over Mingus Mountain was an impressive winding road, although my enjoyment was tempered a bit when I realized that my gas was well under a quarter tank and there wouldn't be any gas stations until I got close to Prescott. I not only made to Prescott Valley all right, but also got a pretty good deal on gas.
Before going to Jerome, I took a short hike up in Fay Canyon, west of Sedona. I missed the side trail up to Fay Canyon Arch at first (really more of a natural bridge), so I got a nice work-out and enjoyed the beautiful Red Rocks. I also spent some time at Tuzigoot National Monument. In some ways the museum was more impressive as a window on the lives of people from the pre-1400 Sinagua culture than the actual ruins. It's hard sometimes to realize that these were real live people so long ago, loved by God and as lost without Him as anyone else.
A whole other set of adventures was my commuting between my uncle's home in Sun City and the conference in downtown Phoenix. The new light rail was great, but didn't go anywhere near Sun City. So I had some experiences with the city bus system, mostly very good experiences. But the schedules did sometimes cause challenges for my needs. For me, it just enhanced my enjoyment of the week and helped me clear my mind from the long days of work.
Unlike the multiple snowstorms that my parents had while visiting in Flagstaff over Christmas, I had great weather the whole time. There was still lots of snow in most places above 5000 feet or so, but hardly a cloud in the sky and only a little bit of hard packed snow on the roads (the ones that were open of course). After a couple days trying to acclimate to the altitude, I made a dash up to the Grand Canyon for a long day-hike. Not as long as I would like of course; but I did manage to make it from Hermits Rest to Dripping Springs for the first time. Surprisingly I was able to do the 6 miles and about 5000 vertical feet in just about 6 1/2 hours, in spite of thinking that I was out of shape. And I didn't even hurt too terribly the next day! The trails were the iciest that I've seen them, but no problem as long as I had my in-step crampons on. And there was hardly anyone on the trail. A great place to be alone with God and to marvel at His creation.
The other little adventure that I fit in was to go through Jerome on the way back down to Phoenix. I'd never been over that way, and was really impressed at how the town really does pretty much hang on the side of the mountain. The drive over Mingus Mountain was an impressive winding road, although my enjoyment was tempered a bit when I realized that my gas was well under a quarter tank and there wouldn't be any gas stations until I got close to Prescott. I not only made to Prescott Valley all right, but also got a pretty good deal on gas.
Before going to Jerome, I took a short hike up in Fay Canyon, west of Sedona. I missed the side trail up to Fay Canyon Arch at first (really more of a natural bridge), so I got a nice work-out and enjoyed the beautiful Red Rocks. I also spent some time at Tuzigoot National Monument. In some ways the museum was more impressive as a window on the lives of people from the pre-1400 Sinagua culture than the actual ruins. It's hard sometimes to realize that these were real live people so long ago, loved by God and as lost without Him as anyone else.
A whole other set of adventures was my commuting between my uncle's home in Sun City and the conference in downtown Phoenix. The new light rail was great, but didn't go anywhere near Sun City. So I had some experiences with the city bus system, mostly very good experiences. But the schedules did sometimes cause challenges for my needs. For me, it just enhanced my enjoyment of the week and helped me clear my mind from the long days of work.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Recent ferry news
37 die as ferry sinks in Cameroun.
Construction to begin on new ferry for Port Townsend-Keystone route in Washington State.
Revision of rules for nonresidents using Greenwich, CT ferries to Island Beach and Great Captains Island.
St. Francisville, LA ferry will need propeller repairs in association with operation at low water levels.
Legal maneuvering continues in case of Hawaii Superferry.
Prices are falling on BC Ferries, to reflect decreasing fuel costs and to encourage ridership. The Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route is expected to be re-instated.
In the Philippines, investigation points fingers at Coast Guard officials in sinking of the M/V Princess of the Stars ferry between Manila and Cebu in June. Over 800 passengers were lost as the ship headed into Typhoon Frank.
A new car ferry service is being proposed for French Polynesia.
Interisland ferry service is restored between Antigua and Montserrat.
Construction to begin on new ferry for Port Townsend-Keystone route in Washington State.
Revision of rules for nonresidents using Greenwich, CT ferries to Island Beach and Great Captains Island.
St. Francisville, LA ferry will need propeller repairs in association with operation at low water levels.
Legal maneuvering continues in case of Hawaii Superferry.
Prices are falling on BC Ferries, to reflect decreasing fuel costs and to encourage ridership. The Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route is expected to be re-instated.
In the Philippines, investigation points fingers at Coast Guard officials in sinking of the M/V Princess of the Stars ferry between Manila and Cebu in June. Over 800 passengers were lost as the ship headed into Typhoon Frank.
A new car ferry service is being proposed for French Polynesia.
Interisland ferry service is restored between Antigua and Montserrat.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A Wild Goose Chase?
This last Saturday I took the family on what I thought would be a simple little jaunt down to Chatauqua Park in Crystal Springs. The kids always love getting to feed the ducks and geese there. When we got there though, the gate was locked (and the adjoining "Tomato Museum" was closed up too). After some initial disgust we figured out that maybe they had to clean up damage from the previous day's thunderstorms that passed through the area. Without a good backup plan, we grabbed a bite to eat at Sonic. Luckily I did have sense enough to bring a map with me.
At the corner where the Sonic is, I noticed a sign for Calling Panther Lake. I'd seen signs for it over the last couple years, but hadn't thought much of it, figuring it was probably some sort of country club development. For lack of a better plan, I determined to figure out where this new mystery lake was that did not appear on my map/gazetteer. Instead of just being on the edge of town, the signs took us on a surprisingly long and confusing route across northern Copiah County. Finally we found the fairly sizable "state fishing lake" that had been created by damming Hurricane Creek (at 31.98 N, 90.48 W). It was a good break to walk around and take some pictures. But no ducks or geese to be seen.
So we headed off along the winding county roads towards Hazlehurst to check out a small lake that I couldn't remember if we'd been to before. Once we got there, I gradually remembered that we'd been there several years earlier when Cynthia was a baby. And that there were geese! It wasn't until we got out and started feeding them though that I remembered how aggressive the geese had been. Anyhow, the kids had a good time throwing crackers and bread pieces at the few geese and ducks before we circle Lake Hazle and headed back home. God had redeemed another adventure from near disaster.
At the corner where the Sonic is, I noticed a sign for Calling Panther Lake. I'd seen signs for it over the last couple years, but hadn't thought much of it, figuring it was probably some sort of country club development. For lack of a better plan, I determined to figure out where this new mystery lake was that did not appear on my map/gazetteer. Instead of just being on the edge of town, the signs took us on a surprisingly long and confusing route across northern Copiah County. Finally we found the fairly sizable "state fishing lake" that had been created by damming Hurricane Creek (at 31.98 N, 90.48 W). It was a good break to walk around and take some pictures. But no ducks or geese to be seen.
So we headed off along the winding county roads towards Hazlehurst to check out a small lake that I couldn't remember if we'd been to before. Once we got there, I gradually remembered that we'd been there several years earlier when Cynthia was a baby. And that there were geese! It wasn't until we got out and started feeding them though that I remembered how aggressive the geese had been. Anyhow, the kids had a good time throwing crackers and bread pieces at the few geese and ducks before we circle Lake Hazle and headed back home. God had redeemed another adventure from near disaster.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Some More Border Airports
In my online surfing adventures, I stumbled across two more border airports that I wasn't aware of. Whetstone International Airport (AirNav page) is at the Del Bonita border crossing between Alberta and Montana. According to the airport diagram, the runway parallels the border just a few feet over on the Canadian side. Between Sweetgrass, MT and Coutts, AB, Ross International Airport (AirNav page) is actually on the international boundary.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Slavery, Racism, and Christianity
On November 24, 1859, Charles Darwin's On the Origin of the Species was first published in England. Less than one year later, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States. Just as the nation was poised to restrain and abolish the great sin that contradicted the very premises of America's founding, Satan was moving ahead with his "Plan B". As the great struggle to eliminate slavery and rebuild the country commenced, a fundamental shift in worldview had entered the world stage.
Building upon Darwin's concepts of natural selection and rejection of the Biblical model of creation, a "scientific" basis was now available to justify racism, eugenics, and a humanistic view of morality. While racist and naturalistic views of humanity have undoubtedly existed for millennia, the work of Darwin provided a path to legitimacy that went beyond mere xenophobic feelings of arrogant self-exaltation. It can easily be imagined that without the resulting promulgation of "scientific racism" the long period of segregation and oppression of blacks following the Emancipation Proclamation might have been significantly lessened. Interestingly, Southern blacks actually lived longer under the contradiction between the Declaration of Independence ("All men are created equal") and "emancipated" segregation (1862-1964) than they did under the contradiction of slavery (1776-1862). Christians who should have stood up against racial injustice were instead sidelined, either by buying into parts of Darwinism or by devoting all their efforts in opposition to it.
Of course, the support of anti-creation anti-Biblical theological frameworks by the Darwinian "science" was itself a tragic blow for the integrity of the Christian church. Large segments of Western society have been misled into believing that the Christian Bible has been fundamentally disproved, while others have fallen into the notion of an allegorical scripture of platitudes of questionable relevance to modern society and with little evidence of God's sovereign power. The parallels between liberal theology and the Sadducees are certainly striking.
And lest you argue that it's foolish to link the global rise of Darwinian evolution with the American experience of racism, we can see also the timing of the spiritual battle as played out within the British Empire. On August 28, 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act (of the United Kingdom) finished the life work of William Wilberforce to bring an end to slavery in all of the British Empire. At the time, Charles Darwin was surveying South America on the Beagle and beginning to formulate his ideas on evolution. Coincidence? Technically speaking, "coincidence" just means that two events are occurring at the same time. But a Christian understanding of how and why they occur is rooted in the reality of the spiritual conflict between the Lord Almighty and the rebellious angel Satan. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesian 6:12)
So is it all gloom and doom? Well, in the first place, God has promised that, in the end, He is victorious and Satan is doomed. But we also can see God's sovereign providence. If a scientific basis for racism had become accepted ten or twenty years earlier, it's quite possible that the American abolition movement would have fizzled and slavery been perpetuated. Similarly, God brought William Wilberforce into a position of influence in England just in time to ensure that a major foothold in the campaign for human equality and dignity would be in place before Darwin's ideas began to be set loose. Praise God for His wisdom and power and mercy!
Building upon Darwin's concepts of natural selection and rejection of the Biblical model of creation, a "scientific" basis was now available to justify racism, eugenics, and a humanistic view of morality. While racist and naturalistic views of humanity have undoubtedly existed for millennia, the work of Darwin provided a path to legitimacy that went beyond mere xenophobic feelings of arrogant self-exaltation. It can easily be imagined that without the resulting promulgation of "scientific racism" the long period of segregation and oppression of blacks following the Emancipation Proclamation might have been significantly lessened. Interestingly, Southern blacks actually lived longer under the contradiction between the Declaration of Independence ("All men are created equal") and "emancipated" segregation (1862-1964) than they did under the contradiction of slavery (1776-1862). Christians who should have stood up against racial injustice were instead sidelined, either by buying into parts of Darwinism or by devoting all their efforts in opposition to it.
Of course, the support of anti-creation anti-Biblical theological frameworks by the Darwinian "science" was itself a tragic blow for the integrity of the Christian church. Large segments of Western society have been misled into believing that the Christian Bible has been fundamentally disproved, while others have fallen into the notion of an allegorical scripture of platitudes of questionable relevance to modern society and with little evidence of God's sovereign power. The parallels between liberal theology and the Sadducees are certainly striking.
And lest you argue that it's foolish to link the global rise of Darwinian evolution with the American experience of racism, we can see also the timing of the spiritual battle as played out within the British Empire. On August 28, 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act (of the United Kingdom) finished the life work of William Wilberforce to bring an end to slavery in all of the British Empire. At the time, Charles Darwin was surveying South America on the Beagle and beginning to formulate his ideas on evolution. Coincidence? Technically speaking, "coincidence" just means that two events are occurring at the same time. But a Christian understanding of how and why they occur is rooted in the reality of the spiritual conflict between the Lord Almighty and the rebellious angel Satan. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesian 6:12)
So is it all gloom and doom? Well, in the first place, God has promised that, in the end, He is victorious and Satan is doomed. But we also can see God's sovereign providence. If a scientific basis for racism had become accepted ten or twenty years earlier, it's quite possible that the American abolition movement would have fizzled and slavery been perpetuated. Similarly, God brought William Wilberforce into a position of influence in England just in time to ensure that a major foothold in the campaign for human equality and dignity would be in place before Darwin's ideas began to be set loose. Praise God for His wisdom and power and mercy!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Oddities of U.S. Borders, Part 2
There are two "international parks" of interest on the U.S.-Canada border. The International Peace Garden, on the border between North Dakota and Manitoba, basically exists in the "no-man's land" between the two countries' port of entry stations. Visitors from either country may enter the park without stopping at Customs, but must stop at the appropriate port of entry when they leave the park. I suppose it would be possible for someone to get stuck in the park, not being able to enter either country. While in the park, visitors may cross freely back and forth across the border line.
Another international park is Roosevelt Campobello International Park, in New Brunswick. Although the park is entirely in Canada, it's normally accessed by crossing the border bridge from Lubec, Maine. There is also a car ferry that connects Campobello Island to the New Brunswick transportation system via Deer Island, but it only runs during the summer. The site is also unique in having been the only summer home of a U.S. president (Franklin Roosevelt) to be on foreign soil.
There are three airports that actually straddle the international border. Between Minnesota and Manitoba, Pinecreek Airport started out wholly within Minnesota, but was extended into Canadian territory. Customs offices are adjacent to the field. A similar situation exists between Washington and British Columbia, at Avery Field State Airport. The one airport whose runway actually follows the border is Coronach/Scobey Border Station Airport, between Montana and Saskatchewan.
Another international park is Roosevelt Campobello International Park, in New Brunswick. Although the park is entirely in Canada, it's normally accessed by crossing the border bridge from Lubec, Maine. There is also a car ferry that connects Campobello Island to the New Brunswick transportation system via Deer Island, but it only runs during the summer. The site is also unique in having been the only summer home of a U.S. president (Franklin Roosevelt) to be on foreign soil.
There are three airports that actually straddle the international border. Between Minnesota and Manitoba, Pinecreek Airport started out wholly within Minnesota, but was extended into Canadian territory. Customs offices are adjacent to the field. A similar situation exists between Washington and British Columbia, at Avery Field State Airport. The one airport whose runway actually follows the border is Coronach/Scobey Border Station Airport, between Montana and Saskatchewan.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Adventures with Printers
Yes, office equipment can be an adventure too! Especially when God gets involved.
For the last couple years, the printer in my office has been disabled by an annoying error message that would not go away no matter what I did. This morning I really needed a printer. I had forgotten on Friday to print off quizzes for today's eight o'clock class. And the department printer is usually not available until a little while after 8:00. My first idea was to try to access from home the online practice quiz to get questions from, and then print at home. But we've been having firewall issues lately that kept me from being able to access the web page . . .
So, when I got to the office, I was desperate enough to be pondering the possibility of completely disassembling my printer and putting it back together, or something like that. Instead, I was shocked to find that the error light on the printer was not lit up!!!! After confirming that it had paper and navigating around on the menu, I got up the courage to print the demo page. AND IT WORKED! When I tried to print the quiz though, it aborted. It didn't take too long to notice that I no longer had the USB cable connected to the printer. Once I managed to get it back in, my printer was once again fully functional. And I still had a few minutes left before class. Wow! Talk about an 'on-time' God!!!
For the last couple years, the printer in my office has been disabled by an annoying error message that would not go away no matter what I did. This morning I really needed a printer. I had forgotten on Friday to print off quizzes for today's eight o'clock class. And the department printer is usually not available until a little while after 8:00. My first idea was to try to access from home the online practice quiz to get questions from, and then print at home. But we've been having firewall issues lately that kept me from being able to access the web page . . .
So, when I got to the office, I was desperate enough to be pondering the possibility of completely disassembling my printer and putting it back together, or something like that. Instead, I was shocked to find that the error light on the printer was not lit up!!!! After confirming that it had paper and navigating around on the menu, I got up the courage to print the demo page. AND IT WORKED! When I tried to print the quiz though, it aborted. It didn't take too long to notice that I no longer had the USB cable connected to the printer. Once I managed to get it back in, my printer was once again fully functional. And I still had a few minutes left before class. Wow! Talk about an 'on-time' God!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Oddities of U.S. Borders, Part 1
On the border between southern Alaska and British Columbia, Hyder gets most of its services from the larger Canadian community of Stewart. Although there is a Canadian customs station at the border, there is no inspection on the American side since the road pretty much dead-ends at Hyder. The telephone service is Canadian, and until 2000 all students had to be bused into Canada to go to school. Unofficially, Canadian time is used also. And there's a dead-end road north of town that crosses over the border again with no formalities to the Salmon River Glacier.
A little further south, there's Point Roberts. It's an unincorporated part of Washington State, but you have to drive through Canada to get there. It exists because the Tsawassen Peninsula extends south of 49 degrees latitude (the border settled by the 1846 Oregon Treaty). Students beyond 3rd grade have to cross the border twice just to get to school. The phone service was Canadian until 1988, and most summer residents are actually Canadian citizens.
The next place of interest is the Northwest Angle, in Minnesota. A rural area of about 100 residents, it's cut off from the rest of the country by the Lake of the Woods. Access is normally by gravel road through Manitoba, although it's usually also possible to reach "the Angle" by boat or snowmobile from Ontario or from Warroad, MN. The most recent claim to fame was in 1998 when residents frustrated with border crossing and fishing regulations threatened to secede from the United States. After all, fish are big business, actually pretty much the only business in the Northwest Angle. The unmanned border crossing at Jim's Corner is managed by videophone, and students attend the last one-room school in the state.
At the intersection between New York, Ontario, and Quebec, is another kind of border anomaly. The lands of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Nation straddle the border here. In New York, they are officially the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, while the Akwesasne #15 First Nation Reserve is in Ontario and Quebec. Besides the obvious jurisdictional issues, there are also overlapping claims of authority by elected tribal councils, traditional chiefs, and the Warrior Society on both sides of the border. At times there has been open violence and blockades relating to gambling, smuggling, and law enforcement issues. The situation is complicated even more by the Mohawks special status under Article III of the Jay Treaty of 1794, which gives certain tribes unrestricted border crossing privileges. For several years, the Mohawk/Haudenosaunee have even asserted their right as a sovereign nation to issue their own passports. As if all this wasn't enough difficulty, the Quebec portion of the Akwesasne reserve is only accessible by means of a road from New York.
At the northern tip of Maine, Estcourt Station is a tiny collection of houses that were built as part of the town of Pohénégamook, Quebec. However when the 1842 international boundary was resurveyed in 1910, it was discovered that some of the Pohénégamook homes were in the United States and that others were actually on the border itself. In fact the driveways of the homes only connect to Rue Frontiere, which is still in Quebec. Until recently this wasn't too big of a deal, and even had the nicety that the Estcourt Station gas station could sell gas without the higher taxes of Canada. But on October 11, 2002, that changed when the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Pohénégamook resident Michel Jalbert for crossing the border to get gas after the official closing of the port of entry at 2:00 PM. Things have calmed down some since then, but it underscored the awkwardness of living on the border. It is technically possible to visit Estcourt Station from the rest of Maine by driving on private logging roads, but the rules imposed by the North Maine Woods forbid doing this in order to cross the Canadian border.
A little further south, there's Point Roberts. It's an unincorporated part of Washington State, but you have to drive through Canada to get there. It exists because the Tsawassen Peninsula extends south of 49 degrees latitude (the border settled by the 1846 Oregon Treaty). Students beyond 3rd grade have to cross the border twice just to get to school. The phone service was Canadian until 1988, and most summer residents are actually Canadian citizens.
The next place of interest is the Northwest Angle, in Minnesota. A rural area of about 100 residents, it's cut off from the rest of the country by the Lake of the Woods. Access is normally by gravel road through Manitoba, although it's usually also possible to reach "the Angle" by boat or snowmobile from Ontario or from Warroad, MN. The most recent claim to fame was in 1998 when residents frustrated with border crossing and fishing regulations threatened to secede from the United States. After all, fish are big business, actually pretty much the only business in the Northwest Angle. The unmanned border crossing at Jim's Corner is managed by videophone, and students attend the last one-room school in the state.
At the intersection between New York, Ontario, and Quebec, is another kind of border anomaly. The lands of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Nation straddle the border here. In New York, they are officially the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation, while the Akwesasne #15 First Nation Reserve is in Ontario and Quebec. Besides the obvious jurisdictional issues, there are also overlapping claims of authority by elected tribal councils, traditional chiefs, and the Warrior Society on both sides of the border. At times there has been open violence and blockades relating to gambling, smuggling, and law enforcement issues. The situation is complicated even more by the Mohawks special status under Article III of the Jay Treaty of 1794, which gives certain tribes unrestricted border crossing privileges. For several years, the Mohawk/Haudenosaunee have even asserted their right as a sovereign nation to issue their own passports. As if all this wasn't enough difficulty, the Quebec portion of the Akwesasne reserve is only accessible by means of a road from New York.
At the northern tip of Maine, Estcourt Station is a tiny collection of houses that were built as part of the town of Pohénégamook, Quebec. However when the 1842 international boundary was resurveyed in 1910, it was discovered that some of the Pohénégamook homes were in the United States and that others were actually on the border itself. In fact the driveways of the homes only connect to Rue Frontiere, which is still in Quebec. Until recently this wasn't too big of a deal, and even had the nicety that the Estcourt Station gas station could sell gas without the higher taxes of Canada. But on October 11, 2002, that changed when the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Pohénégamook resident Michel Jalbert for crossing the border to get gas after the official closing of the port of entry at 2:00 PM. Things have calmed down some since then, but it underscored the awkwardness of living on the border. It is technically possible to visit Estcourt Station from the rest of Maine by driving on private logging roads, but the rules imposed by the North Maine Woods forbid doing this in order to cross the Canadian border.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Some Recent Ferry News
Here are some news stories relating to ferry services over the last couple months:
The Christian Island ferry in Ontario managed to maintain service throughout the winter this year.
Kenya proposes to add tourist cruises to Mombasa ferry services.
Overbooking issues cast safety concerns for Puerto Rico-Dominican Republic ferry service.
Although ferry transportation is catching on in Hawaii , environmental and funding concerns have plagued the Hawaii Superferry project.
In eastern Canada, St. John-Digby ferry across the Bay of Fundy is being threatened due to rising fuel costs.
The British Columbia ferries board voted themselves a large and controversial pay hike.
The U. S. Border Patrol has beefed up border security in San Juan Islands of Washington by occasional questioning of passengers even on domestic ferry routes, to the consternation of some passengers.
The Christian Island ferry in Ontario managed to maintain service throughout the winter this year.
Kenya proposes to add tourist cruises to Mombasa ferry services.
Overbooking issues cast safety concerns for Puerto Rico-Dominican Republic ferry service.
Although ferry transportation is catching on in Hawaii , environmental and funding concerns have plagued the Hawaii Superferry project.
In eastern Canada, St. John-Digby ferry across the Bay of Fundy is being threatened due to rising fuel costs.
The British Columbia ferries board voted themselves a large and controversial pay hike.
The U. S. Border Patrol has beefed up border security in San Juan Islands of Washington by occasional questioning of passengers even on domestic ferry routes, to the consternation of some passengers.
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