Return to Sweden
September 1st, 2010 | 
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Earlier this year back at the start of June my friend Garry and I returned to the beautiful lakes in the Dalsland Nordmarken area of Sweden.
As before we flew from Heathrow airport in the United Kingdom to Gardermoen airport in Norway and then caught a bus to the small town of Arjang in Sweden. There we were unexpectedly met by our canoe outfitter Preben Mortensen and his wife Gunn who were in Arjang doing their grocery shop.
After we had bought our provisions in the local supermarket Preben drove us to his home, set on the shore of lake Vastra Silen. As we wound our way through the forest we caught our first glimpses of the lake between the trees. The weather wasn’t quite as nice as the last time we had come to this area. There was a stiff breeze blowing and the lake appeared quite choppy. However on our arrival at Prebens home and the canoe centre we made the decision that perhaps the lake wasn’t quite as rough as we had first feared. The paddle to our fist nights camp was only across a wide bay of about a kilometre and we would be sheltered by the land protruding out into the lake ahead of us.
The Paiute Deadfall Trap
The Paiute deadfall is an Indian trap used for catching or killing small game.
You can use this type of trap with a box or crate instead of a deadfall which will allow you to trap animals rather than kill them.
Ernest Shackleton 1874 – 1922 part 2
The NIMROD Expedition
1907-09
In the Geographical Journal for March, 1907, Shackleton outlined his plans, some of which subsequently had to be changed. The expedition was expected to leave New Zealand at the beginning of 1908 and proceed to winter quarters on the Antarctic continent. Here the men and stores would be landed, followed quickly by the retreat of the ship to New Zealand to prevent her from being frozen in. Shackleton announced, “The shore-party of nine or twelve men will winter with sufficient equipment to enable three separate parties to start out in the spring. One party will go east, and, if possible, across the Barrier to the new land known as King Edward VII Land, follow the coastline there south, if the coast trends south, or north if north, returning when it is considered necessary to do so. The second party will proceed south over the same route as that of the southern sledge-party of the Discovery; this party will keep from fifteen to twenty miles from the coast, so as to avoid any rough ice. The third party will possibly proceed westward over the mountains, and, instead of crossing in a line due west, will strike towards the magnetic Pole. The main changes in equipment will be that Siberian ponies will be taken for the sledge journeys both east and south, and also a specially designed motor-car for the southern journey…I do not intend to sacrifice the scientific utility of the expedition to a mere record-breaking journey, but say frankly, all the same, that one of my great efforts will be to reach the southern geographical Pole. I shall in no way neglect to continue the biological, meteorological, geological and magnetic work of the Discovery”.
Amadou
So what’s Amadou?
Well it’s not the title of an Olivia Newton John song from way back.
Amadou is a fantastic natural tinder. It’s made from the Horse’s Hoof Fungus, which has a fine, velvety layer resembling suede leather. This suede-like layer is sandwiched between a tough nut-like, outer layer, called the Cuticle and the pores, which are thousands of tiny tubes all packed together. The Horse’s Hoof Fungus is mainly found on dead trees such as the Birch and Beech, and it resembles a horse’s hoof – hence its common name.
Duck Butchery Demo
Hers a demo I did back in the shooting season. It’s not the only way of doing it there are lots of ways of dressing Bird’s or undressing them as it should be termed (easy tiger)
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How to Make a Fish Trap
The goal when you use any fish trap is to catch fish. You want to make a fish trap that the fish can swim into but not out of. Part of the trick is the bait, but a big part of the success of any fish trap is its design. Here’s a simple fish trap you can put in a river to catch a load of fresh fish.
There are numerous methods to make a fish trap and all sorts of materials can be used. Below is how to make a fish trap using wire mesh. More traditional fish traps can be made using natural materials such as willow. A small fish trap can even be made out of an old plastic drinks bottle.
S.O.D.I.S. Water Purification
From the slums of Nairobi to the most remote corners of the Andes, clean water is a necessity. But without significant investment in sanitization infrastructure, this resource is incredibly difficult to provide. But after years of research and development, a cheap, reusable and nearly universally effective system of water treatment has been developed.
Basic Wilderness Survival Skills
The advances in the development of outdoor clothing, equipment, emergency food and techniques have been growing rapidly in recent years. For those beginners interested in using the outdoors there is unlimited information on wilderness survival skills and equipment available. However, experience is the best teacher in any outdoor situation and your reaction in a wilderness survival situation depends on your education. Always keep in mind that it can happen to you. Those who are mentally and physically prepared to survive are more likely to do so. To deal with an emergency situation one must be able to make decisions, improvise and remain calm.
Kebabs for the Campfire
Ingredients
Beef or pork cut into 1” cubes.
Small whole onions.
Red or green peppers.
Whole cherry tomatoes.
Whole mushrooms.
Campfire Cooking
Campfire cooking can be downright civilized.
No matter how spectacular the scenery, meals around the campfire are often the highlight of the camper’s day.
Modern camp stoves and specialized cookware make the cook’s job easier, but nothing beats the taste and appeal of a meal cooked over the campfire. Success at campfire cooking will encourage you to go camping more often.