Oldtent Archives 2007 - 2008

Glad the photos are of interest.  Let the thoughts keep you warm and happy, farmboy.  It will be great fun to dive with you someday.  Let’s plan it!  Wanka, do you still dive?

Click here for photos of the Blue Hole.  Also, farmboy,you’re welcome to check out other photo galleries through the site with my Belize photos.  Click on ‘other’ and it takes you to the main page for more photos.

The bucket list is a great idea, but make sure you keep adding things to it. Same for me as with everyone, telling stories bring up more stories.  A ‘bucket list’ story comes to mind.

Twenty years ago, while ballooning in Wellsville, NY I had a local 80 year old male passenger.  It was a beautiful warm Spring day, all the trees in flower or fresh vibrant green leaves and we were enjoying a special perspective of life, drifting over the landscape.  Maybe 20 minutes into the flight, the man took me by the arm, looked me in the eye and with a happy smile announced, “Now I can die!”

Whoa!  Hold on there, whadduya mean?  Not in my balloon, you don’t do anything of the sort!  Wait ’til we land!

He explained that flying in a balloon was the last thing on his ‘to do’ list.  I suggested he find some new interests.

Regarding deep dives, on my 6th or 8th dive a German guy living in Indonesia took me to 220′!  He had many years of experience and the newest dive computers.  The deeper we went, the darker and colder it got.  The sponges, fish, shrimp, etc. were different the lower we went.  It wasn’t spooky because he kept his eye on me and periodically pointed to the computer to show that it was OK.  Maybe for him, but not very smart for a new diver.

One more dive story.  Ten years ago, on one of the outlying islands of Fiji, I had my first attempt at a night dive.  We went on the outside of the reef in big swells, with a strong current and waves crashing on the reef.  It was just two natives and me in a little wooden boat with a questionable outboard, all the ingredients for disaster.  One of them stayed with the boat because it was too deep to anchor and there were no buoy moorings.  The young divemaster and I jumped in and were down maybe 25′ when his light went out and mine started flooding.  I grabbed him and gave the sign to surface, then my light went out.  Because of the current, by the time we surfaced we saw that we had drifted away from the boat and had to swim for it.  Of course, with no lights, the boat captain didn’t know where we were.  Of course we made it, but once back in the boat the motor started sputtering and we got way too close to the breakers for comfort.  Ah, life’s little adventures!

Reflecting on the past year, I feel the good fortune of being linked with all you GoldTenters, for all the people who contribute so much to make it the great place it is.  It’s a wonderful refuge that everyone takes care of.  Thank you all!

about a phrase I once heard. Went something a little like this….”bout time I finally find the answers….they change the questions!’

Found myself thinking of that a lot lately. Things I once thought I understood….I no longer have 100 percent confidenence in. Kinda hate it when that happens. (grin). But have learned that life experiences/understanding….often does change. Is fluid in nature.

Like the path to understanding money, or wealth for example. Have learned what ‘digits’ formerly in bank accounts, have little, if anything at all, with wealth, or money. Have learned enough in recent years….that gold, or silver, is money. That paper….is more myth, than fact. Strange, how so many years have passed, before I began to understand such a simple truth. Fact. ?

But in recent times, seems, there is much I must revalue, in thought, and belief. Seems, the journey has taken me on the path to ‘basics’. Seems, trials, and tribulations, are my best learning tool. (If only I could learn, appreciate, a more subtle approach) Grin.

Thanks to those who frequent the Tent, and for sharing of wisdom. Thanks, for making an ole Farmboy, think, ponder upon…..the many ‘Truths’. Thanks to those who continue to repeat such things. Thanks for having the patience, with those like me of slow mind.

A message this evening….to keep on keepin on. The first defense is to ridicule, ….but given time….the true message will prevail. Of this, I have no doubt. Silver and Gold….keep tellin the story…even to those who have yet to understand. Faint not….fear not….for in truth, there is wisdom. I think, after some years….Ment would slide a napkin under the door….and say something similar. (grin)

I raise a glass….and a taco tonight…to those, who dare to persist in thier message, and have great patience, with students like me. Yep, Farmboy

Kings Bay discovered 10-12 grams/ton gallium (and a lot of other rare metals) over 40 feet just last month.

The stock is being totally ignored.  I own 5,000 shares.  I have a running thread on it if you want to look at the DD I’ve done over the last year on it:

www.hotstockmarket.com/forums/canadian-stocks/30822-kings-bay-gold-v-kbg-jv-w-goldcorp.html

Been rather busy of late….so If my facts are wrong…feel free to correct me. Seems I read/heard something the other day that (excuse me while I puke), TIME Magazine chose Putin as man of the year. What a friggin joke.

Course, I have my own opinion for ‘Man of the Year’. And a hard choice, indeed, cant make up my mind even yet. But my vote would be between Irish, the great Belizean Adventurer and Entrepuneer (how do you spell that anyway?)…and our most beloved and recent poster…AuDept. Now those two, deserve, to be named ‘Man of the Year’. Mostly, cause I think neither of them, understand even in the slightest, what good they have brought to all of us at the Tent. Time will tell all….and I think many will look back on what these two selfless men, have brought to our attention, and understanding.

I think, these two hero’s, will have stories told about them, and thier efforts, for generations to come. I think, both are men of good heart, good intentions, and of greater heart. I think, in my own mind, I shall have to define courage, and bravery, in a different light, from this time forward. I am glad to stand in thier shadows, and to call them friend.

Let Freedom Ring in 08….Best Farmboy

i’ve have done my ‘yatchet’ thing in eariler life and have good memories as other life things go but i just might pop up in belize from what i’m seeing happening thanks to irish the ‘pathfinder’
i’m really interested in the ‘plot’ property deal and ‘passport’ rights since the same maridian line is accomodative to the leewards in winter. 75 degree temps really suck here in kw and i must find hot and humid in winter from now on or i’m a fool without ‘portfolio’ [gg] wj

Agree with another poster today(?), that commented on the “Perfect Christmas’ postcard of the Gold Train. Great seasonal posting my friend. And Best wishes for the New Year.

Best, Farmboy….future President of the Belizean Railway. (grin)

SAid it before, but dont mind repeating myself. Kudos for the jobs you both do at providing the ‘News’ of the day to these pages. Ditto to Goldenage for the current news on Ron Paul. (Course, my son is really getting involved with the Ron Paul stuff….and keeping me up to date as well. ) From my perspective/take on the Dr Paul Situation….this country has one last chance, to take back our Freedom. For sure…08 is going to be a most interesting year.

And still believe, it wont hurt to have a little physical on hand, stashed safely away,

Thanks for keeping us all up to date, Best Farmboy

Seen your posts of earlier today of your new diet. LOL.

Can only hope and pray ‘Momma’ returns home soon, to instill some discipline with the mash pototoes and gravy thing. Best Season Wishes my friend. Best to you, and all the Wankas.

Cant wait for the day, when I am standing on some beach, and see a Mega Yacyht pulling up offshore, with a pirate flag. (grin)

Will have a welcoming party on shore, awaiting your arrival. No doubt about it.

Best, Farmboy

hi-ho-good bud
my night diving is limited now to ‘brandy on the rocks’ it tis!
wj

Bravo on the night dive!. Would be happy, honored, to be your dive partner anytime.

ON next year’s Christmas wish list….a good underwater camera. Yep!

Thanks for the description of the Blue Hole….one of these days it is one the ‘Bucket List’ dont ya know. (Bucket List….seen the movie trailers for a new movie by that name…with Jack Nicolson and MOrgan Freeman….a list of ‘Things to Do’, before we ‘kick the Bucket’. Looks like a good flick.

And a good idea to make a ‘Bucket List’. (grin) Farmboy

great verbiage picture my friend…i’m impressed i am!
a 140′+ dive is no fools play to be sure.
we must one day meet and swap ’sea stories’ for sure.
cheers and the very best — wj

Thank you so much for the pictures, and the story posted. Flooded this frozen tundra of my mind with warm thoughts and memories of ‘Home’. Or at least, what I hope to one day call ‘Home’. All made for a soothing, and warm evening. I needed that.

PS) Those where some great shots my friend. Dont know what you do for a ‘living’, but I will tell you true. You could always sell your photos. Great shots, composition, and a master’s knowledge of light. Well Done.

Best, Farmboy…who now feels like a platter of lobster and blackened Red Snapper, would go well with a Coco Loco right about now. (grin)

Just kidding. Welcome back Irish.
When it came time for me to fly back to the US from Belize City on AA, after boarding the plane the auxilary power unit went off. As it turned out, all the passengers had to de-board the plane. The flight was delayed for over an hour while they flew the local mechanic in from one of the out-lying islands! All he had to do was take a peek and confirm nothing was wrong, all of two minutes work. Because of the delay, I missed my connection in DFW and had to overnight there.

Since I don’t have anything useful to contribute about PMs (except how to spend them!) and Belize is a hot topic, below is an excerpt from a letter that describes that part of my recent visit:

The trip from Belize City to Caye Caulker was on a 10 passenger plane. In 1980 this island was a backpacker’s paradise. Back then everyone stayed in guesthouses, or in extra rooms of the fishermen. It was primitive and cheap, laid back and nice. There were relatively few people living there, only fishermen and lobstermen. There were no paved streets, no restaurants, only a basic store for staples, unpainted wooden houses, no airstrip and electricity only during the main part of the day, provided by a relatively small generator. The snorkeling was the best ever.

Since 1980, a lot more tourists and money have come to the island and it’s resulted in growth and growing pains. They’re in the process of irrevocably changing the nature of the place and in the process possibly ruining it’s greatest assets: the small island feel and the reef. Reefs suffer from increased run-off when the mangroves are destroyed, from pollution and from all the boat traffic and over-fishing. Still there are no paved streets, but a huge generator complex provides virtually unlimited power 24 hours a day, there are oodles of restaurants, stores, laundromats, and most new buildings are multi-storied concrete affairs.

In spite of the changes, it was still nice to be there. There are still some inexpensive places to stay, like the $19 clean basic lodging I chose, with shared bathrooms and right on the water. There are now lots of fancy expensive hotels and more will be popping up soon. Many high dollar homes are being built and lots more of them are also on the way. The funny thing is that there’s no pristine beach and the town is not a place that anyone with money and sense would likely want to live near, in my humble opinion!

OK, on to the positive aspects and what was enjoyable. The temperature was very even, with not much difference between day and night. Midday the sun was very strong, requiring being in the shade or in the water to keep the sweat from running. Coconut and palm trees, beautiful sea, storks and seagulls, flying fish, thunderstorms developing and dissipating. Breakfast each morning was a whole pineapple (I love good sweet pineapples and have no problem eating a whole one!) and a banana, too, and maybe some papaya if possible to fit it in. Dinner each evening was a grilled fish, fresh out of the sea. Yummy!

Because I hadn’t been diving for a few years, I took a refresher SCUBA diving course. Then we went out and did two dives at a nearby reef. It was nice to be diving again. The sea plants and creatures are so interesting and beautiful! One of the guys wanted to do a night dive but needed another person to join them in order to be able to go, so I went. It was neat. Saw an octopus, who put on a show for us by moving around in the strange way they do, then lots of lobster and beautiful little shrimps and various colorful fishes. They have a very different look at night in the lights.

One day I did three dives. The first stop was a place called the Blue Hole, very different than the dives on psychedelic reefs. It was fantastic! It’s a submerged cavern with the roof caved in, exposing 40’ long stalactites 140’ below the surface. Swimming through and around them was surreal.

Half Moon Wall was site of the next dive. It had beautiful corals and lots of colorful fish, outlandishly shaped sponges of gawdy colors and textures. Very psychedelic, magical, a good trip. We interrupted a meeting of a group of big tarpon, maybe 5′ long. Then there were stingrays and two hawksbill turtles, one of which came to just 2′ in front of me to crunch away on a hard coral. Not sure if he was eating it or what, as it’s like stone. Anyway, everything about the dives was beautiful. Good diving is a big treat that can only make a person even more amazed and passionate about the beautiful planet we’re so fortunate to live on.

We had lunch on Half Moon Caye, then walked around the island to see the red-footed boobies that nest there. There were a couple thousand birds there, fun to watch them fly around and take turns landing in the treetops. Also saw three big iguanas sitting on tree branches, they were between 4 & 5′ long.

The final dive of that day was at a place called The Aquarium, so named because the place is teeming with many varieties of fish, all sizes, shapes and colors, but far better than any aquarium could ever be. We were engulfed by a school of blue & yellow fish, then big silver and orange ones, then I don’t remember, there were sooooooo many fish! Later, after arriving back at our island, the final treat was an outrageous tropical sunset.

Thats the same pilot I had coming home the other day [in the airplane picture]