TWO VESSELS

Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 10:58:13 PM

Quote from: shankspony on December 21, 2020, 01:31:28 AM
I can promise you guys that when I get back there, I will search out Paul's tree and leave an arrow.

Somehow this brings to mind one of my favourite poems.

For Whom the Bell Tolls
by
John Donne

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

That is a very fitting poem. I hope we can meet again in those mountains. And Paul would be honoured to have you visit his tree.

Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 11:11:02 PM

Often times when we would be sitting out the rainstorms some times lasting 72 hours, in a small couped up tent on the top of the mountain with only room to sit up and nothing to lean against and nothing but freeze-dried meals. We would dream and talk about other trips where we could have a tipi and a stove with chairs and any food we wanted.

The 3 of us would all describe the same thing, to paddle somewhere (a kind of southern hemisphere float trip) with deer hunting and fishing in the cold weather.

Unfortunately, we never realized this dream while Paul was still with us. But it gave Clinton and myself a renewed urgency, to not just dream but do.
As we had been given a stark reminder that life is too short.

We got to planning and the next year Clinton had a 12 man tipi and I had a canoe. We had a location that would give us most of the elements we were after for our trip.

We would hunt Sambar deer and fish for trout on a large lake in Victoria a southern state of Australia.

Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 11:16:30 PM

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A bit different view from our usual start of the trip photo.

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A flat site something we were not used to.

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Clinton erecting the tipi, The ability to stand up and be warm was most welcome.

Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 11:46:49 PM

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A welcome chore.

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Tools we would not usually take.
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Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 11:49:56 PM

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Marksman Quivers · December 22, 2020, 11:56:48 PM

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Photos like this always remind me of the image of Fred Bear roasting them sheep ribs over the coals with the axe in the log.

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Clinton trying for a trout

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The stock of wood was growing

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The head room was sublime.

Bisch · December 23, 2020, 12:08:50 AM

Wow!!!!!!! That's all I got!

You guys are awesome!

Bisch

F. Dobbs · December 23, 2020, 08:56:54 AM

What he said ^

azhunter · December 23, 2020, 09:08:09 PM

Wow, I'm just blown away by the heart felt way you honored the life of your friend.

memo · December 28, 2020, 02:56:03 AM

Hey Mark,
I knew Paul through the Aussie Bowhunting forum in its heyday, and had the pleasure of meeting him (along with yourself) at the Wild Deer Expo one year. I very quickly formed the opinion that he was a helluva good bloke.
I was saddened to hear of his passing and touched by yourself and Clinton's tribute.
Longbow Tahr is very high on my bucket list and if I'm ever up that creek, I'll be giving your mate a tribute arrow.
Looking forward to reading the rest of this adventure.
Cheers,
Memo.

Marksman Quivers · December 28, 2020, 07:13:12 PM

Quote from: memo on December 28, 2020, 02:56:03 AM
Hey Mark,
I knew Paul through the Aussie Bowhunting forum in its heyday, and had the pleasure of meeting him (along with yourself) at the Wild Deer Expo one year. I very quickly formed the opinion that he was a helluva good bloke.
I was saddened to hear of his passing and touched by yourself and Clinton's tribute.
Longbow Tahr is very high on my bucket list and if I'm ever up that creek, I'll be giving your mate a tribute arrow.
Looking forward to reading the rest of this adventure.
Cheers,
Memo.

That was at Rutherglen Steven, wasn't it? He was a helluva bloke that helped many people in trad archery. Paul like myself had the same opinion of you.
I hope NZ allows you to fulfil your bucket list dream. Clinton and I are hanging to get back there.

Paul would be honoured to have one of your arrows mark his resting place.

Marksman Quivers · December 28, 2020, 07:19:59 PM

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We perfected our baking techniques on our kifaru oven and grill attachment. it was so good to have these kinds of foods instead of just freeze-dried meals. The canoe definitely is a bonus in this situation being able to bring and cook different foods.

Marksman Quivers · December 28, 2020, 07:24:23 PM

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Marksman Quivers · December 28, 2020, 07:33:09 PM

It turned out that we were too late for the trout and too early for the Sambar as they had not been pushed down by the snow yet. It did not matter though we did some big walks had a few encounters. We had a ball exploring on our adventure, it was so refreshing to hunt and live in this luxury.

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Deno · December 28, 2020, 08:16:47 PM

I'm sure every one of us would be honored to add his arrrow to Paul's tree. A beautiful tribute.

Thanks for posting.. God speed Paul

Deno

Cyclic-Rivers · December 28, 2020, 10:31:06 PM

Truly incredible. Great tribute. RIP Paul. Awesome pics, story and poetry.

Marksman Quivers · January 03, 2021, 03:50:45 AM

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Spam steaks never tasted so good. The Tipi was awesome being able to stand up in a heated shelter is truly amazing. As you can see this setup is optimal for 3 people gear and firewood.

Something we were reminded of when we would be sitting by the stove drinking coffee and reminiscing. If only we had done this sooner with Paul. His stories and tales would have kept us entertained in this environment long into the night. The empty third of the tipi that lay bare saddened us. But Im sure he was sitting there with us warming by the stove.

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ozy clint · January 03, 2021, 04:22:53 AM

Paul would have enjoyed this so much. He always felt the cold in NZ and to live in a 'mobile cabin' would have had him smiling ear to ear.

The food you can cook in them amazing. sometimes we even went hunting.

Marksman Quivers · January 03, 2021, 04:56:13 AM

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Along with garlic bread this pizza was our greatest achievement. Flour water salt, juice from a can of baked beans, homemade salami and cheese grilled under the stove.

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This was a beautiful place and we will return one day.

It's much more difficult in today's climate, But don't just dream live, using whatever vessel you can.

ozy clint · January 03, 2021, 05:02:32 AM

Arhh yes, the grilling plate underneath the stove was the 1st thing i made for the stove when i got home.