My First Big Crossing

Croatia, March 2012

The weather is quite nice. Horrific Yugo winds that were delaying us on the Island of Vis for 2 extra nights are over. 

We get up early, make sandwiches, bottle of water with Mg in it, eat a big breakfast and set to cross to the 'neighboring island' Sušac, 40 km away.

The program for the crossing;
 2 hours paddling, 15 min break with a bite of Halva. 2 hours paddling, half an hour break with sandwiches and Mg drink. 2 hours paddling 15 min break and on to the island and around it.

Peter Bray crossed the Atlantic – a 4,800 km journey in 76 day.
Freya Hoffmeister on her 13,790 km journey around Australia, crossed  the Gulf of Carpentaria-575 km in 8 days.

I'm only heading for a 40 km crossing and not alone, but it's my first big crossing and to me it feels quite a challenge.

While getting into the rhythm of paddling my mind wanders. I can see my paddling buddy ahead of me and I know that he is there in case anything goes wrong 

The Island of Vis disappears behind us and Sušac is still out of sight.

In my mind I start comparing big crossings into crossing another sea.

The sea of life. 

We don`t always start our journey seeing the place we are aiming for. Sometimes we think we see, sometimes something else catches our attention and might take us on a detour.  And so we move on, but time itself cannot get us anywhere. It must be us that move ourselves, we must paddle. 

At times, the paddling is more important than the accurate direction.

Sometimes we cross the sea of life alone, sometimes we feel alone although there is someone there for us. But even at times that we feel very much together, it is up to our own strength and not anyone else's.

In the end it's what we choose to do with the time, it's what we do with our minds.

Every now and then we need to check if we are still on target.
Looking back never helps. If anything it takes us off track, out of focus, and gives us a hell of a pain in the neck.

The Dead Dead Sea

Dead Sea. February 2012

We left the club at dawn, pale red lines in the sky were already announcing the coming of the sun. Leaving  the Mediterranean coast, we climbed up to "the Jerusalem mountains" (about 700 m altitude) and went down to the Judean desert and the great rift valley. We actually drove the width of Israel, with 2 coffee breaks, 2 kayaks on the roof, and it still took about 2.5 hours. When we say we have a small country…we mean it.
Going down to the Dead Sea is a beautiful drive. Across the Judean desert, the last few rains left  hints of soft green grass covering the northern side of the hills. Down to Sea level, minus 100, minus 200, signs of the altitude lead you to the lowest place on earth, the bottom of the great rift valley. Lowest and getting lower by the year. In fact, the Dead Sea is a meter lower every year. Still beautiful turquoise water, still in a spectacular location with the walls of the rift valley closing from east and west…

The name is taken from the salinity of the water, making it impossible to for any living creature to survive in it. It's uniqueness is also it's curse. Being so fertile with phosphates, the Dead Sea is serving both, the country of Israel and Jordan, being the number one origin for export in both countries. Being such dry countries, along with drying up the sea for its minerals, we also prevent the good water of the Jordan river from arriving at the Dead Sea. The result: a drop of a meter a year in the Dead Sea level.  It is not only the Dead Sea, but it is a dying sea. It's ecological problems screaming to the sky. We might need another Sodom and Gomorra to save it.
However, still the Dead Sea is a unique place to paddle in. When the sun is out the water is a beautiful turquoise, when it is behind the clouds all is grey and in areas of shallow water it's a strange green. Layers of salt cover  the one meter drop of the previous year, enabling snow like photography.  And the high cliffs of the Judean desert are the best scenery to paddle in. Paddling in a postcard.

We paddle in the Dead Sea every year, this year along with comparatively warm weather, we also had a short shower to wash away all the salt. A perfect day in a spectacular place and back home on time for the Sabbath dinner.

Paddling the Sea of Galilee

Movie- Paddling the Sea of Galilee

Every year Optimist kayaking club goes to check the level of the Sea of Galilee. You can't feel truly an Israeli if you don't do that, it is the country's national sport in the winter. News will talk endlessly of the level of the sea, every little boy knows from an early age that it's been years that the level is too law and you don't take long showers because the Sea of Galilee will get dry. We also check the level, annually, but we just do it with our Kayaks.
Mind you…the Sea of Galilee is just a small fresh water lake, one of the rift valley's lakes that gives Israel much of our drinking water, but we like to call it 'SEA'. In a small dry country like ours it is sort of a wishful  thinking.
So, the level is high this year due to several weekends of good rains. One in which we were suppose to paddle and had to cancel.

We waited another week, and it was a cold and wet week and finally, headed north with our Kayaks. The weather was perfect, Friday was calm and warm and Saturday started with heavy eastern wind that made us change our plans. Instead of circling the Sea of Galilee all the way south, we rode the wind back to our vehicles on the other side of the sea. What an amazing weekend it was!!!

Sea of Galilee, Israel. February 2012

You only need to run faster then the slowest one in the herd

Ngoromgoro, Tanzania. December 2011

It was the end of an ok safari. The clients were happy so I couldn't tell them that the sightings weren't as expected. I even survived almost the whole tour without cursing the person who stole my camera a few safaris ago. An ok safari can be handled with the ok camera that I borrowed from a friend due to the lack of time to buy another one. There were 10 vehicles in the group so it also made sense that everyone would come back with a different experience every evening. But in Ngorongoro we still didn't have the chance to spread the "herd of vehicles" around the park. We just finished descending into the crater when we saw a lioness coming towards us, looking very interested at the warthogs standing behind us. As she got closer a heard of Buffalos began running our direction as well, followed by the rest of the lionesses pride. Within a short time 2 young buffalo were taken down. Hyenas started to join the celebration from all around, scaring the lions away. We stayed for almost 2 hours, all 10 vehicles in perfect positions to watch it all. We all had a successful kill that day- lions, hyenas and photographers.

Well they do say that in Africa, every morning the lion gets up, knowing that it only needs to run faster then the slowest buffalo, and every morning in Africa a buffalo gets up, knowing that it only needs to run faster then the slowest buffalo in the herd...

Canopies

Praslin, Seychelles. November 2011

During November 2007 the company I was working for had charter flights to Seychelles. With great generosity 10 guides were selected to go for a week holiday. At that time I had stayed away from Africa for a full year and was missing it terribly and I just got my new digital camera to play with but saw no real opportunity to enjoy it if it wasn't for wildlife.

Seychelles start from the point we approached it looked from the air like a paradise. The green forest on the dark rocks of Mahe, looked like nothing I had ever seen before. And there I was, traveling in this paradise, trying my new toy, diving, cycling, swimming, meeting a friend from Kenya and loving every minute of it.

By the 3^rd day of course, like every beginner, I have mistakably erased all my beautiful photographs.

By the 4^th day I had almost the same amount I have erased just to cover up for the fuc up.

But by the 6^th day I found myself walking in the strange forest of Coco de mer with a friend. As most of the plants there resembled house plants of Israel, ones we grow in small pots and get small results, this canopy of huge leaves was like a dwarf tour in the land of giants. I was trying to photograph but felt like I was playing around. Just as I was going to pack my camera and give up, I heard a sound from the dry leaves covering the floor of the forest. I sent away my friend and was waiting to see what's coming out. For at least half an hour I was lying and waiting and sure enough, from the thick dry cover, came out a rodent with a long nose, like a Shrew. It was there only for a moment, the moment I needed to catch it in the frame. We looked at each other, smiled, and it went away. I wasn't in the wild savanna of Africa nor was I watching a pride of Lions but this small Shrew made me feel at home. In different times of our lives we may wear different hats but some hats will always be more comfortable. Although I was never a wildlife photographer by training nor by the type of equipment I was using, it was always the hat I felt most comfortable under.

It took years to be able to set a routine in my life which Africa is a big part again. It felt like a long way to cover up for the years of distance. But that small Shrew was one of the first steps just by reminding me of a feeling I lost and wished to have again.  

They Call it a Game Drive

Samburu, Kenya. September 2011

They call it a game drive and a game it is. You are going to look for wild life. You might see a lot or see nothing.

Well, this group went out of the plane in Kenya announcing that I should not worry. They came for 8 days, they intent to see everything and they have luck, always. They looked serious but…considering the 15 years of guiding safaris well…I've heard it all before.

Mount Kenya, first day.

Samburu, Second day.

 Going out for the first game drive and just as we headed back to the lodge after a plesent afternoon, a Leopard appears in the bushes. We barely saw it coming but all of a sudden it was by our car, running full speed, catching  a Hare, carrying it and disappear into the thick bushes. It was so quick but so near to the car.

Next morning we went out of Samburu lodge into a group of Wild dogs. Although there is a group known to visit Samburu a few times a year, I myself haven't seen those for 20 years. Just the site of these 12 Dogs was shocking to me and I could do nothing but laugh when from the back of the car we heard 8 years old Yuval complaining that she wants to see a Hyena and not just a Dogs!!!!

 But the real shocking part was a few hours later, to see them killing- Twice. Those poor little Dik Diks didn't stand a chance.

Trying to go back to the lodge that same same game drive, we bumped into another good site of Leopard, and then a Caracal.

So yes they do call it a game drive, but I'm afraid this game was a sold game..…..

Don't Be a Victim

Mljet, Croatia. September 2011

Born with a very energetic temper, I always had a sportive look. But I never found something to put myself into. I grew up in a village so obviously HAD to play basketball as a kid, although now at my top height I am maybe 157 cm, on a good day… I use to hike long hiking trips as a teenager but never regularly. Yoga was better in a later stage in my life, and my great Mountain Bikes are at times begging to be used.

But when I sat in a kayak the first time I knew this is it. Though I am not a fast or strong paddler, I try and paddle every day when not guiding groups.  I do my best to get better and as a part of that effort (and of course because it is fun), I never miss the annual Symposium in Optimist club in Israel, in which guides are coming from various countries and teach. It is an amazing atmosphere with great energy, many Kayaks and Kayakers in the water for 4 days, morning till the afternoon.

 In one of those I have joined a clinic with Jeff Allen on handling difficult situations in high sea. Jeff suggested, if anyone comes to rescue you, don't just wait but help to be rescued. He called it- Don't be a victim. I then understood something about me and sport, physical difficulty always use to bring me to the point of starting to feel sorry for myself, and then I would be angry with myself and spend the rest of my energy there. And so I adopted Jeff's ideal and even in personal life, when things got rough, I would find myself reminding myself- Don't Be a Victim.

Last week I went paddling with a friend for a week around Mljet area, Croatia. It was a magical week in a paradise for kayakers and we both liked the place a lot. Days were not so short and I was happy to find that I do keep up.  In one of the evenings we were heading to camp a little too late in quite a bumpy sea. As the waves were shaking me from side to side I was happy as a kid in Disney World. We played close to the rocks, caching the most energetic point of the waves to move faster and were taking a lot of Photographs. But as the day started to end and dark started to take over, I wasn't so happy. I knew we still had quite a way ahead of us. It wasn't something to worry about but as time went by I was trying to see what could we have done to plan the day better. It was a long dialog with myself as I was quietly paddling along my friend. I then felt a familiar feeling sneaking in and taking all my energy. Yes…I was starting to feel sorry for myself.

Hey, psps, I heard Jeff Allan's deep voice coming out of the dark. Don't be a Victim.

Boy was I happy for the remindment!!!  I told myself to gather some more energy and paddle. No one will bring me to camp if I don’t bring myself. And of course, the evening finished well in a safe place.

As I saw my brother a while ago preparing for his first Iron Man I asked him what comes to his head when things go rough. He said he then thinks of something one of our previous Generals of the army said in one of the battles, that when it's raining, everyone get wet. I told him about Jeff's" Don’t be a victim". He said he liked it and will consider adopting it…