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Archive for the ‘The Great Outdoors’ Category

Strange Occurrence in the Mississippi River

July 8th, 2010

One summer, a couple of commercial fishermen were fishing with baited box traps in the Mississippi River, near Alton, Illinois. It was 1937, and a typical summer for the most part. However, while they fished in a deep section of the river the nets on their traps were getting torn. At first, they thought that their traps were being intentionally damaged, perhaps by some jokester. But, after looking closely, they decided it was a large fish, but what kind?

So, they crafted a net out of wire, baited the trap with chicken parts, and left it over night. In the morning, they lifted out the trap, and a 5 foot bull shark.

What, sharks in Illinois? Well, yes, it did happen, but it is not likely to be an everyday thing. However, bull sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, is likely the most dangerous species of shark to humans. While not nearly as well known as the great white shark, the bull shark is responsible for far more attacks on humans.

This fact is primarily because bull sharks like to hang out where people do—in shallow water close to shore. This means they are in more frequent contact with swimmers and beach-goers. They are large predators, with adults being able to reach 10-13 feet in length and weighing as much as 500-700 pounds. They can be unpredictable in their behavior, and sometimes aggressive, a combination that is not good for people.

And rare for sharks, they have a very high tolerance for fresh water. Most sharks cannot survive out of sea water, and do not even venture into bays and lagoons because it is to low in salt concentration. But the bull shark is able to tolerate fresh water, and even seems to seek it out from time to time. They have been found very high up the Amazon River in South America, and the Alton example shows they can get far up the Mississippi River basin.

However, while sharks might be scary animals, fatal attacks on people are actually very rare. Worldwide there are about 4 deaths a year. Compare that with the more than 37,000 deaths from automobile accidents in the United States alone. Driving is far more dangerous than swimming in the ocean, or the Mississippi in this case. Sharks in the Mississippi River is just one of many fun facts about the natural world.

Down sleeping bags professionally used by climbers

March 10th, 2010

In mountain climbing requires a gear that fits the weather and will work last in your adventure experience, actually, down sleeping bag usually give a better warmth to the campers uphill or in a high mountain even in the a certain virgin forest especially when its weight ratio that a particular synthetic counterparts for so long as you don’t get it damp, a performance of a down sleeping bag varies according to the quality and fill the power of the down sleeping bag, the higher the fill power, the warmer it is. In addition to that, better choose between stitch-through constructions and baffle wall construction, between the different shapes of bag, and a wide array of fabrics.

Let me discuss how to create a simple method of baffle, the outer and the inner fabrics are stitched together directly and the advantage of this method is that the garments seams are not watertight and cold spot can occur along the stitching line. However, a better jacket will use a low wicking thread to reduce the amount of water that can seep inside the garment. While a baffle wall construction, after substantiation, the use of baffles or basin with a length of not more than 1.5 jump heights can be recommended, and the surface reaction related from the effect of a certain flow on the upstream face. Otherwise a baffle wall construction is in but a material are definably out because of the behind screens with two subwoofers.

Here are some down sleeping bags: Extreme, Xero, Glacier, Dream Cather, Classic and Helium.

A down sleeping bag can provide protection and comfort in your next climbing expedition even in your outmost experiences with family and friends. Somehow, your bag can keep you dry in inclement weather and toasty even in most frigid temperatures.

Should You Buy Low Quality Fly Line?

January 17th, 2010

Your choice of fly line determines how far you can cast, as well as how accurately you can place your fishing flies. If you don’t understand which type of line, or thickness to use, then you may want to think about contacting a fly fishing guide. These types of guides can give you a lot of valuable advice on choosing the right fly fishing outfit, and in turn, fly fishing line.

Floating fly fishing lines give you incredibly accurate short casts, while still keeping the majority of the line on top of the water column. Because of this floatation, these types of lines are perfect for use in saltwater, and freshwater shallows, as well as when you are wanting to precisely present a fly to your target, and deadstick it at the same time.

Airflo fly line provides you with incredible casting distance, but still allow you to keep your flies close to the spots that you want to hit, without having to perform the cast over, and over again. Other types of lines will provide great casting distance, but they aren’t too great for casting accuracy. Airflow fly lines alleviate this issue.

Before you spool your fly line, make sure that you have the proper amount of backing. Fly line backing is helpful for fish that take off for long distances, like Tarpon and Redfish. When these species drag out all of your line, the backing will help you to bring them closer to you.

As you can see, your fly line really is the most crucial aspect of your fly fishing outfit. If you try to save money up front, by purchasing a low quality line, you are going to cause yourself a lot of pain and frustration while you are on the water. Low quality lines just do not have the properties required to enjoy fly fishing on a regular basis.

Getting Shade At the Beach

December 28th, 2009
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If you like to go to the beach, then one of the first things you will need to remember to do is to wear plenty of sunscreen. This will help protect you from a lot of complicated problems down the road. However, sunscreen isn’t enough if you plan to stay out in the sun for long periods of time. Since there isn’t much shade at the beach, what you can do is get a beach chair with canopy. These are just beach chairs but with a cover over it to help protect you from the sun. Umbrellas are grreat as well but you have to sit on the ground. With the chairs, you can just sit back and relax under the shade. They are foldable as well.

Using Wooden Garden Sheds For Extra Space

November 23rd, 2009
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How would you like to have a haven away from it all, right in your very own backyard. If you have a shed, then you can just convert it to a den. If you don’t have one, there are many choices of easy to assemble garden sheds made of wood or even plastic that you can make on your own.

A garden shed is useful in so many ways. Aside from a private nook, you could have additional storage space, a children clubhouse, or even a place to store garden equipment.

Finding wooden garden sheds is not even going to be hard. You can find a good, reputable company online who can ship it to you, or you can walk into a handyman’s store and easily locate a good model.

Why Not Buy A Garden Sheds?

November 22nd, 2009
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If you have a budget, and you really want a garden shed in your backyard, then a great idea would be to be one that is made already. This way, you already have a pretty good idea of how much you will have to shell out to pay for the garden shed, and there will be minimal, if any, additional surprise expenses.

You can find used garden sheds in the internet, or even in your community. There are a lot of options available to you, and they won’t stretch your budget.

It is, however, imperative that you check what you are buying before you buy it. If the used garden shed is nearby, go take a look at it. If it is very far, then you will be taking a risk if you buy something you have not seen personally.   As long as this is alright with you, then there should be no problems.

How To Install A Garden Pond

November 22nd, 2009
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Be prepared to set aside a few days at least to build your garden pond. The first step would be to make a hole that won’t overwhelm your garden, but not be too small to not make an impact. Second, would to lay down your foundation with the insert properly installed. Make sure there are no gaps or possible sources of leaks. You should also make sure your foundation is as level as possible with no chance of roots growing underneath.

The last steps would be to fill in the hole with the sand and rocks. Test the water source before fully filling up the pond. Then, when you are sure that everything is working properly, bring in your fishes and plants.

The last step would be to continue the landscaping around the garden pond to further enhance its beauty.

Why Garden Fencing Makes Sense

November 22nd, 2009
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The American way is to keep everything welcoming, and this may be why not many houses have garden fencing. However, when you think about it, garden fencing does not have to take away from the welcoming effect of a home, rather it can enhance it if you choose the right kind of fence.

At the same time, you protect your privacy, children, pets, and flowers from unscrupulous people or other animals like stray dogs. If you have a swimming pool it even makes more sense to put in a fence because you don’t want anyone having easy access to your pool.

Garden fencing comes in a whole range of choices from charming white picket fences to solid stone blocks that evoke country and nature. You can even buy an elegant iron fence which may be more expensive but oh, so beautiful to look at.

Fabulous Garden Decor

November 22nd, 2009
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Tired of the same old restaurants and venues? Why not consider transforming your garden into an oasis where you can hold small, casual parties, and not have to settle for boring restaurants with overpriced food? You can do this inexpensively with the right garden decor.

Imagine having a bar at home, a butterfly garden, or a herb and vegetable garden? Imagine a pond or a fountain, a theme garden, or a homey barbeque pit with all the comforts of home right at your doorstep! You will never want to have party anywhere else because of the convenience and practicality of hosting a party in a great venue right at your home.

Easily, you can change the theme of your party with simple garden decor, and the following week, have a totally different theme party. Your home will become the neighborhood venue for casual entertainment, and you get to increase the value of your property by as much as 15%!

What Garden Building Size Should You Get?

November 20th, 2009
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Garden buildings are any structure you may add to your main house that is separate from the main house and usually located in your garden or backyard. Naturally, the best effect would be to get the size that would not overwhelm your garden, rather compliment it.

This means that the garden building can be large, but it should not be too big that there’s nothing left of your garden. You can get customized garden buildings made for you by reputable companies that specialize in these kind of services like Taylor Garden Buildings or Walton Garden Buildings. There are other equally capable of doing which you can locate in the internet like Garden Buildings Direct.

The size of your garden building should also be smaller than the main house so as not to distract one from the design and style of the main house. If you want, your garden building could be a mini version of the main house.