Be The Source - Past Journal Entry

The following post took place on my life changing trip, kayaking up the Inside Passage, from Seattle to Glacier Bay.  It was this trip that saw my life move from complete and utter darkness to the light of present day.  I am forever indebted to the Universe for helping me through those difficult and dark days. 
 

After the trip, the phrase "Be The Source" became so important to me that I had it permanently tattooed on my wrist as a constant reminder of where I was and where I am.

Journal - Inside Passage:

I got this quote yesterday from a book I was able to read  in a single sitting.  It was one of those books that caught my eye and drew me in right away.  The idea behind this saying is  found in many religious and spiritual teachings.  Give of that which you wish to receive.  If you desire love; give love; if you desire compassion, give compassion; if you desire money, give money; the list goes on and on.

While I choose to simplify the message and meaning today, I throw it out there in hopes that anyone reading this will take this challenge.  Go forth today and give of these things to those that you meet.  You will be enriched in ways you can not begin to imagine. 

The waters are calm today and the sun is shining.  The seals were out early playing in the water with the sailboats and ocean as their back drop.  These islands are magical, drawing you in, not wanting you to leave.  The simplicity of life here is as amazing as it is rich.  I will sit for one more day here, relaxing, loving, living.  Tomorrow I paddle for points unknown, someplace not thought of today.  I look forward to that which will be found.

Here is a small extract from a journal entry on my way to AK:

August 6, 2009 Sturgess to Adams Inlet

I woke at 4:30, got up by 5:00.  I love this time of morning.  The calmness is overpowering, you have no choice but to relax.  The whales were out feeding with the otters. The grey of the wild fires is still in place, making the bay seem even more mysterious.  You can only make out that which is close to you.  All else appears without detail, just dark forms. 

The morning paddle is exquisite.  As I work my way to the shore, I get my first look at the glaciated landscape.  Simply amazing.  I can't wait to see the peaks.  I work my way to Muir Point for an early lunch.  I was just reading about this spot last night.  Oh, how I am sure it has changed from the time John Muir wrote about it.... I push on for Adams Inlet while the flood is still strong.  Stop for water, then loose my MSR coffee filter :-(  Oh well... The current is like a river and it wisks me down the inlet.  Simply breathtaking views.  I don't even have to paddle, just steer. 

The views are amazing even with the haze. I turn back into the large  and am greeted with views of White Glacier.  I want to camp at it's feet, so I set course for the shore and find a pleasant little nook to camp.  The ground is so interesting, sort of crunchy, mossy, as if things were trying to take root.  I push up a little and set camp on a field of green and dandelion.  Higher, where the glacier once was is so hard to describe.  It looks as if a huge bulldozer and rock crusher has cleared a winding path down from the top of the mountain.  Now all that is left is a creek running down and tons of rock and debris, obviously left when the glacier retreated.  Very exciting!!

Read more about the trip in the Archives section of the site and follow a visual tour in my Image Archive

A look back

This was one of the last posts I made on my Inside Passage trip. It is fun to look back as I begin a new year of adventure travel and a path of simple living. Enjoy!

I have been off the water now for about a week. The first several days of my exit were spent in the suburbs of Seattle. Warm, friendly, woods, water, fall, winds, chill, water, all things that come to mind when I think of those few days. They were nice and slow, giving me an opportunity to begin some level of readjustment from life on the water, alone with nature for 147 days. See, even the suburbs of Seattle carried a sense of warmth that permeates that entire area. A certain level of slowness and peacefulness with nature. People willing to help a perfect stranger get done what was needed.

I left Seattle 3 days ago via air for the busy city of Chicago, wow, what an adjustment. People, cars, noise, more people, TSA, lines, waiting for things versus waiting for nothing, new friends, anxiety, anticipation, all sending the senses into overload. Re-uniting with family is beautiful but bound by small mine fields. Expectations flowing both ways; change occurring both ways; a constant dance all amidst an environment not conducive to peace. Breathing is interpreted as sighs; Silence for issues; The list goes on... It is all good but perhaps requires a 24K topo map of it's own

People are busy, rushing by. Cars go fast, coffee shops are loud. Dog parks replace the wild. Trees are in concrete boxes, flowers in pots. Cement replaces sand and trains replace the shrieks of the Ravens. Where are the birds and the otters and the seals and the whales and the gulls and the .....

Challenging to say the least, finding center is difficult. The wild allows you to sit, it encourages your silence. You are rewarded for being one with the moment in the bliss that surrounds you. I do believe that these things can exist in the city, but it requires work and effort. In the wild, it just arrives if you are open to it. The simplicity of the paddle, the serenity of the water, the stillness of the air and the ebb of tides. All serve to reinforce the openness and one-ness that exists amongst all of us.

There are those that say it still arrives in the city if you are just open to it. I believe this, but the challenge is great. You spend so much time in the wild and you come back to the chaos and you can see why people are so stressed, you can breath in the negative energy. Why smiles on the street are returned with down turned heads or an ever so slight recognition.

Beautiful time with my amazing daughter. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments. She is an amazing woman, I am so proud of her it brings tears to my eyes. I will spend a few more days here, searching for center, relishing time with her, then on to other family and new challenges. Lake Michigan tomorrow with friends, and then on to warm southerly waters for a bit.

The water calls, I hear my paddles vibrating. My boat soon to arrive, I look forward to time on the water.

Peace & Love,

G-

Patience

This is one of my favorite images from my trip up the Inside Passage.  I had worked my way to the National Park that was teeming with black and brown bears feeding on the salmon making their run upstream.  I watched this Brown Bear as he patiently stalked his prey.  For long periods of time he sat in the middle of the streem, paw hunched over a rock, watching the fish swim by.  I guess years of practice had taught him that patience was a virtue, and he was willing to wait for the perfect salmon to swim by. 

This image shows what happens when you stare at a bear long enough. Here he glances up and stares right into my eyes.

Risk...

I was spending some time this morning pondering the comments under my post 'Why Is It' and the topic of Risk was brought up by Kelly.  It got me thinking about this, and how true it is.  Why the fear of taking on a risk can keep us from doing that which we so desire.  Whether that be an adventure like mine; a relationship decision; business decisions that move companies forward; or the myriad of other decisions we face daily in our lives.  I find that there is much to compare when I look at my expedition experiences and these questions.

For me, the fear of risk, of taking a chance, began to overpower my life.  It began to make me incapable of deciding on paths to follow and then simply trusting that I would find the way.  I spent months planning and thinking of this expedition, but in the end, the simplicity of paddling off of that beach on May 3rd, trusting in myself that I would not get lost, was really all I needed.  Each day, new risks were seen and evaluated.  Each day, I chose a path, and I trusted.  As the days went by, my ability to make these decisions quicker and better grew.  While I was undoubtedly learning new skills and creating a new awareness of the environment, I think there was something greater at play here.

What I was really doing and learning, was to just DO.  To just TRUST.  DOING and TRUSTING allowed me to move forward each day.  I became fond of saying to  others, I just don't do BACKWARDS any more.  Now, realize, I took this to an extreme, often paddling for hours looking for a campsite when I had just passed a perfectly good one.  Knowing that I could paddle backwards for simply a couple of minutes and be warm and cozy.  Instead, I made it a rule to always move forward, to never go back.  In 147 days, it NEVER failed me. 

So my lesson, and how it applies to others is this.  There is risk in everything we do, in every decision we make.  The fear that somehow comes from the thought of risk can be overwhelming, and often it leads us to no action or even worse, moving backwards.  Trusting yourself and the outcome of decisions is difficult at first, but then a silent strength begins to take hold.  Suddenly you find that you can calmly evaluate things; make a decision; and move forward.  Always moving forward, having strong faith that whatever happens is the best possible outcome, is a very powerful tool for all to use. 

I came to be fond of this expression, and I shared it with a friend just the other day.  It goes something like this:

"Imagine you are faced with a decision, a choice, a path.  Follow it to where it leads you, no matter the outcome.  Sit and reflect on the thought that You Were Never Not Going To Be Here".  Now some will take this as religious, others as spiritual, others as just goofy Glenn has beenn in the wild by himself for to long...  But however you see it, spend some time thinking about it.  If you can embrace it, then risk suddenly becomes a much easier thing to overcome.  For now, you are free to make those decisions, to follow that path, because in the end, You Were Always Going To Be Wherever You Ended Up.

Peace & Love,

G-

Updated Inside Passage KML File

I have updated my Inside Passage KML file to include my planned route.  This route was based off of Miller's book and one that I largely followed.  I have also begun the process of annotating various camp spots with information as well as filling in way points that were not captured by my SPOT device.  I will continue to update this file with more information as time permits.  I also plan on changing the symbols somewhat so that it is easier to find the prime camp spots as well as the Cabins so they are easier to locate when you are reviewing the tracks.

2009 Inside Passage Images are On-Line

Well, I shot over 8000 images on my 5 month, 1700 mile paddle up the inside passage.  As you can imagine, this beautiful and pristine body of water gave me many opportunities for capturing it's beauty.  After several weeks of sorting and editing, I have narrowed my selection down to about 200 images that I think really capture the essence of the trip.  These images are now on-line for your viewing pleasure. 

Out of this selection, I will be producing a limited edtion coffee table book which will be available for purchase just in time for the holiday season, so please keep checking back for that.  Also, all of the images are available for purchase as fine-art prints or for licensing.  Please contact me directly for more details and for access to the complete collection of images captured during the trip.

Sunset in the San Juan Islands