Kids Love Fishing

Often times as adults, we want to share our hobbies and pastimes with our children. However, it can be difficult to decide when that pastime is appropriate. Children have shorter attention spans that make it difficult to calculate when they are ready for certain things. Fishing is a common hobby of many people around the world and many people are eager to introduce their children to fishing the minute they can hold a fishing rod. Fishing is a lesson in patience for children and a structured way to teach them a sport that involves precision and safety.

When you take your child fishing, the most important thing to keep in mind is their safety. What kind of fishing are you trying to introduce? Are you thinking about a day of bottom fishing? Does pier fishing suit your needs? Are you going to go all out and take your child for a deep-sea fishing excursion?

Regardless of what you decide is best, you should have the basic safety essentials with you at all times. A first aid kit is mandatory because whenever a kid is involved accidents will happen. Children tend to get poked, scratched, and barbed, so you need to be prepared. If you are going out into the sea and away from the shore, make sure that you have life jackets and make sure that your child is wearing one even he or she has no intention of getting into the water. Keep in mind your child's abilities when it comes to swimming. If you do not think that they are a strong swimmer, you may want to keep your boat docked.

Make sure to buy and stock your child's tackle box. A youngster's first tackle box should be small and lightweight. There is nothing complex about the contents of a beginner's tackle box. All a child needs are some pre-tied hooks, some bobbers, a couple of weights, swivels, and small scissors or fingernail clippers to cut their line. A tackle box is a fingerprint for many who view it as a personal expression. Let your child see the basics so that they can build their own to represent themselves one-day.
Make sure to lead by example when you take your child fishing. Teach them how to keep the line taut so that they will be able to respond properly if a fish bites their line. As soon as your child feels the bite, teach them how to set the hook. Tug back on the rod in order to firmly set the hook in the fish's lip. Take the time with your child to let them learn techniques like "playing the fish". Part of the fun of fishing is the struggle between the man and the fish, so let your child have the entire experience and not just a partial one.

When you introduce fishing to your child, you have certain advantages to teaching them at a younger rather than older age. Younger child have a greater absorption rate with a desire to soak up as much information as they can. Take the time that you and your child are sharing to educate them about catch and release regulations and fishing for food as opposed to pleasure. If your child decides that they want to let the fish that you catch go, make sure that you know the right way to release. Cleaning the fish can either make a child vomit or ask when the next trip is going to be, so use discretion in regards to age when preparing your catch for dinner.

There will be good days and bad days when fishing with your kids. Kids have a tendency to not listen, become disinterested fast or fall asleep at inopportune times. Patience is the key to taking children out for a day of fishing. Repetition will also make your child more comfortable with the whole process. Regardless of whether a fish is caught or not, take the time to bond with your child while using fishing as an excuse.

Made to Fish

Sea foods were an important part of our natural food resource thousands of years ago, and even now, men still fish to put food on the table.

People living in tribal lands still fish for survival, they don’t have good old McDonalds to go to or the local supermarket to buy their weekly shopping; they have a wooden rod with a spike at the end of it to catch their meals.

This is how we all lived at one time; it was in our nature to hunt and fish to survive.

Although more women are getting involved in the act of fishing, fishing was primarily a male sport. The fellas would grab their rods early in the morning, meet up with their pals and go out for a days fishing.

This leads me wonder whether or not fishing is in our genes. As a cat would naturally catch a mouse, a man would naturally catch fish, and even today, that gene is still roaming around giving us the urge to fish.

Generally people don’t need to fish anymore to ensure they will eat, but still, people still have the desire to fish.

Even today estimates show that fish provides 16% of the worlds protein.

Trading cod has been going on for more than 1000 years and is now one of the longest lasting trades in history. US Statistics say that historically nearly 20% of the population went out hunting or fishing and in the past the UK alone could consume 524 tonnes of fish.

So as well as fishing for fun, we still eat fish as a part of our normal diet.

Fishing is now generally classed as a sport for either recreation or competition. You can either go fishing down to your local river, or you can book a trip on a fishing boat and go deep sea fishing.

If you go out fishing for the day and don’t catch a bite, you come away deflated, but if you go out and come back with a big fish, you feel a buzz and pleased with your achievement.

Have you ever been with anyone fishing when they catch a big fish, or maybe you have been fishing yourself and had a good bite and you say jokingly ‘We eat tonight!’?

Perhaps this could be due to the natural instinct within us from centuries ago where men would go out fishing and when he got a good bite, he knew he and his family were going to eat that night.

What we do know is that fishing is a part of our lives today as well as a part of our history, and perhaps it is a natural instinct for us to fish. We enjoy the act of fishing as much as we like to eat fish as a part of a diet.

Tiny Companions

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, there is a chance that you might find yourself traveling with an infant, and in this case, there are many things for you to consider.  Traveling with an infant is unlike traveling with a small child, or even a toddler, so whether you are a parent or a babysitter, it is important to be prepared, especially if it is going to be a longer trip.  Though it is easy to get anxious and concerned about this situation, the truth is that many people travel with small infants and if they remember to take the proper precautions, the trip can actually go quite smoothly.

The important thing to remember is that an infant, just like everyone else, has things that need to be packed and day to day needs.  Of course, the first things to remember are the day to day hygiene supplies.  Diapers, diaper rash cream, wipes, and a reusable pad to change your baby on are all basic things that you will find in your normal gear, so remember to pack these.  Look around for travel-sized bottles of baby wash, baby lotion and disinfecting hand gel to make sure that you can keep everything tidy, and don't forget to bring a good change of clothes, especially ones that can easily be washed clean.

As a general rule, remember that blankets in the car are usually a good idea; you can cover yourself when nursing, keep your baby shaded or cushioned as well provide a soft and clean place to sit down if your baby wants to roam a bit.  Remember extra pacifiers, and if your baby is on solid foods, remember baby food and an easy to carry and clean plastic feeding set.  Take a look at everything your normally use to feed and water your baby, from formula to juice to sippy cups to plastic nipples, and bring those along as well.

If you are going to be on the road for more than one night, a few things can make it easier for you as well.  Take some time to find a good nightlight, to make sure that you won't be stumbling blearily around your hotel room at 3 AM, and just in case of bumps and contusions, remember to pack a first aid kit.  If you are going to be going some place where you are going to be walking a great deal, remember that a snuggle sack will help you keep your hands free for other things.  For your own convenience, you may wish to think about purchasing an inflatable tub, a collapsible stroller or a travel playpen to keep your child occupied.

Traveling with an infant can in no way be considered lightweight, but rest assured that if you take the proper precautions, it will not turn into the disaster that you might fear.  When all is said and done, don't forget the digital camera, either; can you imagine how cute he or she is going to look?

Making Memories

When you are driving through the mountains somewhere, & you notice a automobile parked half off the road & some guy leaning to the left to avoid a branch with his Rebel 2000 camera in the act of focusing, you have met a hot shot. To a hot shot a trip isn't fulfilling unless they have preserved that beauty for posterity. I'd like to share a quantity of the techniques that make scenic photography such a wonderful art form - simple, yet elegant.

First off, equipment. As much as the cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fish-eye lenses or "spam" lenses. It crams everything in, with equal blurriness & boringness. Nice photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pics, where to frame the shot you may require to move long distances. Imagine using a fixed lens on the Washington Monument, when you are half a block away! Zooms is best, even though we often don't have as wide an aperture, which limits their capabilities in low light situations.

Practically speaking, an SLR is the absolute best. we are lightweight, & can be used with top quality lenses. Film SLRs tend to be less expensive, but have the limitations of film, meaning you have to get it developed & so forth. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for the budget-conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. With digital, resolution is also a critical factor, so look at the specs before you buy.

OK, we have got the camera, emotions are jogging high, & that's great, but not  great! sometimes we find a spot that's so wonderful, We start shooting like a madman, only to be disappointed by the pics. What happened? Emotions. When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas & breezes as well as the visuals of the spot. Needless to say, you cannot photograph all of these elements, only the visual. When overwhelmed by the spectacle of a scenic hotspot, we are often overwhelmed by all of these elements.

Now, if we were a tad dishonest in saying that you cannot capture all of the elements of a scene. You can hint at them. For starters, motion. Yes, even in a still picture, there's motion. Something happened before, during & after your picture. In a mountain vista scene, you may find something that hints at motion, whether it be a branch of a tree that has been swaying in the breeze, or a river flowing through the valley below. These add a sense of motion.

So what to do? Look through your camera. The viewfinder does not lie (usually). Try to see what you are looking at as the finished picture. Most people perfunctorily take pics, hoping that somehow the shot will come out great. If you wonder how the pics came out when you are on the way to the drugstore to get them, you are doing something wrong. At the moment you click the pic, you should know exactly what you will get. (Of work with digital, that's not a trick!).

Then there's the "rule of thirds." When you place the main object of the picture smack-dab in the middle, it is static & boring. Place it one third of the way from either side, & you IMPLY motion. Put the horizon in a landscape photo a third of the way up or down, not across the middle.

Remember, when a person looks at a picture, their eyes move. You require to frame your photo to help that movement. If you can find some lines in the scene, such as a skyline, cloud formation, path through the forest, etc., use it interestingly, & with the rule of thirds to draw your viewer's eyes into the picture.

Avoid "summit syndrome." You get to the top of Mount Washington & shoot the majestic vista. Great. The pics come out .. boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE. Big vistas will be flat unless you have an object in the foreground, such as a rock or a tree, to give them perspective. Then the eye  grasps how big this scene is. People enjoying the view is a real winner, because the viewer may identify with their emotions, giving the image real impact.

Cheese! Yes, you do have to take the family photos. it is obligatory. But when you do, make sure that we show the location of the photo. Otherwise, you might as well do it on your driveway. Frame the scene in context, with landmarks as part of the picture. Find a way to tell as story in the picture, such as little Sara climbing up the rocks by the waterfall.

Finally, any element in the picture that hints at more senses than  the visual will make it remarkable. Actor headshots for example, tell a story about the subject. You can  hear them saying their next lines. If you photograph a garden, the viewer may experience the aroma of the flowers. A tourist street with an accordion player on the corner may have your amazed friends whistling "Dixie."

In summation, picture taking on travel is recording the experience in a satisfying way. Use motion, perspective, sensory, storytelling & so forth, to bring your photos to life. Oh, & needless to say, make your job easy & go to great places! See you at the overlook!

Las Vegas Adventure - Skydiving

Las Vegas adventure skydiving is among the most adrenaline rich adventure sports experiences you will find there. Adventure sport of all persuasions has become a popular past time for thrill seekers of all ages. The adrenaline junkie is no longer a crazy person with a death wish, he or she is your everyday adventurer. Skydiving is the most death defying, most rewarding and the most exciting way to fulfill your adventure sports ambitions.

As you stand awaiting your jump you begin to appreciate the feeling of security and relative safety inside the plane. Outside the air rushes with incredible force and the earth is a blur of colors below. It seems inconceivable that you are about to leave the safety of the plane to leap into a free fall that will take you thousands of feet closer to the ground at an electric pace. But you do it anyway and there is nothing on earth like the feeling of complete freedom.

It is that feeling that adventure sports junkies crave and it is that precise freedom that adventure skydiving provides. Adventure skydiving is like any other sport in that you are consistently pushing the boundaries and refining your skills in order to achieve results. Some of the boundaries being explored by adventure skydivers are the free fall time. Free falling is the supreme rush and skydivers want to do it for as long as possible. This means that jumps are taking place higher and free fall time is significantly increased. The higher they go the more challenging the jump is but that only seems to entice jumpers more. 

Another area of the sport is formation diving. This is when a diver or a group of divers perform various maneuvers and are given scores for precision and execution. These maneuvers are performed during free fall so you can imagine how difficult that would be. Falling at alarming speeds whilst trying to execute a mid air maneuver. This is a popular and challenging sport that has caught the attention of the skydiving community, read more information on Las Vegas skydiving and adventure in Nevada at Andrew's website.

Kayaking - in history

Kayaking is like canoeing, only better. They were originally invented by the Inuit in Alaska and used for hunting (the word means “hunter’s boat”). The defining characteristic of a kayak is the way the boater sits centrally in a long, thin boat and gets along using a paddle. Today they are used for sport. Kayaks are made differently to handle different boating environments, such as calm seas and whitewater. There are also special racing kayaks, designed for speed.

Sea kayaks are long, stable boats with steering mechanisms that can keep a straight path through the water. They are larger and more dependable than other kayaks, but this comes at the cost of manoeuvrability. They are also often big enough to hold more than one kayaker, unlike whitewater kayaks.

Whitewater kayaks are smaller, sportier boats. They are very easy to steer precisely and quickly, but they are not very fast. What speed they do have comes from the way they are designed to harness the energy of fast-flowing rivers. If you go on a kayaking trip, the chances are that this is the kind of kayak you will be riding in.

Racing kayaks, on the other hand, are neither slow nor stable. They are expensive, lightweight boats, built for speed and nothing else, and barely even wide enough to hold a person. It is these kind of kayaks that you will see in the Olympics and other kayaking competitons, as what they lack can be made up for by highly-skilled boaters.

When considering kayaks, a general rule is that the longer the kayak is, the faster yet less manoeuvrable it will be, and vice versa. However, this is not the only factor, as the overall shape of the kayak will also have some effect.

There are also some unusual kinds of kayaks. The inflatable kayak, for example, is often used by casual hobbyists, as it can be transported so easily. They used to be only suitable for calm waters, but design advances have made them suitable for some reasonably fast-flowing environments such as the sea.

Airsoft Or Paintball?

This question is bound to stir debate and controversy amongst the most ardent of airsoft or paintball fans.

Both airsoft and paintball are both hobbies based on replica firearms and wargames. Is this unhealthy? That depends moreso on the person themselves rather than the hobby. An interest in pursuing a hobby that involves weaponry only becomes unhealthy if taken to extremes - which is true of most things in life. Paintball and airsoft are not morbid hobbies and only run the risk of being dangerous when participated in by dangerous people.

Paintball itself is a more mobile sport. It requires a certain level of physical fitness, mobility and skill - if you paintball then you gotta be able to move fast. The weapons themselves are functional and are only designed to serve the purpose of the sport as opposed to looking good. Paintball rifles are designed to take a real beating when it comes to their use. Paintball fans fall into the 'extreme sport' category and enjoy the pure adrenaline of each paintball match and are driven by the desire to win.

Airsoft is a somewhat different sport. The guns used in airsoft are both conversation pieces and are also functional sports 'weapons'. Airsoft rifles and pistols are capable of firing both small plastic pellets and paint filled pellets so are useful both in the sport itself and also for backyard target practice.

The major difference is the power of the guns themselves. Paintball guns are driven by high powered gas cylinders whereas airsoft guns fire projectiles either through springs, electronic firing mechanisms or with compressed gas. The issue is that most airsoft guns lack the range and accuracy of the larger paintball guns simply because they were never designed with long range fire in mind.

Conversely airsoft guns are available in a huge range of styles and models. Everything from a Glock handgun to a sniper rifle to a CAR15 assault rifle. Airsoft guns are equally at home hanging in your livingroom or at use on the airsoft playing field. You can even go as far as buying an airsoft minigun. Many airsoft fans simply collect the guns and never get involved in airsoft wargames at all. This is the much the same as many sword collectors - they display the weapons at home but don't go running around waving them at people.

The truth is that neither airsoft nor paintball is superior. They're both a case of personal preference. If you're the extreme sports type then paintball will suit you more. If you're more of a collector then airsoft will be more you thing.

Regardless of whether you're a paintball fan or an airsoft fan it's essential to take proper safety precautions when using these guns. Proper eye protection in the form of safety goggles should always be worn and suitable protective clothing to cover your neck and upper torso should also be worn. Even though some people see these as guns as toys they are capable of causing injury either through accident or even deliberate malice.

Ice Climbing? Preserve Your Experiences

Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent ice climbing experience. What sticks out in your mind besides the fact it was cold? Did you climb a waterfall? Now think about the first time you ever went ice climbing. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with, particular ice climbing routes and spectacular views. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you keep an ice climbing journal, this won’t be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your ice climbing experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good ice climbing journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact so you don’t have to take up unnecessary space for other things. Second, it should have a case to protect it from the elements and so on. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went ice climbing with,
2. The nature and quality of the ice,
3. Who you met and contact information for them,
4. The geographic and weather conditions, and
5. Any unique things that occurred while ice climbing.
6. The routes you took up the ice and alternatives.
7. Any inside information provided by experienced locals. 

At the end of the ice climbing trip, you should be able to get the following from your journal:

1. Contact information for other climbers you met,
2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a guide if you climb the location a second time.
3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and
4. Something to pass on to your friends, children and grandchildren.

To get the most out of your ice climbing journal, you should write in it just before you climb, as you summit and when you return. Doing so will give you an accurate picture of your thoughts throughout the climb.

Extremely Worth It?

If you do extreme sports - record it - You might not believe yourself later ;)

Extreme sports like street luging, skateboarding on rails and ramps, and snow boarding off nearly impossible jumps are hotter today than they have ever been before. The athletes who pursue these challenging activities often become as dedicated as Olympians and spend hours every day practicing and improving their technique in order to be able to enjoy the thrill that only making the perfect ollie or dropping a hill on a buttboard can bring. Extreme athletes often refer to the adrenaline rush of competing as being “amped,” and many say that there is no other feeling in the world that is as satisfying. For most of these rough and tumble athletes, part of the appeal of extreme sports is the danger.

Unlike sports that are regulated by official certified judges and require the athletes to wear protective gear and perform with ship shape equipment, extreme sports competitions sometimes include relatively unprotected athletes competing on somewhat ramshackle paraphernalia, like luge boards made out of skateboards with plywood additions. These conditions lead to greater thrills for many of the participants, because the more dangerous a situation is the more adrenaline the body produces, leading to the feeling of being “amped.” However, the long term damage that results from the kinds of injuries that many extreme athletes endure often leaves these enthusiastic men and women feeling less than thrilled. Whether or not the excitement of extreme sports is worth the danger is something that nobody can decide but the athlete who is putting his or her body on the line. However, if you or somebody in your life is thinking about joining the hardcore world of extreme sports, it is a good idea to do some research into what common injuries are, and how they can be prevented.

Often, wearing a helmet or certain kinds of padding can make the difference between ending up in the hospital after a wipe-out and walking away with a few pesky bruises. The hazards of every sport are unique, so the kinds of kneepads that a skateboarder favors might not be very much help to a street luger. The only protective gear that will really help an athlete is the gear that is specifically appropriate to his or her sport, so before you put any money into protective gear, read as much as you can about the hazards you are likely to face, and try to get some firsthand advice from experienced athletes in the field you want to be a part of. Many extreme athletes don’t bother with the kind of protective gear that they should be wearing, in part because they worry that kneepads or elbow pads will decrease their cool factor. However, taking care of your body is as important for an extreme athlete as it is for any athlete, if not more so. Even if chucking bales might not seem as exciting with a helmet as it is without one, if you protect yourself you can always be sure that you will have the chance to take another crack at your favorite extreme challenge.

Don't Quit!

Perhaps one of the biggest stumbling blocks in becoming successful is past regrets. Too many times we become so obsessed with all of the times in the past when we were unable to achieve our goals that we believe we are doomed to fail at anything we do.

What actually happens is that we "program" ourselves to fail. We are still living in the past, unable to break away from the "failure chain" that links us to our past selves. So we doom ourselves to repeating the same old mistakes over and over again.

In order to do things differently, we must learn to be different. Our thoughts, actions and attitudes must all be different than they were in the past. And one big way to be different is in the way we percieve our mistakes.

There is no room in the life of a successful person for regret. Regret is a waste. It does nothing to enhance who you are, and, in reality, all it does is feed on you. Regret will bleed you dry emotionally, physically and spiritually.

If you want to be free to achieve your dreams and goals and live your life to it's fullest potential, you must not allow regret to keep you chained to the past in a prison of "should of's" and "could of's".

One of the best ways to loosen the power that regret has on you is to accept your past mistakes. Allow yourself to be human and realize that, as a human, you will make mistakes, and that's okay, because that is how you learn.

But now, let's take it one step further. Not only should you accept your past mistakes - you should embrace them. That's right, be grateful that you are aware of your mistakes.

Why in the world should you do that? Because if you are aware that you have made a mistake, then you are also aware that you need to do something different next time around to be successful.

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So you can look at what you did in the past to achieve the wrong results - and use that as your blueprint for what you need to do to achieve the right results.

So when those past mistakes come to mind, don't get stuck in regret and allow yourself to follow the same path that caused the mistakes in the first place. Instead, embrace those mistakes and use them as a valuable learning tool - the roadmap to success that they actually are.

Fixing Your Portable Generator

So, you've brought your generator out of storage, filled the tank, pulled the cord, and nothing.  Hopefully, you are finding this out BEFORE the power outage or camping trip.  This article will help you fix some common problems you may encounter.  Before attempting any repair, remove the spark plug to prevent accidental starting while you are working on the unit.

If the generator will not start or won't stay started, check the muffler exhaust for an foreign debris.  Once that is clean, check the gas and oil to make sure you have appropriate levels of both.  Finally, make sure the spark plug has a good connection.

If the alternator fails to excite, it may be running at too low of a speed.  Adjust the rpm.  This can also result from a faulty capacitor or windings, which must be replaced and tightened.

If the voltage is running high with no load on the generator, you may need to adjust the rpms to a lower speed or replace the capacitor.  Conversely, if the voltage is running low under no load, you may need to adjust the rpms to a higher speed or replace the capacitor with one with a higher rating.  In addition, for low voltage, you should check your winding resistance and replace your rotary diodes, if needed.

If your voltage is ok with no load, but drops when you add a small load, you may need to increase your rpms or remove some of the load.  You could also need to replace your rotary diodes.

If the voltage drops when you add a high load, you probably need to adjust the rpms or remove some of the load.

Finally, if the voltage fluctuates, it may be the result of loose or dirty connections.  You may also need to regulate the rpms to solve this problem.