# New here, and I got an idea!



## platinum

Hey, I'm new to these forums, and I've been thinking that this "connected" life isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I am currently stuck in the loop of working a job, paying a debt, etc. I wanna try *living*

There's an island in Lake Superior (I'm from Ontario, Canada) called Simpson Island. It's pretty much all forest, some plains. I would love to just get away from it all and *squat* right on that island. I think it would allow me to deeply reflect on some things. I could check in on society a few years later to see if things have improved (probably won't).

Waddaya think?


----------



## wildboy860

do it! then report back to us an how it all goes down.


----------



## menu

I agree with Wider. its not something you really should just jump into. and especially when you talk about "a couple years". might want to plan very thouroughly. especially with food supplies and water. and also something to think about is any kind of companionship. ya know? you dont want to lose your mind. and how are you getting to this island? ferry most likely? and is there any sort of population on this island?


----------



## platinum

Well, the island rests on Lake Superior, so fresh water won't be an issue. I'm thinking of a small cob cottage or earth shelter. I seem to be having difficulty finding information about edible plant (AND nuts) in northern ontario. I'm sure that there are plenty. I don't mind being alone.

i'll be buying some books on getting additional info on surviving the wild. The island is uninhabited, but you can get there via boat.

i think that's everything. i will be thoroughly planning this (if i do end up going through with it, which i would really like to do). don't wanna end up like someone i saw in a movie not too long ago


----------



## Mama Dragon

i love the way you're thinking but, as someone who has lived alone in the woods, i can tell you, it's harder than you think

first of all, foraging is rewarding, but it's difficult to learn. there are hundreds of edible plants in any ecosystem, but there are thousands of inedible, even deadly plants, and when you first get out there, they're all going to look the same. plus, edible plants often have very similar poisonous look-alikes. (here in MO, we have deadly Water Hemlock, that looks exactly like tasty Queen Anne's Lace, and deadly False Morels, that look like, and have the same growth habits as tasty delicacy Morel mushrooms) It takes practice to learn to recognize and forage, and book illustrations just don't cut it. 

Gardening in the wilderness is rough. If the land is forested, finding an adequate place will be near impossible. Gardening for survival is no piece of cake, either. It takes a sizable piece of land to support even one person, and hours of daily work and cultivation. 

You'll need to learn to hunt (and fish!), and since you'll be trying to survive out there, you'll likely be poaching ( I don't know anything about hunting laws in Ontario, though...) Hunting, like foraging, isn't as easy as the books and tv shows will have you believe. Do you hunt? Have you experience in killing, gutting, and chopping up real animals? It takes patience, determination, and an iron will. What weapons will you take? Will they be legal? How will you preserve extra meat?

Building comfortable long-term housing is difficult as well, but do-able. Definitely do your research, and remember, the more materials you haul out there, the more likely you are to get noticed. You'll have to keep in mind all weather conditions, storage, and waste removal.

What are the laws regarding living there? Will you be considered trespassing? Is building on that land prohibited? Poaching? Wildcrafting? Little wilderness laws often have nasty consequences. In MO, if you get caught just owning an eagle feather, you can get serious jail time. I have a friend who was playing around on government land with a bow, not hunting, just shooting trees and things, and he got a $300 poaching fine. Know what you could be getting into.

And as fun as getting away from civilization is, it is lonely. Make sure you have a cell phone with reception or something in case of emergency, and adopt a good dog. 

I hope you have the determination to get out there. Living off the land is beautiful. Out there, it's easy to feel at peace with life. You learn about yourself and about where you fit into the universe. It's crazy dangerous, though. The day to day grind of just surviving takes a lot of the romance out of it.

Best wishes


----------



## Wolfeyes

One thing that would worry me most about this plan, given that this island is in Lake Superior, is the weather. November especially...


----------



## Rash L

dont forget to bring a camera.... because pictures are fun!


----------



## platinum

Thanks everyone!

The neat thing is that one Island in particular I'm looking at (Michipicoten Island) is definitely uninhabited. No humans at all. I was also considering a provincial park, but full of campsites and tourists such = not a good idea.

This island is a ways south from Thunder Bay, and an earthshelter or well built cob-house would be well insulated from the cold.


----------



## platinum

At this point, it's just a matter of saving up money, buying supplies, etc. I might go in spring 2011.

I think spring 2011 is a good date. It'll give me a chance to at least visit before I go and stay.


----------



## Wolfeyes

I wasn't so much talking about the cold specifically. If you go for it, set up on the leeward side of the island(the side opposite from the direction of the prevailing winds).

For example, if the wind blows predominately from the north, set up on the south side of the island.

Given the the island is on the north side of the lake, it might not be so bad, but I've heard from locals, research and a family member who worked on the lake freighters that the winds can often hit 65-70 mph in November. You'll want as much cover between yourself and those winds as you can get, without having any weak trees in a position where they can fall on top of you...


----------



## Apples

Yo man, hope this works out for you. Nothing I like more than being out in the wilderness. I love getting away from city life. Hope you keep us up dated and share stories of your adventure.


----------



## platinum

Thanks for the tips everyone!

It's so cool to find people who like to break away from it all. Though guessing from the chat thing above this box i'm typing into, people seem to get bored. I plan on using my time of solitude for meditation and self-reflection.

It would seem that there are several uninhabited islands in lake superior, and the prevailing winds in the area are from the north west but sometimes from the east. I think i'll be safest on the south part of any island.


----------



## Radar Lockey

Just don't pull an Alexander Supertramp on us.

Damn. I wish I could have actually met him. 

Really I do. That's some shit for sure. 

If nothing else, keep a log of your days, and thoughts and changing perceptions.


----------



## platinum

keeping a log is part of the idea: so i don't lose my mind 

other than that, the idea behind this project is to become "unconnected" from this life that requires the accumulation of stuff: where one's worth is determined by the stuff he owns, working your ass off to get more stuff, and replacing it with better stuff in a senseless cycle.

:borg:

it may seem kinda cliche, but i mean it whole heartedly. hey, i just may take the time to bring some books with me and learn something! (besides meditating and self reflection). 

I can see it now, spending the day hunting/gathering food, the evening eating and reading, and the night sleeping under the stars.


----------



## platinum

i found a pretty cool island to consider.

in google maps, take a look

+44° 57' 9.10", -81° 24' 32.53"

those are the coordinates. it's a little further south, not poulated, and close enough to main land that i can get stuff on occasion, but far enough that i won't have to bother


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

I did some reading, and it seems that one is able to stay and live on crown land here in Canada. But on the websites, it says that you need written permission. The funny thing is that it doesn't say whom needs to write it out for you. It's a government website, so they are never much help anyways 

Well, I thought a while about it, and I decided to write a letter to the constitutional monarch of my country: the queen.

In it, I state that I want to live in a *small* area of land (i had no idea that 1 acre was 43560 square feet, thats huge for just a little dwelling!)

I state that I have no dependants, this is not for profit, and I will just be doing this for myself as part of living a simple, peaceful, and spiritual life. Now all I gotta do is wait...

Also, check this guy out >>>> www.dickproenneke.com


----------



## katiehabits

*I can't believe I've done it...*

the queen will not write you back. better luck squating honey. where in canada are you planning on liveing?


----------



## katiehabits

platinum said:


> I seem to be having difficulty finding information about edible plant (AND nuts) in northern ontario. I'm sure that there are plenty. I don't mind being alone.
> 
> i'll be buying some books on getting additional info on surviving the wild.



check out these books

SAS Survival Guide
by John 'Lofty' Wiseman 

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America
by Lee Allen Peterson

A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs 2nd Edition: Eastern and Central North America
by James A. Duke

Tom Browns Field Guide To Wilderness Survival
by Tom Brown

How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Preservation That Makes Starvation in the Wilderness Next to Impossible
by Bradford Angier

Dwelling Portably 1990-1999
by Bert Davis (Microcosm Publishing)

good luck and i hope these help!


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

well, i guess it was worth a try. if i get a response at all, it'll be awesome 

anyways, there are a few islands i've been looking at. one in particular interest is lyal island. it's a nature reserve, but it is semi out of the way.

the rest of potential spots include along/within out of the way provincial/national parks. it would seem that there are a TONNE of indian reserves when you look at maps close enough. there are a few spots that are not too northern that are not reserves or anything like that. I wouldn't want to set up camp on a reserve seeing as how I am as white as they come 

there's another spot not far from thunder bay that is not a park, not a reserve, not an indian reserve, nothing. it's about 2km from a county highway, and there is a couple small lakes. water wouldn't be an issue. it is surrounded by forest for the most part. I think it would make a great spot.

type it in google maps:

48.584818,-89.056749


----------



## yarn and glue

*I can't believe I've done it...*



katiehabits said:


> the queen will not write you back. better luck squating honey.




hahaha, too true.


----------



## hshh

*I can't believe I've done it...*

for that link, i saw that documentary on PBS and they were trying to sell it for 75 bucks! and a package for the dvd and book was 120 bucks or seomthing like that, it was rediculous. that didnt really have to do with anything related to the thread. it got kind of dull after the 3rd 25 minute advertisment break for the video itself, but the guy in the movie did make a really well crafted log cabin completly out of logs, boards, materials that he made and cut himself. 

Any way, you probably wont here back but good luck


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

yeah, im starting to think that. on a lighter note, i just bought a book "backroad mapbook" for northwestern ontario.

it labels a lot of lakes and stuff that I otherwise had no clue about. lakes = fishing! ^_^


----------



## bote

*I can't believe I've done it...*

hitching through BC a couple years ago, this guy took me on a detour to his cabin, which he had built on land that he got under ¨homesteading¨ type regulations (you pay next to nothing, but you have certain responsibilities).

If you are looking to build a cabin I recommend looking into homesteading opportunities, they will probably be in very rural, difficult to access spots, but that might work for you?


----------



## wizehop

*I can't believe I've done it...*



platinum said:


> there's another spot not far from thunder bay that is not a park, not a reserve, not an indian reserve, nothing. it's about 2km from a county highway, and there is a couple small lakes. water wouldn't be an issue. it is surrounded by forest for the most part. I think it would make a great spot.
> 
> type it in google maps:
> 
> 48.584818,-89.056749



If your in that area take a ride on CP's main line between Shrieber and Thunder bay..pretty awesome scenery


----------



## platinum

*I've found it! The perfect place! Countdown to the move begins now!*

After tirelessly scouring through google maps and mapquest (one shows better topogrophy and landscape, the other shows roads better), I have finally found the perfect spot, here in ontario that is not a park, not an indian reservation, the closest road isn't very close, and even that road is barely on the map. i have the satellite imagery map and a topogrpahy map. it looks pretty steady, a few hills, and one large hilly region, likely where i'll set up camp (on the lee side so as to avoid northern winds).

it's a chunk of forest that's surrounded by 3 lakes, and rivers throughout. it is sure to have lots of wild life. a quick flip through my edible plant field guide shows how nutritious dandelions are... vitamins a, c, e, b-complex, iron, calcium and potassium  ^_^

here's a pic of the area through google maps.







i'm sooooooo excited. i'm going to go there and camp for a couple weeks or so to get a feel for the area, practice some hunting, see what the fishing is like, get some stuff together for a shelter, etc. btw, wouldn't it suck if i got everything there and i forgot a hammer or nails? lol.

then, either later this year (or more likely next year), i'll make the move. after my first trip back, i'll post all the pictures and stuff that i take of the area, the wild life i observe, and other measurements and readings of the area like temperature, weather phenomena, geological distrubution (what rock types are where), etc... more importantly, i'll be bringing my edible plant fieldguide with me and search through every plant that i can find and positively identify in my book. i'll then perform the universal edibility test with each one to make sure that i can eat it (this is something that Mr. Supertramp didn't do...)

in some ways, i believe that i was born a generation or two too late. while i have come to like the conveniences of modern technology, it all seems so hollow, so forced. i'd rather live life fully and at my will and leisure.

the countdown begins, my friends


----------



## platinum

*I've found it! The perfect place! Countdown to the move begins now!*

It just occurred to me about supplies, something else Mr. Supertramp didn't do: One of the supplies I will be bringing is multivitamins/multimineral. There is a good possibility that [especially my first year] in the wild, I might go a little while with little food. The water soluble vitamins and electrolytes are gone first and fast, so a good multivitamin/multimineral is a good idea. I will bring enough to last me two years (roughly before they expire), and everything will be stored in glass contianers. No plastic! By then I will have either grown beyond the need for them or I will just head to the town thats half a day away on bike and buy some more. 

Because this area is close enough to a town where I might go and purchase supplies (half a day on bike), I'll be bringing money with me. I know, it sounds kind of hipocritical to what i'm doing, but if i need to buy multivitamins for one last time, i can. and if i need fire kindling, i won't use the money 

in addition to those, i'll be bringing easy to cultivate veggies. the biggest will be potatoes. lots of potatoes.

My books so far consist of:

SAS survival guide (shelters, food, tracking, etc)...
Edible & medicinal plants of canada (big important book. this area is in the great lakes-st. lawrence forest, and this book describes tonnes of edible plants in this area)

i'd like to find a book about tips on hunting, some basic gardening (potatoes!!!)

thats all i can think of.

what do ya'll think?


----------



## atomicpunk

*I've found it! The perfect place! Countdown to the move begins now!*

try to eat lots of fatty fish. i dont want to hear of you dieing of rabbit starvation. good luck and hope you enjoy yourself:worship:


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

oh yeah, i've read all about that. it was actually the first thing i read after i was reading about how to catch a rabbit for food! they sure look yummy, but i'll be involving all sorts of stuff in my diet. i will not leave veggies out!

btw all, i meant to post about my future location in a new thread, not a post in this one. the queen won't respond to my letter T_T, and it's off topic. can i move it to a new thread?


----------



## finn

*I can't believe I've done it...*



platinum said:


> ...i meant to post about my future location in a new thread, not a post in this one. the queen won't respond to my letter T_T, and it's off topic. can i move it to a new thread?




No dice, until you actually move out there, this will be a single thread that encapsulates your process of planning a journey, embarassing moments and enlightening epiphanies and all. If there was a new thread every time someone came up with a slightly different idea, we'd be drowning in new threads and a different thread cataloging system would be needed.

Anyway, I'm going to tell you to not skimp on the food, keep a good stash for emergencies- something fattening and that you don't need to cook. Remember that not only do you have to prepare for the situations that you expect, you have to prep for those that you don't.


----------



## veggieguy12

*I can't believe I've done it...*

Donald Rumsfeld by way of the notorious "Finn".

Have you thought about recruiting at least two other like-minded foo's to get in on this with you? Y'know, for support and sanity, like?
Individual people have never really been alone in this world, to go away from the group and live solo (and there was no "live off the land" concept, as that was just The Way It Is), there's always been at least a small clan. Suppose you sprain an ankle (could get worse), you just gonna sit and starve?
Having some collaborators could be the start of something big to come down the line...


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

i've thought about it once or twice.

the only person i think who's crazy enough to go with me is a cousin of mine (actually, two of them come to mind)


begin rant (if you don't wanna read, just scroll down):

the only thing is that i'm either not coming back ever or not for a long while. and i don't know if either of them would be coming along for the same reasons that i'm leaving in the first place. the idea that i have to live my life tirelessly working and striving for paper that means i can buy stuff, saving some up, living comfortably for a few years, and then what? i die! can't take the money with me. sure, i give it to family, etc, but what do they do with it? generation after generation is getting lazier. banks get robbed, people spend money on frivolous things, etc. i know is a kind of dismal view of our money system, but it's all true...

and even before that all happens, when ww3 comes around, and everything is blown up, and the comforts of modern life are gone, or only available to the wealthy, i will continue living my life because i know how to survive.

and *even* before that, when the money systems we have come to rely on fail, and people are burning money because it's cheaper than buying wood, i will not have even realized it because i am still surviving.

end rant

sorry for the rant, but it's all just my opinion on things. sure, i may miss a few comforts for a while, but not having to worry about whether i can afford something, or how much longer i'll be in servitude and debt seems like a good trade off! :applaud:

there's a tiny little peninsula in one of those lakes in my picture (to the south), and it would be perfect for the cabin! bay view, and on the other side of the lake there are no trails, just forest, so i don't think i'll be spotted.

i guess to answer your question: what if i sprain my ankle (or worse)? the solution: preventative maintenance... don't sprain your ankle!


----------



## finn

*I can't believe I've done it...*



platinum said:


> ...what if i sprain my ankle (or worse)? the solution: preventative maintenance... don't sprain your ankle!



That isn't preventative maintenance- stretching and exercises would be considered that. Planning to not have any accidents means you're not good at planning. For instance, for a bike you can do all the preventative maintenance you want, but when you get a flat, you need a new tube or a patch kit with a pump. If what you're saying is that if you sprain an ankle, then you're SOL, then I'll agree that you may never return from there.


----------



## boucaneer

*I can't believe I've done it...*

keep positive, you could have a few chaps on stand by to jump in if they are needed, as a start up team, not for the long haul, maybe working in shfts for a cheap vacation. you could rotate 6 people, two at a time for 2 to 6 months. can you get email connection over there. prob not. maybe the local town might have a transmiter.

vhf radio would be good for emergancy or perhaps they still use c.b's on am or long wave or side bands for long range comunication. ie. to call the doctor or order any supplies.

keeping links with trusted members of this site might be a good idea or another support group. this is a mission and should be treated like one. 

those usb dongles that give you internet conection can be satalite dished to boost up their power for wi-fi, longest record is 150 miles. get a hand generator or somthing to power the batterys.

good luck mate, i realy like the sound of it.


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

"Planning to not have any accidents means you're not good at planning."

i know. i was just joking about not spraining an ankle or whatever. i understand that i'll be giving up many comforts like a ready available doctor. that's why i'm not jumping into this without preparing for it properly.

being careful is the other side of preparation. for example, i'm not the person who would risk walking across a frozen river unless i was *certain* it would be safe (testing it with a heavy boulder or something). and things like mushrooms (which i don't like anyways), are the last thing on the menu for me, if that. i'll avoid them completely if i can. mushrooms are dangerous.

doing lots of research on the matters of shelter, local weather, my books on survival and edible plants and such, hunting, etc... are all important to me.

make no mistake, this is not something i'm taking lightly. i'm putting forth the effort necessary to embark on this journey.


----------



## platinum

*Even more planning*

After watching "Alone in the Wilderness" a couple times and reading various things about log cabins, i've picked up a few useful tips on building a cabin: i know how it's gonna look.

I'm only one person, i don't require a lot of space, and I wouldn't want a huge cabin. Just a little something to stay in at night or when it's cold. and that's just it: my design had to be easy enough so that one person could build it. I'm no Dick Proenneke, so I'll have to make due with what experience and knowledge I got.

Basically, I took a leanto shelter, and put four walls under it. I'm not much of a drawer, so i built a little model out of Qtips (lolz) to demonstrate my idea. The real thing won't be flimsy like this, and the dimentions of it are not to scale:

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/7272/modelgz.jpg

I'm thinking something that's about 12 feet long and 10 feet wide. should give me around 99 square feet interior floor space. I could make it larger, just depends on the logs i get. I'm not a very tall guy (5'2"), so the cabin will be only 7 or 8 feet tall at it's tallest. I figure if the short end of the cabin is 6 feet tall, then the tall end could be whatever. I've also taken into account the angle of incline on the back of the roof. it'll be around 9 degrees, so snow and rain won't be an issue. 

The logs on the roof will be covered in foam rubber for insulation and to smooth the surface. then I will lay 1 or 2 tarps over it, and secure them along the sides of the roof. I will then cover the top with moss or dirt and grow grass on the top. it's gonna be a very cozy little cabin!

about the fireplace/fire pit... in dick proenneke's film, he had people bring cement so he could fashion a stone chimney. i may not have this luxury. any ideas?  i'm considering something like a pit, kind of under ground, with a hole that goes outside. the draft of air would suck smoke out, but i could still get close to the fire. and, this "hole" would be covered up when the fireplace isn't in use. waddaya think? ideas, suggestions?

------------

on another note, i started massing together a list of stuff i'll need to get started (does not include stuff like clothes, books, anything personal, kitchen stuff, etc.) I'm getting a tent because i'll need something to stay in while the cabin is being built. some items include:

"
C = Canadian Tire
H = Home Hardware
E = Internet/Ebay
W = Walmart
() = Maybe
followed by a part number (if applicable)
---------------------------------------
Hunting/Fishing/Trapping stuff:

C - Rapala Fish 'n' Fillet Knife - 78-3311-8
C - Buck® #119 Knife - 75-6036-2
C - Benjamin 0.22 Air Rifle - 75-5033-4
C - Shimano Spin Combo, 7 ft. - 78-4588-4
C - Fishing line (high and medium test)
C - basic tackle box and hooks
C - Northern Escape, Chest Waders - 77-1508-6
E - 0.22 cal pellets (pointed)
----------------------------------------
Camping/Shelter Stuff:

C - 2x Woods Foam Sleeping Pad, 24 x 70-in - 76-2401-4
C - Woods Sleeping Bag - 76-0756-2
(C - Roots Double Sleeping Bag, 7lbs - 76-0736-0)
C - Coleman Sundome 3-Person Tent, 7 x 7' - 76-5066-4
----------------------------------------
Tools/Equipment/Construction Materials:

(C - 5-lb Wood Splitting Wedge - 57-5170-0)
C - Mastercraft 20-oz Camping Axe - 57-5120-0
C - Jobmate 24-in. 2¼-lb Axe - 57-5108-2
C - Mastercraft 36-in. 4-lb Axe - 57-5117-0
C - Nicholson Mill Bastard File - 58-2862-0
C - Mastercraft 6-piece Chisel/Punch Set - 58-1608-4
C - Mastercraft Saw Kit, 4-pce. - 57-7417-4
C - Mastercraft Bowsaw - 57-7490-6
C - Vise-Grip 10-in. Straight-Jaw Pliers - 58-8686-4
C - 3-Piece Plier Set - 58-4676-2
C - Mastercraft 3-piece Chalkline Set - 57-2103-0
C or H - Hammer
C or H - Mallet
H - 10" STEEL DRAW KNIFE - 1043-016
H - 3x TARP, POLY OLIVE GREEN 20X30' - 5472-598
H - Nails (tonnes, various lengths)
H - Door hinge (big, thick, simple)
H - shovel
H - 4ft ladder
H - window (insulated, something that can be opened)
H - rope (lots)
H - twine (lots)
H - Hoe
H - Wood Glue
H - Glue/Cement
"

and i'm not done yet! i'm sure that there are tonnes of little [and big] things that need to be added.


----------



## hotspark78

*I can't believe I've done it...*

Hi Platinum,
I recently went to a primitive skills camp where they taught me how to start fire without ... yes that's right, lighter nor matches. I had to carve a fireboard, spindle, and handhold with a knife to use with a bowdrill. I thought it was gonna magically work after making it but nope, it took time, tears, and a wet undershirt to actually create enough friction for me to drop a tiny piece of coal into that tinder bundle whereby I cupped it, blew on it, and coddled it like a little baby until voila!, the tinder exploded with a glorious magnificent FIYA. I think I cried a little when it happened.
Anyways, I hear ya and I think you have an awesome plan. I would really like to do what you're thinking of doing someday. True freedom is so irresistible. I don't know what your level of wilderness savvyness is but mine is pretty low. I've always been a city bumpkin, born and raised, and right now working smack dab in the middle of it, so I thought it best to get my feet wet first. I mean if you dropped me off in the middle of woods today, I wouldn't know where to start (except maybe set the woods on fire). 
You probably already know this cuz it looks like you do a lot of research but there's loads of youtube videos out like this one with David Wendell - expert on bushcraft skills : http://www.youtube.com/user/BushcraftOnFire and this one with Dave Canterbury: http://www.youtube.com/user/wildernessoutfitters and there's one called Eat the Weeds: http://www.youtube.com/user/EatTheWeeds. My favorite at the moment is www.thesurvivalpodcast.com although that has a slightly more "bugging out" theme. I'm also taking some weekend classes here and there on wild edibles, shelter building, tracking, permaculture wherever I can find it. There's a good number of primitive skills week-long camps that happen throughout the U.S. too http://trackerofplants.com/2009/12/21/the-2010-primitive-skills-circuit/ that hopefully immerses you in those skills that will be invaluable in the woods. I'm going to the California one in May. Sheesh sorry I don't know about Canada but I'm pretty sure they exist there too. Of course, there's those semester or yearlong programs like www.trackersnw.com but when I saw the price tag, my jaw dropped. I just don't have 10k laying around to go to these things even though I think it would be great. 
When I feel like I own some skills and am pretty comfortable in the woods with some camping trips under my belt, I'm gonna do some hardcore stuff like take a month vacation and just live in the woods by myself to see if I could hack it. Just little by little until I know I could cut the safety net. Right now, I can't even sleep in a sleeping bag, in a tent by myself. It's really pathetic but hopefully I'll get there...


----------



## platinum

*omg..... I got a reply!*

o...m....g..........!

I knew it was a long shot, more of a joke than anything...

but i got a reply from my letter!

remember the letter I sent to the Queen? well, i got a reply in the mail today!

it says that this isn't a matter where the Queen would intervene. 

"As a constitutional Sovereign, Her Majestyacts through her personal representative, the Governor-General, on the advice of her Canadian Ministers and it is to them that your appeal should be directed. I have, therefore, been instructed to forward your letter to the Governor-General of Canada so that she may be aware of your approach to the Queen and may consider the points you raise."

So, it's not the yes i was hoping for, but two things cool have happened:
1) i got a response
2) the letter is going to the right person

^_^


----------



## Deleted member 20

*I can't believe I've done it...*

I think that is cool that she wrote you back. I think I will write a simmilar letter on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland. That Dick Preonoke was one hell of a woodsman,carpenter, expert diesel mechanic & commercial fisherman was highly intelligent & skilled. I am definately not saying that you are not any of these but you will know your capabilities. I would just go start building & stay & or return whenever you want. "It is better to beg forgiveness, then to ask permission": 

Good luck


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

hehe. nice quote, but i've never been big on begging for anything 

i plan on going, and i don't know how long i will be gone. this world that i imagine where everyone is "connected"... i just don't want to be a part of it. i want to be woven back into nature where we humans really belong.

i work in pharmacy, and i see people who are infeebled and take like 20 different prescriptions. they are like that because they lived their entire life eating food they were told to eat (media), working stressful jobs, making little money, and living in polluted cities. i don't want to die in a hospital where i am drugged up and have no idea whats going on. i want my resting place to be in nature, or in the cabin i build. sigh, another rant. lol.

i got a fortune cookie the other day, here's what it said "a refreshing change is in your future"


----------



## Pickles

*I can't believe I've done it...*

This sounds like an interesting endeavor, one that I'd like to hear more about as it progresses. Just curious, do you have any experience with wilderness survival or is this going to be your first full-scale dive into the great unknown?


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

this is my first jump into the great unknown. it will most likely be the only one, because I won't be coming back (at least for a long time anyway).

although i'm not "jumping" into anything. this plan has been in progress before i signed up for these forums, and it's been a quite a few months now. i've found the spot, i know what i have to get, i got what i need to read, i'm still working out the details of my departure, and i believe that i can't do much more than that.

i can always try like a weekend thing here and there to areas close by, but nothing will compare to what i will face in the new spot.

all i have to do is close my eyes and i imagine sitting in the cabin i built. i can imagine building it. i figure that if i really take my time building the cabin (1 log per day), i'll have it done in about 1 & 1/2 months. that's chopping down 1 tree every day for about 45 days. it seems like a good pace for someone who doesn't have much hand on experience. but i have been reading quite extensively on the subject, and watched a few videos. i'm good at building stuff anyway.


----------



## Deleted member 20

*I can't believe I've done it...*

what was that movie when the kid goes to alaska to liv ein the in the wilderness & finds a cool old bus as a camp.Then starves, tries to hike out way too late & the little stream is no a raging river.


----------



## platinum

*I can't believe I've done it...*

it's called "into the wild". mr. supertramp did things too fast. my journey is slow, and i'm taking my time, saving my money, and not doing this on a whim.

i've got a spot picked out already

i know how to build the cabin. i'm bringing lots of stuff with me

it's gonna be awesome, and written about too


----------



## platinum

ah!

i see that my posts have been fused into one. cool!

i've been thinking about the cabin today. what i will fill it with, the roof, and possibly a storage shed. also, and outhouse. i'm not sure if i'll build an outhouse right away. the first summer will be dedicated to building the cabin itself...

the outhouse can wait till the next summer. i know how to use a chamber pot 

i'm thinkin of an extension of the cabin on one side where i'll store chopped wood for the fire.

any ideas on that fireplace yet?


----------



## boucaneer

*I can't believe I've done it...*

good luck mate. remember though,that although these missions take planning, they also need training for.

go try out your homesteading skills somwhere local and see how you get on. 

i used to go to wales and live in the forestry commision national park there. i used to build my camp out of wind blown felled pine trees. remember to take plenty of blades for your bowsaw and some lard or lubricant for sawing wet timber. 

also for your fishing gear try some different sized meshed gill nets for getting fish whilst you sleep or are busy chopping logs. 

you can also get bait hooks that are spring loaded that you can leave that snap shut spiking the fish in the head and holding it untill you get back to check your lines from deep water fishing spots.

please do try your skillls somwhere localy first though, it will help with morale.

good luck.


----------



## platinum

yes!

i had already thought of that, and i've already picked out a "test run" area. i'll go there for a few weeks and just live there to practice what i have read by then (what i'm still reading).

this test run area is only 30 or 40km from my house, so it's not really that far, but it is definitely secluded.

the area that i have chosen for the cabin is much further, and much more remote.

thanks for the tip. glad that u guys are around to remind me of this stuff!

in my SAS book, it talks about setting up fish traps that i can basically leave overnight or during the day and check every now and then. i'll be sure to have lots of these. the area of choice has lots of rivers and lakes all around, so there'll be no shortage of fish.

snare traps will be set up all around on land for rabbits, foxes, squirrels, other small animals. my only hunting will be for birds and medium game. no big game for me. too dangerous, not worth the risk i believe


----------



## platinum

the rare and hard to find things are finally coming together.

i ordered a draw knife from the home hardware in town (it's fifty bucks!!)

gonna pick it up today, and maybe browse around for other tools that i can't seem to find easily.

hey, who knew that a wood auger would be so hard to find?


----------



## stove

In responding to Widerstand's original comment...

Sure, let them fuckers go. Thinning out the gene pool and all that. Why not?


----------



## platinum

hey stove, WTF?


----------



## CanoeTramp

platinum said:


> ah!
> 
> i see that my posts have been fused into one. cool!
> 
> i've been thinking about the cabin today. what i will fill it with, the roof, and possibly a storage shed. also, and outhouse. i'm not sure if i'll build an outhouse right away. the first summer will be dedicated to building the cabin itself...
> 
> the outhouse can wait till the next summer. i know how to use a chamber pot
> 
> i'm thinkin of an extension of the cabin on one side where i'll store chopped wood for the fire.
> 
> any ideas on that fireplace yet?


 I wouldn't bother with a fireplace, You're already packing in so much gear,-why not get yourself a 15 or 30 gallone steel barrel and a few feet of stove pipe, you could pack a lot of stuff in that barrel and strap it to a pack board, or get a friends help and carry it on long pole like hunters do with their game in africa. If you realy gotta have a fire place you could use the wattle and daub type contruction they used on early colonial houses, or the stone, clay and mud type fireplace with a stick and mud chimney that you see on early log cabins. The classic hewn-log house by Charles Mcraven has a chapter on the later. Hope this is of some help. Good luck to you and stay safe.


----------



## dysaster

Mama Dragon - you had a very instightful post, glad you took the time to write.
Take care
-Jeff


----------



## RideMoreTrains

the forest service will probably find you and kick your ass off the island.


----------



## EastCoast315

Build up a crew man, going out there alone isn't smart. I know when I'm in the woods with another guy, there are tons of times that double checking out decisions is crucial. Both of us know damn well that we balance each other out to the point where alone, we would risk making some seriously dumb decisions. 
A good plan would be to spend a large amount of money ($1000 or two) on stock foods, like flour, salt, shit like that. Rent out a charter boat and bring it all there by the pallet, so if worst comes to worst, you've got the basics. Restock yearly or twice yearly. 
That will require money, so figure out a method of making money on your island. Hunting, crafting, something that you can bring back to land and sell. Thats how I'd do it.


----------



## adanisback

Good luck on this man, im also trying to pave out my own adventure. Keep us updated


----------



## Monkeywrench

I think that's called camping.


----------



## Mouse

dont forget to bring Wilson


----------

