Checking a site in Haiti with my friend Christophe

A had a good aerial view of the site on the north shore of Haiti being considered for a new resort. However, I needed to get a close-up look at the beach and surroundings. I was able to follow a dirt road from the crude camp-like hotel where I was staying to within a couple of miles (my guess) of the proposed site. Then my walk got more complicated. The road became a trail and that soon was lost in a swampy area with thick vegetation. As I was picking my way through I heard crashes ahead. I wondered what sort of animal it might be ... [Read More]

The many pleasures of Lake Chapala

Several thousand U.S. citizens have chosen to retire and live in the Lake Chapala region of central Mexico. There are good reasons. The climate is balmy all year. Bougainville blooms decorate walls up to roof levels. Costs are low compared with locations in the states. There is good medical service. And, if you have a hot horse that needs refreshing, you can lead him to the lake as these two muchachos have done. When you lead a horse to water you may not make him drink but there’s no resistance to a cool bath. [Read More]

Do Pelicans Always Turn Left?

Perhaps our only contribution to the scientific knowledge of wild things has to do with brown pelicans. This vital bit of knowledge was garnered over a period of many years, during which we spent vacations at a small hotel at Punta Pescadero in Baja. From our terrace we could watch pelicans diving for fish in a scenic cove. After some years of dedicated pelican watching, we made an interesting discovery. Each time a low-flying pelican spotted a fish below, he would make a left-hand, counter-clockwise spiral dive for his prey. We have never seen a pelican make a right-hand, clockwise spiral dive. Intrigued, we began speculating about ... [Read More]

How do we define poverty?

Around the world there are millions of people living in abject poverty. They have polluted water, inadequate food, and shelter that gives little protection in harsh winters.  Worse, they have no medical service nor police protection.  At the same time, there are millions of others living in somewhat different circumstances but also categorized as poverty level. These are people who have little cash income, do not own an automobile, and have no electricity or telephones in their homes. Take, for example, the Mexicans who live beside the lagoon shown here. They have plenty of water. There is a supply of food fish at their door. The ... [Read More]

Running a reef in Haiti

Many of the most attractive locations in the world are surrounded by coral reefs -‑ barriers of irregular and unpredictable size and shape made up of razor-sharp surfaces that can cut and maim any who fall into them. Pounded by the surf, they harbor forces that can wreck large ships or drown strong swimmers. Today, the big ships with their sophisticated radar and navigation aids can easily avoid the reefs (if, unlike the crew of a certain tanker, their crew is alert). For unsophisticated, small boats, however, the crossing of the reef has changed little for centuries. Years ago at Cap Haitien on the north coast of ... [Read More]