Back from vacation


I'm just back from a very relaxing vacation to a nice little campground in Maine called Hermit Island. I've been camping there every summer with a group of friends for around ten years now. The vacation was full of activities: fishing for striped bass, snorkeling for a lost anchor, reading Life of Pi, making a big sand castle, drinking a lot of beer and whittling, a lot of whittling.


I didn't start out this vacation intending to whittle but I found myself sitting next to the campfire one morning poking the fire with a stick I had selected for just that task the night before. The stick was a little short for duty as a fire poker but I liked the way it felt in my hand so I had used it all the previous night. This morning as I stirred the coals I had the idea to carve a fish into my fire churning stick.


Carving this stick would become my passion for the next few days. I finished the fish after a few hours and decided to try a larger shark following the fish. I did the shark project mostly from memory but thanks to a tasty bottle of Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA I had a fin model to work from.


All the kids became fascinated with the progress of this work. The little store at the camp ground sold out of pocket knives because every little kid in my group wanted to carve like 'Uncle Pete'. Luck was with me, as no stitches were required for any of the enthused new knife wielders.


The environs of all the campfires I attended were soon littered with little wood chips as I feverishly whittled. Both thumbs developed blisters from working the little blade of the cheap little knife I was using. The knife was a little plastic handled, locking blade model that I selected from a bowl of similar knives at the checkout counter of my local Ace hardware store. The little thing cost only three dollars.


Once I finished the shark, I added a small leaping whale to the poker end of the stick, sealing its fate to not be used as a fire churner again. It's a simple carving but I think it's pretty cool. I didn't have time to do detailed fin work or sand the rough spots so it's not really done, but given that vacation is over it's complete as it's ever going to be. If you want to see the carving click this link. The beer bottle in the picture is only for scale, but similar beverages did fuel the effort.

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