Patagonia Wading Jacket

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Hemostats. Every fly fisher has a pair. Some call them forceps , some call them hemostats , my wife the nurse, calls them "snaps" , but I like the word "clamps" because that's what I do with them: clamp stuff. Flies, lines, big honkin' splinters, little-stinkin'-flies-that-I-can-barely-see, etc.

I've heard people say they like stainless steel or brass colored clamps because when (not if) they accidentally drop them into the water they will be easier to see and recover. I've dropped mine and I'd like to make it clear that seeing them would not have helped most of the time. In most cases I dropped them because other things were happening, either my graceless legs gave out and my feet slipped, or my cold-as-ice and horribly numb hands missed a grip and fumbled the clamp 5 feet away into a foamy seam of deep water where I could only glare at the ephemeral location where they had dropped and imagine them down there possibly within reach but impossibly difficult to recover.

So color doesn't really matter to me when it comes to finding a dropped pair of hemostats but some other things do. I do not like shiny things anywhere on on my body when I'm fishing. I think it scares the fish away. Fly fishing is tricky enough without my gear spooking the fish by flashing a warning that there's a predator nearby trying to stick them with a clever sharp thing that looks eerily like a meal of caddis pupa. I like my clamps to be black. I have to caveat that with this: I really like that prism finish some manufacturers have started using. This finish gives the hemostats a coppery blue color that nearly glows. They just look cool. Sometimes it's important to feel like you are looking cool. Coolness is hard to achieve, I need all the help I can get.

When it comes to the shape, size, and features of hemostats, there are hundreds of different choices out there. You should try several different finger-loop sizes, shapes and proximity configurations to see which one fits your hand best. Clamps come in sizes from 3.5" to 10" or more but I think the 4-6" clamps are probably the most functional. The most traditional hemostat comes with a simple locking system that keeps them clamped closed. When you want to open them you force the finger loops laterally away from each other and open the jaw. Another variety is the mitten clamp that you squeeze to open and squeeze again to close. The mitten clamp is a little more unusual and takes a little time and use to get comfortable with but once you get it, it is as simple as click, click, click, POW! and they are opened ready to do their job. Repeat the process with a little less vigor and they're clamped shut again. It took me a while to get used to them but eventually I could not imagine living without them.

For fly anglers, the jaws are the single most important aspect of a good hemostat. They should be smooth, not serrated. There can be some serration back toward the fulcrum of the tool but the tips should be smooth as silk so they do not damage your expensive or carefully tied flies. Jaws with serration can break wire segmentation on nymphs, cut thread on dry flies, tear latex on scuds and Czech nymphs, etc. Make sure they're smooth, and take care of those precious flies.

Some extra, and very useful features that may be seen on hemostats are a hook-eye cleaner which is simply a small needle point built into the clamp somewhere, and scissors-which I've had mixed feelings about. On the one hand, the built-in scissor is very handy, but on the other, I once cut a very nice, very expensive, very new, Patagonia wading jacket while trying to clamp my hemostats to a pocket flap and juggle a nice, netted 21" brown trout at the same time. Oh well.

Whether you call them clamps, hemostats, snaps or forceps, you've got a favorite too, I'm sure.

Shannon Long
http://www.hookflyfishing.com

Experience the fly fishing adventure of a lifetime with the best equipment, friendly, experienced guides and inspiring teachers. Get geared up with Patagonia, Scott High Performance Fly Rods, Waterworks Lamson, Fishpond, TFO and much more. Classes on fly fishing, tying and casting. Destination fly fishing and more. Visit us at hookflyfishing.com

Patagonia Guidewater Waders for Fishing

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If you're planning your honeymoon, you may want to consider a romantic cruise destination. Cruises are ideal for newlyweds because they can be low budget and easy to plan, meaning that you don't have to stress about the vacation in the weeks leading up to your big day. Where can you go on your honeymoon cruise? The options are nearly limitless, but here are some of the top honeymoon cruise destinations to consider.

Disney Honeymoon Cruises

You might think of a Disney Cruise as more of a family vacation, but this can also be a great option if you're celebrating your new life together. You'll spend a number of days sailing through the Caribbean, and enjoy at least a day at Disney World at the beginning or end of the cruise. Disney cruises are a great option because they're even more hassle-free than a standard cruise, since Disney provides transportation and other special accommodations. Mention that it is your honeymoon, and you'll have even more fun, romantic options.

European Honeymoon Cruises

While most people associate cruises with the Caribbean, another wonderful alternative is a European cruise through the Greek Islands or other Mediterranean locations. These cruises are very romantic, stopping at some of the most beautiful locations in the world and offering tons of privacy to couples who want to celebrate together. Some cruises in the Mediterranean are exclusively for couples, so you can avoid crowds of families with children and singles looking for their next partner. Instead, you can focus on celebrating together.

Hawaiian Honeymoon Cruises

Many couples travel to Hawaii for their honeymoon every year. This might be a great option for you too, since you won't need a passport to book this trip. You'll visit islands such as Kauai, Maui, and the big island of Hawaii, check out black sand beaches, beautiful reefs and more. Many Hawaii cruise ships also have traditionally Hawaiian food and celebrations, like luaus. Because you'll be staying in the United States, the costs associated with a Hawaiian cruise are often much lower than the costs of cruises to other areas of the world. You can also book a hotel and spend some times on land before or after your cruise.

Caribbean Honeymoon Cruises

Of course, the Caribbean is a popular honeymoon cruise destination for couples who want to spend some times in the sun. Most ships travel exclusively to eastern locations or to western locations, though some longer cruises may have you traveling all over the islands. The great thing about a cruise to the Caribbean is that you can see a number of islands without having to book separate vacation to each of them. Along the way, you can also enjoy island activities, food and much more.

Alaskan Honeymoon Cruises

If you and your new spouse enjoy cooler weather, a tropical cruise might not be the best option. Instead, check out Alaskan options. You can go whale watching, see the Northern lights, and participate in other romantic activities while on your Alaska cruise. Along the way, you'll also be able to participate in cruise activities that you'll find on other ships as well, such as trying unique foods, taking classes, and even checking out the pool if the weather is warm enough. Alaskan cruises often allow you to see majestic wildlife as well, which is something you won't get with most other cruises.

French Polynesian Honeymoon Cruises

For a tropical vacation that leaves from Hawaii but doesn't take place in the Caribbean, check out French Polynesian cruises. Typical port destinations include Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Papeete. This is a unique and romantic culture, and cruises in this area of the world are usually smaller and less crowded, giving you a more intimate setting to enjoy with your new spouse. Many of these cruises also offer special activities like diving, fishing, and snorkeling, since the reefs in this area are unlike any others.

Confused about where to go on your honeymoon? Your honeymoon is an important time to connect with your new spouse and recover from the stress and frenzy associated with planning your wedding. It's important to take the time to carefully plan this trip together, and consider what will provide the most relaxing and romantic setting. Start by setting your budget, and then explore these romantic honeymoon cruise options. You might be surprised at how affordable they can be.

Talk to a travel agent about booking your trip, and be sure to mention that it is your honeymoon. Many cruise lines offer special discounts, rates and romantic amenities to make your trip a memorable occasion.

Ryan Anderson is a freelance writer who writes about travelling and saving money while vacationing such as finding cruise deals.

Mature male would like to try modeling?

Hi
I am a 40 year old male who would like to try modeling. I am not sure where to begin or whether I have a chance. I have the Brad Pitt looks and the 6-pack abs but am stuck with Tom Cruise height (5'9"). My objective would be outdoor activity modeling (ie REI / Patagonia).
It seems that I should first find a photographer and then a modeling agency... Why is it that the photographers are willing to barter or even pay? I am willing to pay for the photos. Also, the modeling agencies just seem to want a couple of pictures mailed in. Of course, nobody wants their pictures to be put in the file, but is it possible to communicate my specific interests to the agency? Better yet, is it possible to contact the catalog company, etc directly? Or do they only work through agencies?
Please provide me with some basic instruction. Thanks!

Let's see some pictures!

Patagonia, Mendoza, Iguazu, Calafate, Salta, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Córboda and Argentina Landscape

Patagonia White Smoke Pants

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Discount Sunlinq 25w

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Patagonia Tops

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El Calafate's Patagonia Wildlife

El Calafate is a small outpost known almost entirely as a hiker's resting stop on the way to Los Glacieres National Park in Southern Patagonia. As one of Argentina's, and indeed, all of Patagonia's, finest hiking regions, Los Glacieres lures adventure seekers and glacier-hopping enthusiasts with its varied hiking trails, ice trekking routes, and fantastic scenery.

But lest you think El Calafate and Los Glacieres are just a white blur of glacial ice, a description of the diverse and bountiful wildlife inhabiting the region should help to show how beautiful, colorful, and lively is the Southern Patagonia landscape.

The town of El Calafate itself, situated near the bottom of the world near Ushuaia, the world's southernmost town, and El Chatlen, Argentina's trekking capital, is poised in a unique location. Its restaurants, shops and stores are more inviting than many of the other towns in the region. Plus, it's surrounded by some of the most gorgeous massifs, snow-capped peaks, and gigantic glaciers. It's a dynamite combination of comfort for the trail-weary and adventure for the eager thrill-seeker.

When you first arrive in El Calafate from the airport or bus station, you'll note the incredible diversity of birdlife found almost exclusively in southern Patagonia. The town rests on the banks of the Lago Argentino, an extensive lake that stretches to the Perito Glacier. Nearby is also Lake Viedma, and both of these lakes are the congregating grounds for colorful flamingoes.

An excellent way to spend the evening in El Calafate, whether you have just arrived there or if you are coming back from a day or several day long trek on nearby glaciers, is to take a bottle of wine and picnic to the Nimes Lagoon, which runs into Lago Argentino, at sunset. You can watch flamingoes, black-necked swans, coots, and a variety of other birds nesting for the night.

In Los Glaciers National Park, located 50 miles from El Calafate, you'll find many other fascinating wildlife, many of them endangered but protected in the national park and  UNESCO World Heritage Site. The red dwarfed deer, called punu punu, the river otter, or huillín, and the guanaco are all on the endangered wildlife list, but you may see them on a trek.

At the Perito Moreno glacier, the most popular with travelers in the El Calafate region, you can easily spend a day exploring the glacier along well-marked walkways, taking in the gorgeous vistas, the magnitude of the glacier itself, and you may even spot condors, eagles, armadillos, and gray foxes, all of which are found near the glacier and throughout the park.

About the Author

This description of a Argentina Vacation was written by a Argentina Travel expert at Argentina For Less.

ideas for a cute fleece jacket?

I saw one that was similar to a patagonia jacket (http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/womens-full-zip-re-tool-jacket?p=25475-0-774) but in cuter/multi colors. It also had buttons at the top instead of a zip. Any ideas?

Other ideas would help too! thanks

try the north face. heres one example, but take a look around. they have all kinds of styles and colors!

http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=120937&storeId=207&catalogId=10201&langId=-1&from=subCat&parent_category_rn=11720&variationId=04H

Bumpy Cessna flight amongst mountain tops - Patagonia en Chile

Patagonia Long Johns

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The Man Who Unlocked the World

WHEN men first went to the moon, they planned with mathematical precision where they were going and how they were going to get there. And they could communicate with home. But when Ferdinand Magellans five little wooden ships most of them about 70 feet [21 m] long, comparable in length to a modern semitrailer left Spain in 1519, they sailed into the unknown. And they were utterly alone.

Among the boldest, most courageous navigational feats of all time, Magellans voyages are a monument to the Great Age of Exploration an age of courage and fear, elation and tragedy, God and Mammon. Lets go back, then, to about 1480, when Ferdinand Magellan was born in northern Portugal, and take a look at the remarkable man who unlocked the world and at his epic journeys.

From Court Page to Fearless Mariner

The Magellan family are members of the nobility, so, as is the custom, while Ferdinand is still a young lad, he is called in as page to the royal court. Here, besides getting an education, he learns firsthand of the exploits of men like Christopher Columbus, who has just returned from the Americas after having sought a western sea route to the fabled Spice Islands (Indonesia). Young Ferdinand soon dreams of the day when he too can hear the slap of canvas overhead and feel in his face the spray of unexplored oceans.

Sadly, in 1495 his patron, King John, is assassinated and Duke Manuel, who is keen on wealth but not on exploration, takes the throne. For some reason, Manuel dislikes 15-year-old Ferdinand and for years ignores his requests to go to sea. But when Vasco da Gama returns from India, loaded with spices, Manuel smells great wealth. Finally, in 1505, he gives Magellan permission to go to sea. Magellan sets off for East Africa and India in a Portuguese armada to help wrest control of the spice trade from Arab merchants. Thereafter, he sails farther east to Malacca with another military expedition.

During a skirmish in Morocco in 1513, Magellan gets badly wounded in the knee. As a result, he limps for the rest of his life. He asks Manuel for an increase in his pension. But Manuels animosity is not lessened in the least by Magellans recent exploits, sacrifice, and valor. He sends him on his way with barely enough to live in genteel poverty.

At this lowest point in Magellans life, he receives a visit from an old friend, the famous navigator João de Lisboa. The two discuss ways of reaching the Spice Islands by going southwest, through el paso a strait rumored to cut through South America and then across the ocean that Balboa recently discovered when he traversed the Panamanian isthmus. They believe that on the far side of this ocean lie the Spice Islands.

Magellan now aches to do what Columbus failed to do find that western route to the Orient, which he believes is shorter than the eastern route. But he needs financial backing. So, still smarting from the heat of Manuels wrath, he does what Columbus himself did some years earlier he seeks the patronage of the king of Spain.

Will Spains King Listen?

With charts laid open, Magellan presents his arguments to Spains young sovereign, Charles I, who is most interested in Magellans western route to the Spice Islands, for this would preclude trespassing on Portuguese shipping lanes. What is more, Magellan tells him that the Spice Islands may actually be in Spanish territory, not Portuguese! See the box "The Treaty of Tordesillas."

Charles is won over. He gives Magellan five old ships to refit for the expedition, makes him captain-general of the fleet, and promises him a share in the profits from the spices brought home. Magellan immediately starts to work. But because King Manuel slyly attempts to sabotage the project, it takes more than a year before the fleet is finally ready for its epic voyage.

"The Greatest Navigational Feat in History"

On September 20, 1519, the San Antonio, the Concepción, the Victoria, and the Santiago largest to smallest follow Magellans flagship, the Trinidad, the second-largest vessel, as they sail for South America. On December 13, they reach Brazil, and under the majestic gaze of Pão de Açúcar, or Sugarloaf Mountain, they enter the beautiful bay of Rio de Janeiro for repairs and provisions. Then they continue south into what is now Argentina, ever alert for el paso, the elusive passage to another ocean. Meantime, the days get colder and icebergs appear. Eventually, on March 31, 1520, Magellan decides to winter in the cold harbor of San Julián.

The voyage has now taken six times longer than Columbus first Atlantic crossing and still no strait! Morale is as frigid as the San Julián weather, and the men, including some of the captains and officers, are desperate to go home. It is no surprise when mutiny erupts. But through quick, decisive action on Magellans part, it fails, and two of the ringleaders are killed.

The presence of strange ships in the harbor naturally piques the curiosity of the hardy and big local inhabitants. Feeling like dwarfs next to these giants, the visitors call that land Patagonia from a Spanish word meaning "big feet" its name to this day. They also observe 'sea wolves resembling calves in size, and black and white geese that swim underwater, eat fish, and have beaks like crows. Yes, you guessed it seals and penguins!

Polar latitudes are prone to sudden, violent storms, and before winter is over, the fleet suffers its first casualty the tiny Santiago. Fortunately, though, the crew are rescued from the grounded wreck. Thereafter, the four remaining ships, like battered little winged moths in the thrall of unremitting icy gales, pound their way south into ever colder waters until October 21. Through spray and sleet, all eyes are locked onto an opening to the west. El paso? Yes! At long last, they turn and enter the strait that is later known as the Strait of Magellan! Yet, even this moment of triumph is tarnished. The San Antonio deliberately disappears in the maze of the strait and returns to Spain.

The three remaining ships, flanked by bleak fjords and snowcapped peaks, doggedly force their way through the tortuous strait. To the south they spot countless fires, possibly from Indian camps, so they call that land Tierra del Fuego, "Land of Fire."

The Pacific Ordeal

After five harrowing weeks, they sail out into an ocean so peaceful that Magellan names it the Pacific. The men pray, sing hymns, and salute their conquest with their cannons. But their euphoria is short-lived. Woe beyond anything they have so far experienced awaits them, for this is not the small sea they expected it goes on and on and on, and the men get hungrier and weaker and sicker.

Antonio Pigafetta, a hardy Italian, keeps a journal. He writes: "Wednesday, the twenty-eighth of November, 1520, we . . . entered into the Pacific sea, where we remained three months and twenty days without taking in provisions . . . We only ate old biscuit reduced to powder, and full of grubs, and stinking from the dirt which the rats had made on it . . . , and we drank water that was yellow and stinking. We also ate the ox hides . . . , the sawdust of wood, and rats which cost half-a-crown each, moreover enough of them were not to be got." Thus, as fresh trade winds fill their sails and clear water slips beneath their keel, the men lie rotting from scurvy. Nineteen die by the time they reach the Mariana Islands, on March 6, 1521.

But here, because of hostilities with the islanders, they manage to get only a little fresh food before sailing on. Finally, on March 16, they sight the Philippines. At long last, all the men eat well, rest, and regain their health and strength.

Tragedy A Dream Collapses

A deeply religious man, Magellan there converts many local inhabitants and their rulers to Catholicism. But his zeal is also his undoing. He gets involved in an intertribal dispute and, with just 60 men, attacks some 1,500 natives, believing crossbow, musket, and God will assure him victory. Instead, he and a number of his men are killed. Magellan is about 41. Loyal Pigafetta laments: 'They killed our mirror, light, comfort, and true guide. A few days later, some 27 officers who had done no more than watch from the safety of their ships are put to death by once friendly chiefs.

When Magellan died, he fell in familiar waters. A little to the south lay the Spice Islands and to the west, Malacca, where he had fought in 1511. If, as some historians think, he sailed to the Philippines after the battle at Malacca, then he did, indeed, circumnavigate the globe though not, of course, in one voyage. He had reached the Philippines from both the east and the west.

Disaster Plagues the Homeward Run

As so few men now remain, working three ships is impossible, so they sink the Concepción and sail the remaining two vessels to their ultimate destination, the Spice Islands. Then, having loaded up with spices, the two ships separate. However, the crew of the struggling Trinidad are captured by the Portuguese and imprisoned.

But the Victoria, under the command of ex-mutineer Juan Sebastián de Elcano, gets away. Avoiding all ports bar one, they risk the Portuguese route around the Cape of Good Hope. Not stopping for victuals, though, is a costly strategy. When finally they reach Spain on September 6, 1522 three years from when they left only 18 sick, emaciated men have survived. Still, they are earths first undisputed circumnavigators. And De Elcano is a hero. Incredibly, the Victorias 26 tons of spices pay for the entire expedition!

Magellans Name Lives On

For years Magellan is denied his true place in history. Swayed by the reports of the mutinous captains, the Spanish smear his name, saying he was harsh and incompetent. The Portuguese label him a traitor. Sadly, his log vanished when he died, probably destroyed by those it would expose. But thanks to the indomitable Pigafetta one of the 18 circumnavigators and about 5 other members of the expedition, we have at least some record of this tragic, yet extraordinary, voyage.

In time, history revised its judgment, and today the name Magellan is duly honored. A strait bears his name, as do the Magellanic Clouds two fuzzy southern galaxies first described by his crew and the space probe Magellan. And, of course, we owe the name of the world's largest ocean the Pacific to Magellan.

Indeed, "no human voyage of such importance would be made until Apollo 11 landed on the Moon 447 years later," writes Richard Humble, in The Voyage of Magellan. Why was the voyage so important? First, it proved that the Americas were neither part of nor close to Asia, as Columbus had thought. Second, at the end of the voyage, a one-day discrepancy in dates pointed to the need for an international date line. And, finally, as science writer Isaac Asimov said, it showed that the earth is a sphere. Yes, in this latter respect, Magellan demonstrated in a practical way what the Bible itself had been saying for 2,250 years. (Isaiah 40:22; compare Job 26:7.) No doubt the deeply religious man who unlocked the world would have been pleased with that.

 

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Red Stag long range hunt with High Adventure Company

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Halloween en Patagonia Coral Gables

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