THE TRAILHAWK JOURNEYS: Iloilo Wilderness Survival Class

THIS IS NO ORDINARY CROWD that I am facing today, April 7, 2018. This is the cream of the crop of Philippine mountaineering and the legends of the Philippine underworld. I should be intimidated, shaking with stage fright, but I feel nothing. Instead, I sense kinship with these guys as if I am on home ground.

The Iloilo Mountaineering Club (IMC) is one of the oldest mountaineering organizations in the Philippines. It was established in 1970 and became one of the original founding clubs that signed the charter of the National Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, now known as the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI).

IMC is quite active despite their preference to be in an inactive status, for the time being, from the MFPI. In fact, they are in the midst of euphoria after they have finally completed the Panay Trilogy, a project that took them many decades to accomplish. This is their banner year and I could feel the energy of everyone flowing.

The Panay Trilogy is the crowning glory of IMC. It comprises Mount Madia-as, Mount Nangtud and Mount Baloi Daku, spanning all the four provinces of Panay Island. The final and successful expedition lasted 18 days and involved the entire club either as the exploration team, the four supply teams or the standby reserve team.

The Western Visayas Caving Association (WVCA) covers both Iloilo and Negros and was established in 1995. WVCA is one of the founding clubs of the Philippine Speleological Society (PSS). WVCA is very active in explorations, trainings, assessments and participation in the annual PSS Congress. Their strict adherence to caving safety, ethics and ecology protection created the benchmarks on how caves ought to be managed.

IMC and WVCA are feathers from the same parents. Their members could do both mountaineering and caving with ease. Credit that to the founding fathers who are all close friends like Vic Pison, Dodot Pison and Fred Tayo Jr. for IMC and Fred Jamili for WVCA. This is a great community of passionate people who love the outdoors.

Today is the first day of the Araw ng Kagitingan Wilderness Survival Camp which would end on April 9. All would sit and listen to me talk and discuss the BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE. Most of these guys had been to the mountains for a long time and each could have personally collected their own knowledge about survival. This training would refine that and guide them to the best practices of survival.

I would be assisted by Ernie Salomon and Jonathaniel Apurado who both came all the way from Cebu with me. Carrying us here last night is Randy Salazar of IMC and WVCA, driving his Nissan Strada, and would probably also help me if I need his expertise. Then Derek Manuel of Derek’s Classic Blade Exchange would also have a part during the training. Together we represent the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild.

After an opening address by Sir Vic, this blogger proceed to explain the purpose of the training. It is designed for tropical wilderness settings of dense jungles and rugged highlands, which I first offered to the mountaineering community in October 2013. It is open to all individuals or groups of any interests and purpose. The training is done inside a local resort of Alimodian, Iloilo.

The first chapter is Introduction to Survival. Survival situations demand that you stay tough after the initial impact. Mental stability and toughness are very important characteristics of a survivor. You must develop a survival mindset. Do not engage in prolonged mind games of fantasy and false hopes. You should rein in your mind so you would not release excess adrenaline and cause you more confusion in a very stringent moment.

The best thing to do is stay still and fill up your lungs with oxygene. Your brain needs it most to help you process thoughts. You are now in a high state of agitation and so does your brain. Your brain will be in hyper mode, collating and processing many thoughts all at the same time which is beyond human capacity. We can do so one thought at a time. Just stay still and breathe regularly, supplying your blood system with oxygene.

In the hierarchy of needs and of nutrition in a survival situation, water is always on the top of the scales of both. Rightly so, for we are in the tropics and humidity plays a big role. With that, we surrender perspiration by the acts of our exertions and by what the climatic conditions imposed on us. Along with the lost moisture, is our body heat which we let go without our knowing.

When you stay still in one place, you lessen wastage of moisture and body heat. Then you confine the latter by setting up a shelter (if you still have one) or make one from scratch. That is the second need. The third would be food then warmth. Although food, and even water, would give you warmth, but heat from a naked flame or from the rays of the sun or from a person’s body is solace. Last is security which would complement well with the rest.

Our body has four hypothetical storage tanks that need to be replenished from time to time during survival. First is constant rehydration that would offset dehydration. Second is food that would give you nutrients, carbohydrates and proteins. Third is sugar which is converted by enzymes for your adrenaline rush. Fourth is fat, hardest to find in the tropics yet are wrapped as tissues in our body.

The topic for the next chapter is about Water Sanitation and Hydration. The first chapter had mentioned the importance of water during survival. Water could be sourced from natural springs, water seeps, man-made water holes, flowing streams, the atmosphere and from plants. It could be refined through boiling, by chemicals, exposure to heat, through filtration and by desalination. It is wise to cache water in your survival camp or just travel early and take advantage of shady places and breeze if you happen to have less.

We move on to the third chapter which is about Knife Care and Safety. The knife is a tool and should not be used to what it was not designed for like digging holes and as pry bars. It is a vital piece of equipment that should be properly handled and cared for because it is your link to your surviving. In all my training, knife etiquette is learned first before you touch a knife, so as to lessen accidents.

Besides that, there is a knife law that forbids the display, even of concealed carrying, in public places unless you are in a lawful activity, which we are in right now. A knife should be in a sturdy sheath when travelling and should be unsheathed when at home to keep it from rust. There are many kinds of knives and it is important that you know the parts, blade shapes, grind styles and the tang designs. You must also learn how to field sharpen a knife.

During this moment, Derek added his specialty to the lecture by showing the participants the different shapes and the different grinds. Derek further illustrate with a graph what are the most popular and the best grinds and what are the tools to grind or hone an edge. He also discuss how a knife edge behave when being grounded and the best way to remove burrs.

I was able to finish three chapters in the morning and noonbreak is mandatory when the clock struck twelve. There is no cooking as food is prepared by the family-run resort. After lunch, the hammock is an inviting proposition and I sneaked into its comfortable grip for a quick nap. I needed the rest since I did not feel well and the participants would be handling knives later. Refreshed after 45 minutes of siesta, I continued with the activity.

After the much appreciated instructions about the knife in the morning, we moved on to Survival Tool Making. Using a tool is essential in survival or even when not in that situation. I showed them the most basic of tools like the digging stick, traps and snares from pieces bamboo that I prepared, and the batoning stick. I let each carve a spoon on bamboo to practice their dexterity with a knife while supervising the practical exercise.

Following this is the chapter on Notches. There are five basic notches that are used regularly in bushcraft. These are applicable in shelters, furniture and tools. Again, this is another exercise in knife dexterity but it can only be achieved with the use of another tool, the baton stick. On a single stick that served as an art canvas, each participant carved their five different notches, starting with the easiest up to the most complicated.

At the last hours of daylight, the first day lecture ends. We have accomplished much for the day, simply because we started at 09:00. After supper, the socials on Campfire Yarns and Storytelling proceed. The evening start with individual introductions and, fueled by moderate supply of alcoholic drinks, it metamorphosed into funny tales which progressed towards the scary ones as the night approach midnight.

The second day, April 8, start with Customizing the Survival Kit. It is better that survival kits are made from scratch than bought commercially because a survival kit’s size and its components depends upon the type of the activity you are indulging in and the kind of environment you are going to visit. Your personal preference still matters. The components should include the medical kit, the replenishment pouch, the repair kit and a small knife. It could all be integrated in one container and should be waterproofed.

At this juncture, Jonathan, Ernie, Randy and Derek lent their survival kits to the lecture. Each one describe the items and how it could complement with the other items with little ingenious hacks. The individual survival kits came in different sizes, which ranged from a kit which focused more on first aid and to another which is for everyday carry (EDC).

Next is Fire, Fuel and Campfire Safety. You cannot make a fire if one or all elements are not present, namely: fuel, heat and air. Lately, they added a fourth element – chemical reaction. Fire-making is 80% common sense, 10% skill and 10% perspiration. We are talking about the friction methods. Your fire can start if you can acquire and identify the right tinder, if you are in a dry place, and if you have the patience.

Aside from friction, there are the conventional methods which are matchsticks, lighters, ferro rods and the flint and steel. Then there is solar magnification which can be done with any lens, reading glasses, water and even ice. Then you have pressurized air, exemplified by the fire piston. I first give a demonstration of the flint and steel, which I paired with charclothe, and then with the ferro rod.

Everyone tried the flint-and-steel and the ferro rod but they were much successful with the latter, simply because it is much easy to achieve. Embers caught on soft fuel became instant flames and it was a smoke-filled mid-morning affair. Then I showed them how a tinder bundle is made. Popularly called as a “bird’s nest”, it is the material by which you transfer ember or a small flame so it would progress into a useful flame.. 

I start with the bow drill method and showed them how it is made and spun. Unfortunately, I could only make thick smoke as sawdust embers refused to light up my tinder. Humidity plays a big role here since it rained many minutes ago. I let others try the bowdrill. Three teams tried their best coaxed by morale-boosting chants but all to no avail. I tried with the bamboo method but I also failed until Randy came at the right moment and saved the day.

Noonbreak came but there is no meal prepared. Everyone is on fasting. It is part of the training. Everyone will have to experience the pangs of hunger during survival situations. When you are hungry, you get irritated by the humidity, the warmth, the uncomfortable position, crawling insects and you tend to be sleepy. Fighting off that demands great concentration and will power. All will avail of food right after the fruits of their night foraging later.

After a one-hour siesta, the participants go back to listen to the next topic which is about Foraging and Plant Identification. Foraging food in the wilderness or on unfamiliar terrain can be very taxing to the mind. When you are stressed and hungry, you tend to remove all caution. Looks can be very deceiving in the tropics like fruits, leaves, nuts, roots, flowers and mushrooms. Likewise, you need to evade harmful plants while travelling your way in a jungle.

Short term food would be grub, tree snails, fresh-water shrimps and crabs and frogs. These can be picked by hand. Cook it if you must to remove parasites and bacteria. Long term foods are meat from mammals, fish, birds and reptiles. For that, you must use a weapon or traps and snares. Traps could be anything designed to lure prey into a simple contraption of a hollow bamboo or a dam of rocks. It must work with the terrain, with gravity and the habits of creatures, including its anatomy design.

Snares are more complex. It has a spring-and-trigger mechanism which would be initiated by the prey. Showed the students a very common snare employing a pressure-trigger mechanism. It could catch anything from birds to goats. Another is a tube snare. You must use bait so prey would be lured to set it off. A single trap or a single snare would not yield you a catch but a trap line of 20 to 30 of these, after ascertaining where prey would most likely pass or visit.

Related to these is the chapter on Food Preservation and Cooking. If you can eat a deer all in one setting, well and good. You are very fortunate to still possess a healthy appetite. Meat rots in a short span of time. During survival, meat can be preserved and its edibility can be extended for a few more hours to several months. You can boil it. You can dry it. You can smoke it. Or you can cook it with its own oil from its fat.

Fish can be preserved by drying and by smoking. Fruits can be digested after a drying session and provide you natural sugar. Common rootcrops has high starch value and should be cooked, by all means possible, to remove toxins. Famine crops need to be immersed in running water for five days before cooking. Salt and vinegar are good food preservatives. Vinegar can be sourced from any palm.

Since there is still a few hours of daylight, I collected bamboo poles and teach them how to create an improvised cooking vessel, specifically designed to cook anything save frying with oil. I employ my Trailhawk System for this which also includes how rice is cooked, which is so different from the rest of the country. It is a Visayan technique which finds its origin in cooking milled corn.

 

After assigning them into seven groups of six persons each, the participants begin the process of making bamboo cooking vessels and, as a community; they use one firepit to cook all seven bamboos in a line. Everyone lend their hands for their group by feeding more firewood or peering into the chamber to observe the tell-tale bubbles. I leave them to their devices and seek out the comfort of my hammock. I am so tired. 

When I receive news that the rice is all cooked, we proceed with Nocturnal Hunting. There is an assigned area for this and all would hike in darkness with headlights and hand torch looking for edible tree snails. After an hour, each group returned empty-handed. There is not much left. I was hoping even though our camp is near human habitations. I later found out that the area is a man-made forest of introduced trees which no indigenous fauna would make home.

Anyway, the catering service provided Plan B and everybody made amends with their hungry stomachs while half of them made many trips to the buffet table. A campfire is lighted up early by the youngsters when we went foraging leaving us with just a few firewood to start another Campfire Yarns and Storytelling. We decide to ditch this night activity so all could sleep early and recover from the torture of a hungry day.

The final day, April 9, is the one marked as an official holiday. Before, it commemorates the Fall of Bataan, and was named as Bataan Day. Then they changed that to Araw ng Kagitingan, which is “Day of Courage” if you translate it into English. To honor our fallen heroes, we raise the Philippine Flag and sing the National Hymn. We follow it up with the Oath to Flag and Country.

After the formalities, the Blade Porn begins. I have never seen so many blades before when I started my bushcraft camps eight years ago. The whole of Panay, comprising the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique produce their own distinctive battle and utility blades which are laid before me side-by-side with branded blades and those from other regions. It filled to the brim one 8-ft. by 8-ft. laminated nylon sheet and needed another sheet to accommodate more. It is a collector’s delight.

I have to finish the rest of the topics and proceed with Navigation and Understanding Trails. This is more on traditional navigation which use the natural terrain, shadows and the sky fixtures for travel; avoiding obstacles and exposed areas; and knowing how to identify signs on trails made by both animals and humans.

Following that is Understanding Cold Weather. During survival, exposure to the elements is expected. There are five physical mechanisms that steal away body heat and the things that we should do to keep us constantly warm.

Last topic is Outdoors Common Sense. This is based from my yet unpublished book, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. It is about trail courtesy and behavior while on the trail; choosing the best campsites; practicing stealth camping; increasing individual safety and security; wildlife encounters; and introduce people to the idea of Blend, Adapt and Improvise.

After the training, there is the giving of training certificates for the participants and the certificate of appreciation for me, Randy, Derek, Jonathan and Ernie. Then the most awaited part, the giveaways, is raffled off to the participants. At the top of the ladder is a beautiful Schrade knife, courtesy of Classic Blade Exchange. Then you have more ESEE knives, Marbles Arkansas stones, survival items by SOL and UST from CBX.

More blade giveaways came from the Knifemaker of Mandaue City and locally-made blades courtesy of Filipino Traditional Blades begun to find new owners, as well as camping and hiking accessories from Silangan Outdoor Equipment and from PAC Gear. This is the highlight of the day and, after lunch, everyone break camp and made it to their cars and pickups. 

I have a long day ahead tomorrow with Randy, Ernie and Jonathan but it would be another adventure and another article, perhaps. My grandfather’s journey came full circle as I delivered the survival instructions for IMC and WVCA, which I came to understand was the most I handled in my many years teaching this. I counted and signed 49 certificates.

Oh, I almost forgot. My grandfather taught me these skills when I was 6 years old until I was 8. He was from Lambunao, Iloilo. He left his hometown when he was 12 on a one-way trip to Cebu. He lived by his own wits there and almost fought in Europe during World War I as a Philippine Scout; he became a three-term municipal councilor, a lawyer, started a family, a professor and survived World War II as a most-wanted guerrilla officer in Bohol.

I cut my teeth under him. He is no other than the late Gervasio Lavilles, the wellspring that made Cebu a Chartered City. It is an honor to impart what I learned from him back to his native soil. It came at a most appropriate time, Araw ng Kagitingan. He was an unsung hero. 

Document done in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

Photos courtesy of JM Alabe Mejorada of IMC/WVCA

NAPO TO BABAG TALES CXXX: A Different Kind of Wilderness Survival Camp

THIS IS A STRANGE CROWD that I am facing today, March 23, 2018. Ricky Petiluna, the event organizer had assembled one which looked like it came straight out of Bohemia. Ricky himself is a front act of a local death metal band, the Kryptic Skulls. I assume the rest of the band are here and the rest are its fan base.

This band has a different philosophy. They are enchanted with nature and the outdoors. Everytime they have out-of-town gigs, they make it sure that, after the klieg lights, after the ear-splitting music, after the exhausting performance, after the shrieking crowds, they go straight to the hills of their hosts and launch their own nature appreciation therapy.

It has a different energy and it travels through their soundbytes. This event and the participation is testament to that. A couple of Boy Scouts took the opportunity when it was posted in Facebook and hanged on to the call of the wild. The venue would be at a place I designate as Camp Xi, easy to access but tricky to find.

 

All the participants are accounted for at the parking lot of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. We all proceed to the trailhead of Napo, the gateway to the Babag Mountain Range, Cebu City, Philippines. Going to assist me are Ernie Salomon, Jonathaniel Apurado and Randy Salazar. Their mere presence already elicits awe among participants as they have created names for themselves in our small outdoors sub-culture of bushcraft.

After a hike of an hour through the beautiful trails of Sapangdaku Valley, we cross a stream and ascend a ridge leading to Camp Xi. The campsite is ready with a good water source 150 meters away – spring, waterfall and stream; separate latrines for men and women; a firepit with adequate firewood; and a grassy meadow to welcome individual shelters.

The participants set up their tents and simple shelters. Some opt to find places to hang a hammock. After claiming their spots, I let them prepare their meals for lunch. Ernie and Jon cook the food for the four of us camp staff. I would start the training after siesta and that would be at 13:00. The weather is warm and humid assuring us sunshine all the way.

Before proceeding to the first topic, I talk about the purpose and the design of the BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE. You see, the mountains consist of harsh environments, steep inclines, high elevations and unpredictable weather patterns. It is remote yet people visit these places to chase passions and desires. Accidents are most likely to happen there in a flash.

After that, I proceed to the Introduction to Survival. Survival is different from bushcraft. It is immediate and would bend rules and morality in the pursuit of life – of surviving. That is a hard reality which all survivors must live with while in the course of their dire consequences and the thereafter.

While nobody has that ultimate technique to survive accidents and calamities, a prepared mind would, at least, be blest by chance. Surviving the initial impact is one half of it while ensuring your survival until help comes in is the other half of that. In between, the mind controls everything from the way you think and even to the release of adrenaline. Your brain is a supercomputer but, unfortunately, it could only process one thought at a time.

Survival situations demand that you stay tough after the initial impact. Mental stability and toughness are very important characteristics of a survivor. You must develop a survival mindset. Do not engage in prolonged mind games of fantasy and false hopes. You should rein in your mind so you would not release excess adrenaline and cause you more confusions in a very stringent moment.

The best thing to do is stay still and fill up your lungs with oxygen. Your brain need it most to help you process thoughts. You are now in a high state of agitation and so does your brain. Your brain will be in hyper mode, collating and processing many thoughts all at the same time which is beyond human capacity. We can do so one thought at a time only. Just stay still and breathe regularly, supplying your blood system with oxygen.

In the hierarchy of needs and of nutrition in a survival situation, water is always on the top of the scales of both. Rightly so, for we are in the tropics and humidity plays a big role. With that, we surrender perspiration by the acts of our exertions and by what the climatic conditions imposed on us. Along with the lost moisture, is our body heat which we let go without our knowing.

When you stay still in one place, you lessen wastage of moisture and body heat. Then you confine the latter by setting up a shelter (if you still have one) or make one from scratch. That is the second need. The third would be food then warmth. Although food, and even water, would give you warmth, but heat from a naked flame or from the rays of the sun or from a person’s body is solace. Last is security which would complement well with the rest.

Our body has four hypothetical storage tanks that need to be replenished from time to time during survival. First is constant rehydration that would offset dehydration. Second is food that would give you nutrients, carbohydrates and proteins. Third is sugar which is converted by enzymes for your adrenaline rush. Fourth is fat, hardest to find in the tropics yet are wrapped as tissues in our body.

The next topic is about Water Sanitation and Hydration. The first chapter had mentioned the importance of water during survival. Water could be sourced from natural springs, water seeps, water holes, flowing streams, the atmosphere and from plants. It could be sanitized through boiling, through filtration and by desalination. It is wise to cache water  or travel early and take advantage of shady places and breeze if you happen to have less.

We move fast to the third topic of the day which is Knife Care and Safety. The knife is a tool and should not be used to what it was not designed for like digging latrine holes and as pry bars. It is a vital piece of equipment that should be properly handled and cared for because it is your link to your surviving. In all training I conducted, knife etiquette is learned first before you touch a knife.

Besides my rules, there is a knife law that forbids the display, even of concealed carrying, in public places unless you are in a lawful activity, which we are in right now. A knife should be in a sturdy sheath when travelling and should be unsheathed when at home to keep it from rust. There are many kinds of knives and it is important that you know the parts, blade shapes, grind styles and the tang designs. You must also learn how to field sharpen a knife.

After the much appreciated instructions about the knife, we move on to Survival Tool Making. Making a tool is essential in survival or even when not in that situation. I showed them the most basic of tools like the digging stick, traps and snares from pieces of bamboo that I was able to obtain, and the batoning stick.

I let the participants practice their knife dexterity by making their own spoons, jugs and cooking pots from poles of bamboo. They work in groups of five and closely supervised. Before 17:00, the groups managed to finish their tools. The first day lecture just end and everyone goes to prepare their dinner.

The first evening of the day is reserved for the Campfire Yarns and Storytelling. This had become tradition after it had its first introduction in 2011 during the first Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp. With the campfire as the center of social life, participants sit in a wide circle listening to funny tales and anecdotes, usually fueled by a moderate dose of alcohol. This last activity for the day ended at 23:00.

The second day, March 24, begin with Notches. There are five basic notches that are used regularly in bushcraft. These are commonly used in building shelters and creating tools. Again this is another exercise of knife dexterity together with the baton stick. Another stick is supplied each participant and they proceed to carve the five notches there.

The next chapter is Foraging and Plant Identification. Foraging food in the wilderness or on unfamiliar terrain can be very taxing to the mind. When you are stressed and hungry, you tend to remove all caution. Looks can be very deceiving in the tropics like fruits, leaves, nuts, roots, flowers and mushrooms. Likewise, you need to evade harmful plants while travelling your way in a jungle.

Short term food would be grub, tree snails, fresh-water shrimps and crabs and frogs. These can be picked by hand. Cook it if you must to remove parasites and bacteria. Long term food are meat from mammals, fish, birds and reptiles. For that, you must use a weapon, traps and snares. Traps could be anything designed to lure prey into a simple contraption of a hollow bamboo or a dam of rocks. It must work with the terrain, with gravity and the habits of creatures.

Snares are more complex. It has a spring mechanism and a trigger mechanism which would be initiated by the prey. Showed the students a very common snare employing a pressure-trigger mechanism. It could catch anything from birds to goats. Then again, you must use bait so prey would be lured to step on it. A single trap or a single snare would not yield you a catch but a trap line of 20 to 30 snares or traps would after ascertaining where would the prey would most likely pass or visit.

Related to these is the chapter on Food Preservation and Cooking. If you can eat a deer all in one setting, well and good. You are very fortunate to still possess a healthy appetite. Meat rot in a short span of time. During survival, meat can be preserved and its edibility can be extended for a few more hours to several months. You can boil it. You can dry it. You can smoke it. Or you can cook it with its own oil from its fat.

Fish can be preserved by drying and by smoking. Fruits can be digested after a drying session and provide you natural sugar. Common rootcrops, has high starch value, and should be cooked, by all means possible, to remove toxins and poison. Famine rootcrops need to be immersed in running water for five days before cooking. Salt and vinegar are good food preservatives. Vinegar can be sourced from any palm.

Last chapter for the day is Fire, Fuel and Campfire Safety. You cannot make a fire if one or all elements are not present, namely: fuel, heat and air. Lately, they added a fourth element – chemical reaction. Fire-making is 80% common sense, 10% skill and 10% perspiration. We are talking about the friction methods. Your fire can start if you can acquire and identify the right tinder, if you are in a dry place, and if you have the patience.

Aside from friction, there is the conventional method which are exemplified by the use of matchsticks, lighters, ferro rods and the flint and steel. Then there is solar magnification which can be done with magnifying glass. Then you have pressurized air, exemplified by the fire piston. Showed them how to use the flint and steel, which I paired with charclothe, and the ferro rod. I also showed them how to make a tinder bundle. 

Showed them how the bow drill method is made and spun. Unfortunately, I could only make thick smoke as sawdust embers refused to light up my tinder. Too humid. Likewise, for the bamboo method. It is now late afternoon and dusk is just around the corner. I let others try the bowdrill, the bamboo, the ferro rod, and the flint and steel.

In this second day, all the participants are exposed to a whole day of fasting. They have to experience the pangs of hunger. The stomach would crave for food and would challenge their concentration. It would increase drowsiness, decrease attention span as the humidity, the uncomfortable situation, even the crawling insects place them in an irritating mood.

After securing the fire, the four groups consisting of 5-6 participants each, begin their quest for dinner. Rice is cooked inside bamboo poles and when it is done, they go to the next phase, which is Nocturnal Hunting. No food, no dinner. All looked for edible snails on trees and fresh-water crabs on the stream. There was good foraging and Ernie cooked it for them, gourmet style. 

The second edition of the Campfire Yarns and Storytelling starts and wonderful tales begun to unravel, much more so when bottles of local brandy mysteriously appeared from out of nowhere, courtesy of two very resourceful participants, who hunted something different other than snails and crabs. The night extended well beyond midnight until the last drops have been consumed.

The third and last day, March 25, start with Customizing the Survival Kit. It is better that survival kits are made from scratch than bought commercially because a survival kit’s size and its components depends upon the type of the activity you are indulging in and the kind of environment you are going to visit. Your personal preference still matters.

Next comes Navigation and Understanding Trails. It is more on traditional navigation which use the natural terrain, shadows and the sky fixtures for travel; avoiding obstacles and exposed areas; and knowing how to identify signs on trails made by both animals and humans. Following that is Understanding Cold Weather. During survival, exposure to the elements is expected. There are five physical mechanisms that steal away body heat and the things that we should do to keep us constantly warm.

The last chapter is Outdoors Common Sense. This is the subject matter that I based from my yet unpublished book, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. It is about trail courtesy and behavior while on the trail; choosing the best campsites; practicing stealth camping; increasing individual safety and security; wildlife encounters; and introduce people the idea of Blend, Adapt and Improvise.

After I have closed the training camp, I let them witness how the Blade Porn looks like. This is another bushcraft tradition which is unique in itself and is not found in any outdoor disciplines. This is a staple of good conversations and Randy explained to the crowd the innate qualities of each blade. A few of the participants place their blades to the collection and they begin to understand the purpose of this.

After an early lunch, we break camp and walk down the ridge to another different ridge, crossing a bit into Kalunasan. We finally reach the road at 14:00 and a transport begins to transfer the participants back to Guadalupe. This was one of the best survival training camp put together by an independent organizer. The participants are provided an event t-shirt and a badge plus a giveaway. Congratulations Ricky, I see one future bushmaster in you. Some day.

Document in LibreOffice 5.3 Writer

BUSHCRAFT BUHISAN XLI: Common Sense

WHEN I CONDUCT OUTDOOR CLASSES involving fewer than seven persons or if I find a few participants who are not athletic enough to withstand the rigors of my best campsites, I turn to the ones that I had chosen before as best for these conditions. Usually, it is either at Camp Xi or on the original site of Camp Damazo where the first Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp was held. Whichever, both are in Cebu and are in proximity to streams where the things needed to run a bushcraft camp are found.

Camps intended for bushcraft are not your ordinary tent-city-camps which you most likely see in massed-climbing-crazy-Philippine-mountains. There is a wide chasm in its choice of location, its design and purpose, its appearance and its occupants. There is no comparison and yet it shares its calling in the outdoors. Mountains bring in people and it is mystery to most because of our human instinct for novelty which satisfies the senses and the feelings and converts it to a rewarding experience.

Rewarding is deemed subjective depending on which ground you are setting afoot. In bushcraft, it is primeval in nature because there never is or was a bald and bland moment. Bushcraft would never use a bald camp nor it is tethered to an inorganic and alien ideology. It relishes at its absence and the want of it, simply because it knows the psychological restraints this Western idea is being imposed on people and their organizations by individuals who knows no better, stunting creative growth by the blind subservience of it.

There is nothing spectacular in bushcraft camps for it lay hidden in forests or what we call as places below treeline. I do not want high exposed places nor would I want a sea of clouds for it is immaterial and just a girl-thing. It is just a fantasy created by tour organizers to make quick money from star-struck tourists and gullible campers looking for romantic flings. Living for the day is the evil thereof and I look forward instead to tomorrow and the days after that which only bushcraft can answer.

I cannot understand why people love to camp on lake beds but I can understand a very few intelligent ones of why they do not. It is beyond necessity and comfort and conventionally-acquired mindsets because it is just common sense. It is not learned in universities and in Google. It is learned by looking but not looking. By looking at places where no one takes a second look. In bushcraft, you can see these small discoveries because you do not stand out. You can learn these things and it becomes a passion.

Little by little, bushcraft is now the haunt of people who, in their better days, chased their passions of peaks, adventures and romance. They were part of that mainstream crowd who flocked the mountains in every chance possible when massed-climbing was then acceptable as it is still now and glorified even more. Why the change of heart? Simple. They have ended their search. It was with them all the time when they were looking for it. It is called Common Sense.

Common sense is not common anymore. You hear of people burning their expensive tents and their eyebrows by cooking inside it. Why? They were camping on bald peaks and it was so windy, so foggy, so rainy and so cold outside and the only sensible place to keep away from those was inside the tent. Then you hear stories of grass fires on campsites. What happened? A smart guy wanted to show off his Boy Scout campfire skills on the wrong place: a bald peak where the wind always lay supreme.

You have these same people walking in one single line following their leader walking on mud and slipping all the time. On the other hand, local people walked on drier ground beside the trail, amused and entertained at their sight, but could not grasp somehow the idea of walking in mud is a hobby. It does not make sense, is it not? Common sense always disappear when obsession and arrogance of interpreting something you cannot fathom (yes, ignorance too) take hold of you.

The surest way to have common sense is when you get married and start a family that all assumptions of your “greatness” are thrown asunder. Take it from me. I have seen them all and they disappeared from the scene forever. What is left of them is that wishful thought of a second coming which they loved to let people know in Facebook. When would that be when you are a potato couch in your profile pictures? You are already an organizer’s nightmare. You have earned enough of common sense, so do not waste it at your one last shot of “greatness”.

As hard as it may seem for a second coming, however, there are a few places in the outdoors where it can become a reality. One of these is glamour camping. You do not have to walk far because you use an SUV. Set up your ancient tent and relive your glory days with your own kind. In the long run, however, it does not make sense. It overshoots the expenses that you have had when you were still lean and strong and free-spending and people for company are getting less and less. And you are still a potato couch in your pictures!

Bushcraft is easy on these kind of people. It does not force you to walk far and it does not drain your pocket. It does not need a lot of people for company. You can be an island of your own, contrary to that cliché of “no man is an island”. You tend to shy away from these colorful-clothed adrenaline-loving folks as you begin to patronize your own favorite places which you kept secret. You can do your own thing far from prying eyes of these naysayers who do not know anything about outdoors common sense.

I brought three guys for a three-day learning camp at the old Camp Damazo last November 12, 2016. Two of them had left their mark in the outdoors as part of that mainstream outdoor culture. They simply have outgrown it and diverted their passions instead to the unspoiled ground called bushcraft. They will cover new ground and programmed their time to attend the BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE. Few people could appreciate what is bushcraft and their idea of it are narrowed down either on Bear Grylls or with the Aetas which is not even near enough.

It was a short early morning walk to a man-made forest where even old men could thrive. There is a trail that led to a small stream then downstream to the campsite. We claimed the old camp as ours and set up our shelters. A single tent appeared on the widest ground courtesy of Vlad Lumbab, who will share space with his office crew, Michael Sacristan. Another Michael (Schwarz), of German ancestry and an active outdoorsman, set up his wonderful-looking chocolate hammock with matching canopy between two teak trees.

I claimed my own spot in between two trunks for my rust-colored hammock and a light gray canopy. Immediately after that, we start a fire to acquire woodsmoke on our bodies and clothes and to smoke out varmints away. It was very trying on wood that was found half dry but, nevertheless, we did produce its assuring presence. Boiling water for coffee is the first order of the day and with that coffee you can organize things better like starting the first chapter, which is Introduction to Survival.

Everything has its place in the wilderness and in the human psyche once you get past the hurdles of the initial impact or shock. The brain, the nerve center and the processor of all thoughts relating to your appreciation of life, will be harder to please than you would have expected it to be. It would be like installing an anti-virus software into an affected CPU without reformatting its system. The psychology of surviving depends upon your choice of location, your common sense and, take note, oxygen intake.

If you can perceive better than what your panic-induced thoughts dictate you then you are on your way to a better standing. Stay still, close your eyes and breathe deeply, and think! Your first and foremost priority would be water and water is indispensable on that very moment and wherever you may be. Water is oil to a machinery and that is the first of the four hypothetical tanks that you should immediately refill. It is also the first in the hierarchy of needs in a survival situation.

The second need is shelter where you have to take rest and conserve your waning energy, comfortable and safe enough from exposure to wind-chill, rain, wildlife and opportunistic humans. If you have a temporary refuge, nutrition would be your next need and the second hypothetical tank to top off. Food is your source of energy and, probably, will provide you sugar, which is hard to find in the wilderness unless you have good background in plants, and fat which is almost absent in the tropics. Both sugar and fat are what consist of the remaining two hypothetical tanks to fill in.

The hierarchy of needs does not have to follow a prescribed set as long as water is on top of the tier and warmth should also be there after either shelter or food or before each or both. Warmth from a fire during a cold night or from direct sunlight after a downpour are very reassuring and heralds the rising of a confidence to survive and the appreciation of life. Your last need which will complement all your needs during survival is security. Failing to secure one or two needs would bring you back to square one. Living for the day is the evil thereof. Prepare for tomorrow and the days after.

Preparation is part of survival even when it is still not happening. One of the things that a lot of hikers fail to appreciate is a survival kit. To them it is additional weight. They threw caution and good common sense to the wind because it challenges them or they know none. They believe that it will not happen to them because they had carefully planned their trip and studied the weather forecasts. What they do not know is they are in an environment which is difficult to comprehend with an erratic weather system that can not be predicted!

Of course, having a survival kit can not change the conditions of mountains and weather but you would cringe at the thought of having none when you find yourself lost in the dark, hungry and dumb! A survival kit at your reach is better than having none. Now, what consists a survival kit? In this chapter I discuss a subject matter which I have had talked many times to a lot of outdoor clubs and individuals – Customizing Your Survival Kit.

Actually, one can be purchased commercially that is designed for those who wanted to have all they need in a small tin box. It is compact, light and does not take space but despite its contents, you wished it was big enough to fit in with extra food and first aid items. Customizing your survival kit is the best approach and it is easy. Design it to the environment where you are going to and to the type of activity you are participating in. Personal preference is your guide. Redundancy works here like torches and fire tools.

After the two chapters we take a break to prepare food for lunch. The fire had died down and, once again, we revived the campfire which is not always that easy in a very humid environment. But by our own efforts, we were able to give life to one and the participants proceed on the business of cooking their meals. Vlad uses his “fire basket” and it is a very efficient equipment, much like a hobo stove, but square and collapsible. I use my simple folding trivet to hold the pot above the flame instead of a traditional trio of stones.

Rain comes and I hit a dead end. I let the participants take their siesta. The humidity is really oppressive and, besides, there is not much you can do when drops of rain fall down on you and on paper. Not a good time to induce their attention for another lecture. It is really uncomfortable and I have experienced this so many times. Fortunately for me, this was not scheduled for two short days. If it were, I would be stressed out.

An hour of siesta was good and ripe for the resumption of our journey. Water Sanitation and Rehydration takes the next chapter and then navigates to the next which is Knife Care and Safety. Another vital item that people do not always entertain of bringing is the knife. In bushcraft, each individual carries at least three different blades for different kinds of work. A knife is a tool and as long as you do not grow a good set of titanium teeth and fingernails you would need it. If you do carry a knife, you will have to learn all things about the knife, ethics and the law regulating knife carry.

I decide to reschedule the brief chapter of Cold Weather Mechanisms and Heat Retention today instead of tomorrow. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow and also I need us to work on our fire while there is still daylight. That means we have to forage dry firewood which would be rare after that downpour. Satisfied with the stride of five chapters, I call it a day and pursue our bigger tasks for the rest of the day.

When we had eaten dinner, it was time for a Campfire Yarns and Storytelling. The fire burned as it is fed from time to time. The night is cold and the reflection of a rising moon, almost at its full strength, begins to be felt on the sky. Frogs compete with the usual night sounds as the flame flickered and hissed as drops of dew fell from a leaf. A flask of local brandy provided the fuel and as soon as it ran its course it was already half past ten.

The second day (November 13) promises to be a better one. The skies are clear and we will have company. After groping with the business of coaxing a fire to life, drinking coffee becomes part of this ritual. A light breakfast followed and then the chapter on Traditional Land Navigation. Early travellers used the streams as routes and why cannot modern men do the same? On this same manner, they have utilized celestial bodies like the sun, moon and the stars, seriously analyzing terrain and shadows before proceeding, and marking many references.

Company came in the form of the great guys from the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild who arrived in the middle of the first lecture for the day. Led by Jhurds Neo and Aljew Frasco, I could not have been more proud. These guys showed that Cebu’s bushcraft community is active and thriving. They had with them guests, some future enthusiasts perhaps, exposing them to the brand of outdoors which this guild is very well versed at.

Next chapter is Foraging and Plant ID. Foraging covers hunting and trapping. A simple bamboo tube perfectly placed can trap a creature on land or in water. Snares are more complex as it employ a spring-and-trigger mechanism activated by the prey. All of these do not work if you do not know how to outwit or lure prey. Identifying a plant for its nutritional value is easy but it is best you suspect each plant. Soon we will be foraging bamboo on another location and I would identify for them wild plants that they need to evade or love.

This hike is part of that chapter. It is now near noon but we will forego of lunch. Fasting to imitate the pangs of hunger is part of psyching up to the real thing. Walking hungry and uncomfortable in an environment where you have no total control of by its unfamiliarity and by adherence to a set of protocols imposed can be very daunting. We arrive at the site where bamboos grow and taught them the finer art of bushcraft with regards to cutting and harvesting, and how to dispose the unused part so it can be used next time.

From this activity, the chapter on Survival Tool Making begins and then Firecraft. Tools made from nature come in handy as it extends the life of your knife with the manufacture of digging sticks, trapping applications, fire-making implements and eating utensils. The Philippines is blessed to have so much bamboo and making a cooking vessel from these to cook something is just natural. We have readied a pot employing my Trailhawk system and another pot system popularized by the Aetas made by the German Michael.

Firecraft is just perfect for this moment. It had not rained and the air is almost dry but I have to digest to them what is this thing called the fire triangle, a tinder, a kindling, and where are the best firewood foraged? On purpose, I let them experience starting a fire with firewood instinctively sourced from where they saw it, mostly from the ground. Unknown to them, good firewood are found where their eyes have missed. A fire would later erupt with none of the difficulties encountered the past one and 1/2 days.

Firecraft lessons navigated from the ferro rod set to the flint-and-steel and to the two friction methods that I often taught – the one employing dry bamboos and the bowdrill. We have not had success with the drill but it smoked with burnt odor and so were lots of sweat. The bamboo snared us great success instead and a wide smile for everyone. After this, we begun the cooking of rice inside the two bamboos and readied for Nocturnal Hunting.

The stream is empty of crabs. We were in a wrong occasion. The moon is at its brightest! I have noticed it last night. I searched for tree snails and I found none either. There is the warty toad that the German found but I would not bet on that as food. Retreating to the camp, we subsist on leftover food from last night. The good thing is the guys from Camp Red had left us enough spirits before they said goodbye for another round of Campfire Yarns and Storytelling. We observe taps at exactly twelve midnight.

The last day – November 14 – promises another good day and the campfire is revived for the last time for coffee. One more chapter to talk about – Outdoors Common Sense – and this is taken as an excerpt from my still-unfinished book ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT. It instills the simple truths of “Blend, Adapt and Improvise”. It zooms in on the choice of colors for clothes and shelter, trail ethics, campsite locations and campfire size, and how you act in case of wildlife encounters which in bushcraft are frequent.

After breaking camp at nine we go back to where we were two days ago. From there, we hired motorcycles to bring us back to Guadalupe and partake of brunch at my favorite spot after every outdoor stint. Vlad and his sidekick, Michael, got each a Seseblade Sinalung knife courtesy of Dr. Arvin Sese, while the German Michael gets a Camp Red patch and a soap-sized beeswax courtesy of Warrior Pilgrimage. Most of all, I am happy to hand them the certificates, which described the sum of good outdoors common sense learned in three days.

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THE TRAILHAWK JOURNEYS: Antipolo Wilderness Survival Class

I AM ON BOARD an Air Asia airplane that had already been delayed by two hours for Manila.  The flurry of announcements and non-announcements about the prohibition of the carrying of guns and deadly weapons during travel in an election period have left me fang-less.  It is strange to travel without my blades considering that I need these in the course of my work.  I am now a full-time survival instructor and I am coming over to teach people wilderness survival.  For that matter, my bag even if it is the bigger Habagat Viajero is strangely light.

The Climbers League for Ideal Mountaineering and Balanced Environmental Responsiveness (CLIMBER) had contracted me to have 34 of their graduates of previous outdoor trainings take the BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE for two days.  CLIMBER is a non-stock non-profit organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission that is dedicated primarily for outdoors education with the 7 Principles of the Leave No Trace as its bedrock.  Contrary to common perception, it is not a mountaineering club.

It is composed of responsible outdoorsmen whose skills and experience are varied and wide and pooled these together to create the best Basic Mountaineering Course syllabus in this country which, as of this writing, is now on its twelfth class.  They have some of the best instructors which are the best in their fields like Reggie Pablo (high-altitude mountaineering), Lester Susi (land navigation), Billy Morales (ropesmanship) and master educator Erick Suliguin (LNT).  CLIMBER is ably lead by Bong Magana, Jay Z Jorge and Sidney Orendain.

The plane touched down at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Tarmac 4 on the evening of January 22, 2016 and I was whisked by Sidney and companion to the Mall of Asia’s Bayfront area where I was treated to an al fresco dinner and cold beer.  In a little while, Jay Z and wife Carla fetch me from there and we proceed to their home in Navotas which, perchance has it, becomes my home away from home.  I am not tired from the travel but overly excited for tomorrow’s activity.

In the early morning of January 23, Jay Z, Carla and I travel from Navotas to Antipolo City in their old but very reliable Toyota.  I learned that most of the participants for my training are already at the Spring of Life Adventure Camp.  This is the same place that I have taught members of the Mountain Climbers Alliance of the Philippines (MCAP) in October 2013 where both Jay Z and Carla attended.  Basically, this is the same course that I am teaching today except that I have added a single new chapter.

Setting up of shelters are ongoing and I choose my spot to secure my rust-colored Tingguian Tribe Sierra hammock underneath a silvery white Apexus canopy between two trunks.  The weather is perfect and I do not expect rain today although it would be cooler than usual at this latitude which is four degrees north above my dearly warm Cebu.  Over my shoulders, I expect the swarm of mites that originate from a nearby stag farm which have tormented me the last time but it never came. 

After the opening ceremonies, I got my chance to be introduced to the 34 individuals sitting inside the main hall facing me which I locked in memory with selfie shots.  Speaking about myself would have to be minimized because, from this moment onward, there will be eleven chapters which would need to be discussed within a span of two days.  I feel the pressure but I am used to it and I would have to improvise later on if it fits to be so.  All are excited at the prospect of learning survival and bushcraft.

While I would love to teach bushcraft, it might go against the grain of each individual’s belief in and interpretation of Leave No Trace.  LNT, to the most cerebral amongst us, is but a guide and an idea by which self is bound to live by, whereas, to those who cannot see beyond the true spirit by which LNT was established, it is used as a rule instead and imposed upon on other individuals.  That said, I rather not antagonize the latter by taking the middle ground teaching Basic Wilderness Survival Course to the mountaineering community.

Survival is different from bushcraft.  It is immediate and would bend rules and morality in the pursuit of life – of surviving.  That is a hard reality which all survivors must live with while in the course of their dire consequences and the thereafter.  On the other hand, the mountains consists of harsh environments, steep inclines, high elevations and unpredictable weather patterns.  It is remote yet people visit these places to chase passions and desires.  Accidents are most likely to happen there in a flash.

Chapter 1 is Introduction to Survival.  While nobody has that ultimate technique and answer to survive accidents and calamities, a prepared mind would, at least, be blest by chance.  Surviving the initial impact is one half of it while ensuring your survival until help comes in is the other half of that.  In between, the mind controls everything from the way you think and even to the release of adrenaline.  Your brain is a supercomputer but, unfortunately, it could only process one thought at a time.  

When in a survival situation, your brain works double time and, in the process, use up huge amounts of body heat, water and oxygene and inadvertently releases adrenaline for no apparent reason just like you would experience when getting lost or just plain hiking in darkness.  It is best that you stop and sit still like a rock, close eyes and breathe deeply, gather all your senses and rehydrate.  You would need water and it is your first priority to keep your blood flowing so your brain would work properly.

In the hierarchy of needs and of nutrition in a survival situation, water is tops on both.  Why?  Because we are in the tropics and the body is surrendering perspiration due to humidity and by your exertions.  Along with that, goes our body heat also which you do not know.  To sit still would minimize these wastage and keep these confined by setting up a shelter – if you still have one, or make one from scratch.  This is the second need.  The third would be food then warmth.  Last is security which would complement well with the rest.

Our body has four hypothetical tanks that needs to be replenished during survival.  First is constant rehydration that would offset dehydration.  Second is food that would give you nutrients, carbohydrates and proteins.  Third - sugar converted by enzymes for your adrenaline rush. Fourth is fat, hardest to find in the tropics yet are wrapped as tissues in our body.  Then, lastly, make sure your body is supplied with adequate oxygene.  Keep those air passages free of obstacles.  Might as well practice personal hygiene during survival.  It helps to have both a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Chapter 2 is about the Survival Kit.  It is better that survival kits are made from scratch than bought commercially because a survival kit’s size and its components depends upon the type of the activity you are in to and the kind of environment you are going on to.  Your personal touch on a vital equipment is very important to you should it be needed.  Its components are the medical kit, the replenishment pouch, the repair kit and the survival knife.  It could all be integrated in one container and should be waterproofed.

I came without my knives because I am beholden to CLIMBER to come here without a snag and make their event successful.  If I had insisted to, it could go either ways.  Anyway, Dr. Arvin Sese of Seseblade had provided me the free use (and its ownership later on) of a Seseblade Nessmuk.  Aside that, Jay Z brought his Seseblade Tabak which I also have the good liberty of using later on.  The participants will have their hands full with eighteen Seseblade knives available for sale like the Mountaineer, the NCO, the Pinahig and the popular Sinalung only after I have discussed Chapter 3, Knife Care and Safety.

The knife is a tool and should not be used to what it was not designed for like digging latrine holes and as pry bars.  It is a vital piece of equipment that should be properly handled and cared for because it is your link to your surviving.  Carrying and using it demands good knife etiquette which you can only learn in this type of trainings.  Besides that, there is a knife law that forbids the display and concealed carrying in public places unless you are in a lawful activity, which we are right now.  A knife should be in a sturdy sheath when travelling - for safety - and should be unsheathed when at home to keep it from rust.

I jump to Chapter 5, which is about Water.  The first chapter had mentioned the importance of water during survival.  Water could be sourced from natural springs, water seeps, man-made water holes, flowing streams, the atmosphere and from plants.  It could be cleansed by boiling, by chlorine tablets, betadine drops, exposure to heat, through filtration and by desalination.  It is wise to cache water in your survival camp or travel early and take advantage of shady places and breeze if you happen to have less.

We take a lunch break 30 minutes before 12:00.  Everybody proceed to their tents and group campsites to prepare their food.  I see fire being made to work up embers on charcoal.  There will be meat grilled above it soon.  While it had not started yet, I secretly place a small can filled with cuts of denim on the fire.  I will make charclothe for tomorrow’s fire-making activity.  I believe my meal is taken cared of by the organizers and I will be joining them.  After lunch, I foraged used bamboos for a class activity and other materials for my next lessons. 

By early afternoon, all assembled back at the main hall.  I need to jump further to Chapter 7 and discuss Foraging and Plant Identification.  During survival, you would need to gather food and non-food items.  Food could be meat and proteins which would only be sourced from animals and insects.  Catching animals would be very tricky and you would have to make use of traps and snares.  Food can also be sourced from edible plants.  It is fundamental that you know these because it is everywhere.  It is also important that you know the harmful ones.  Showed them photos of stingy, thorny and poisonous plants.

We go back to Chapter 4.  This is Survival Tool Making and, after this, they can use their knives.  Tool making is essential in survival or even when not in that situation.  I showed them the most basic of tools like the digging stick, cordage from a banana trunk, traps and snares from bamboo, and the batoning stick, which they would need when cutting up bamboos for their cooking pots and for their spoons and drinking jugs.  I assign 5-6 participants each to six groups for the conjoined pots employing each the Trailhawk System of cooking. 

The cooling temperature of a late afternoon coupled with rest have soothed the nerves caused by pressures to which I exposed myself teaching, talking and making my mind work a notch higher than was expected to deliver the lessons coherently and consistently.  The chance to take a bath made half of this outdoors seminar a history.  Now I am joining the organizers in their long table for a fine supper of medium rare liver, mung bean soup and a huge tuna jaw.  Cold beer flowed thereafter and it becomes a long night.  By 01:30, I checked into my inviting hammock. 

The second and final day – January 24 – started with Chapter 6.  This is about Shelters.  Before setting up one, it must be noted that you are in the safest of places.  It should not be near streams, dead trees, trails, water sources and underneath a forest of pines, cedars, pulpwood, eucalyptus and rubber trees.  You should take advantage too of early evening thermals.  Then the lecture proceed to Chapter 10, which is Traditional Navigation.  It uses the natural terrain, shadows and the sky fixtures for travel; avoiding obstacles and exposed areas; and knowing signs on trails made by animals and by humans.

After a short break, we go to Chapter 9 and discuss about Cold Weather Survival.  Since mountaineering is about high elevations, exposure to the elements is expected.  There are five physical mechanisms that steal away body heat and the things that we should do to keep us constantly warm.  The morning’s last discussion is Chapter 11 – Outdoors Safety.  This is the new chapter that I added and it is but excerpts from my yet unpublished book, ETHICAL BUSHCRAFT.

After a lunch break of two hours, I begin the last one – Chapter 8 – that discusses on the most exciting aspect of the training course, Firecraft.  You cannot make a fire if one or all elements are not present, namely: fuel, heat and air.  Lately, they added a fourth element – chemical reaction.  Fire-making is 80% common sense, 10% skill and 10% perspiration.  We are talking about the friction methods.  Your fire can start if you can acquire and identify the right tinder, if you are in a dry place, and if you have the patience.

Aside from friction, there is the conventional or modern method which are matchsticks, lighters, ferro rods and the flint and steel.  Then there is solar magnification which can be done with any lens, reading glasses, water and even ice.   Then you have pressurized air, exemplified by the fire piston.  Since I do not have the luxury of time, I limit my demonstrations to the flint and steel, which I paired with charclothe, and the ferro rod.  I showed them how to make charclothe and how to make a tinder bundle, popularly known as the “bird’s nest”.  

Then I demoed how the bow drill method is made and spun.  Unfortunately, I could only make thick smoke as sawdust embers refused to light up my tinder.  I let others try the bowdrill, the ferro rod, and the flint and steel.  All my charclothe are exhausted to an afternoon of smoke and flames.  A participant, Khai Fredeluces, does the bamboo-saw method.  Just like my bowdrill, only burnt smoke emitted.  The humid conditions might have something to do with that.

Anyway, that sums up the two days allotted by CLIMBER for the 34 participants of the BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE.  Before closing the activity, Melo Sanchez of Tingguian Tribe Outdoor Equipment gave out some freebies.  Likewise, I have a surprise for all with dry-fit jerseys, dry bags, cellphone pouches and coin purses courtesy of my outfitter – Silangan Outdoor Equipment; and stickers of the Warrior Pilgrimage Blog and of Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild. 

I leave Metro Manila on January 27 for Cebu on another Air Asia flight that had been delayed also, this time, for more than two hours.  I unpacked my bag once I reached home and surprised to find a Seseblade Nessmuk inside.  I completely forgot about it.  I never knew I have it all the time starting from the campsite to Navotas to NAIA and to home and I could not hide my delight with what all those noise created by COMELEC.  Well, it is mine anyway and I will have it for keeps.  Thank you Doc Arvin.

Thank you to Bong and the rest of the CLIMBER community for bringing me back to Luzon; to Melo of Tingguian Tribe for the Sierra hammock; to the Servano couple of Silangan Outdoor Equipment, who always supported me in all my outdoor endeavours; to Mr. Victor Francisco, for the treat of fine dining at the five-star Crowne Plaza Hotel; and to the couple Jay Z and Carla, for hosting me in their home and for sponsoring my tour of Corregidor Island.  Your kindness are all very much appreciated.  God bless you all.

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