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clown-bait · 7 years ago

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Paranormal Journeys Part 6 (Monster Roommate AU)

So it took me a month to get this done because I have had one hell of a busy time these past few weeks. Also the massive writers block that didn't help. But anyway last time Leech did some snooping in the library under the clowns big red nose. Penny had to come save his trashpire from being discovered by Mike Hanlon who had already learned quite a bit already about what the clown has been up to. Leech flipped out and attacked everyone after waking up sick and hangry turns out theres some weird deadlight shit going on with her and surprise surprise no one is being helpful. Ok I think everyone is caught up now sorry for you new people if this is confusing as fuck. I’ll try not to go so long in between chapters again!

Part 6 Freddy Gets Laid

Pennywise returned to the main room in an eerily good mood despite what had just happened. Granted any good mood of his came off as eerie but this was especially cheerful for him. In fact he was practically glowing. “Where’s my Peachy?” he purred in a dream like state.

“You just missed her said somethin’ about getting someone to eat.” Chucky said stabbing Freddy for the 10th time as his wife filmed him.

The clown’s good mood came to a screeching halt. “SHE WHAT?”

“What she's a big girl Jingles she can handle herself. Look what she did to all of us!” Tiff blew a puff of smoke

“YOU PEOPLE JUST LET HER LEAVE? IN HER CONDITION? AND NO ONE SAID ANYTHING OR TRIED TO STOP HER?”

“Eh we kinda did? I don't know we were talking about Fangs PMSing, Freddy called my wife a bitch and she just sorta left.”

“You are all dead when I return from fetching her.” the clown growled and vanished.

“How many times has he threatened our lives this week?”Chucky asked the group

“I think this is number eleven” Tiff answered him. Leatherface shook his head and held up one and two fingers. “Oh shit is it really up to twelve?! Hey I might win the pool!” Freddy shouted happily

“Ah ah! I had thirteen! I'm in the lead!”

“Drac, I guarantee you he will threaten all of us again at least four more times by Sunday this is Jingles were talking about.”

“Not if he's in a good mood, and trust me he will be in a great mood”

“What is the circus in town or something?”

Dracula gave his roommate a catlike smile “I will let you all figure it out.” he said drifting out of the room leaving his friends to put the pieces of the puzzle together for themselves.

—————————

Leech shivered to herself as she walked along the snowy path through the woods near Neibolt street. She decided to cut through the gravel pit by the town dump maybe find an unfortunate dumpster diver no one would miss. Anything to silence this damn hunger. If leftovers couldn't stop the gnawing pain then fresh meat would, it always does.

Sure enough she came across a few homeless. Oddly she could tell their mood before even looking at their faces. This one was bored, another tired, one was extremely high and euphoric all smelled horribly unappetizing. Leech pulled on her beanie a bit tighter as a chill filled the air she had forgot to put on warmer clothes that weren't just sweats and a jacket not really suitable for winter in Maine. Hopping in the sewer wouldn't make things better its colder down there than it is up top and no doubt shed run into Penny who would most likely insist she return home after what just happened at the house. She didn't want to deal with him right now she just wanted to let predatory instinct guide her thoughts. Maybe she just needed to chase down and sink her teeth in someone. That had to be the reason for her weird behavior she's kept the beast cooped up for too long time to let it out.

Leech walked along the tree line staying just out of sight of the road till she came across a runner in the distance in a rush to get home. She's afraid of the dark. The vampire said to herself. “Wait how did I know that?” she said aloud. Leech brought her good hand to rub her head. The things that were happening to her…they were very…Penny. Was he somehow doing something to her? She did apparently get exposed to his deadlights just now but she technically wasn't conscious for it. Whatever he was doing one monstrous transition was enough in her life and this needed to come to a stop.

A warm scent brought her out of her thoughts as fast footsteps drew her focus back to reality. Savory flavor filled the air and a warmth creeped through her from the back of her skull to her face lighting her eyes up gold. She began to salivate as the runner came closer and the vampire stood still against the trees. She almost didn't recognize her own words leaving her mouth as the runner crossed her path.

“Better run faster!” she said in a hiss her prey slowed her pace.

“Pardon me?”

“It'll be night soon. Don't slow down” the vampire whispered “Don't slow down or the things in the dark will catch up!” Leech giggled to herself, Pennywise eat your heart out.

“WHOS THERE!?” the woman called out.

“No one else but the night and me” came a sweet whisper. “Won’t you join me for a moon lit walk? I’ll keep the other monsters away!” the words were like honey flowing through the humans brain she wandered into the woods in a trance like state till she suddenly came to, not knowing how far in she had gone or why.

The woman swore she caught a glimpse of something standing behind the trees grinning at her but when she looked again it was gone. She tried to leave when she heard a snap like a large branch breaking. Then she heard a pop and something like the sound of meat being stretched. That’s when she saw the tall thing standing in the now shadowy woods with glowing eyes. Someone or something was stalking her and it had tricked her deep into the darkened forest away from safe things like cars or street lights. She was all alone in the dark.

As the woman turned a face popped out of the bush. It resembled a human but it was skeletal and bat-like, the mouth way too big for the face and long needle like teeth accompanied two large dagger like fangs in the front. “NiCe nIGhT FoR a jOG AiNT iT?!!” the thing said in a distorted voice as the woman shrieked. A claw grabbed her face and yanked her into the bush the runner fell on her stomach and tried to crawl away but Leech pinned her down with a long clawed foot. The vampire smiled wide and slowly dug her taloned toes into the woman’s back. Delicious red bubbled to the surface and the monster’s prey began to scream.

————————————

Pennywise tore through the sewer in a raging storm the likes of which the town of Derry had never seen. He was enraged, confused and worst of all he was afraid. He couldn't sense his mate despite knowing all that was going on in his town he couldn't find her. It could only mean the power she had been gifted with was growing and the clown felt both proud and intimidated by it. This little blessing had come at an inopportune time for this cycle. He was hoping this…development…. would have happened after the seven were long and dead, but beggars cant be choosers and Pennywise could find a way to use this to his advantage somehow. The only issue he would run into was how unpredictable it made his precious mate. She was a liability to herself and the entire monster community when he wasn't near her and now that she was unknowingly hiding her presence, she was even more dangerous.

The clown’s frantic searching was drawn to a halt when a delectable smell kissed the tip of his nose. It was fear no ,not just fear sheer panic and terror. Penny began to salivate excessively it smelled delicious! Who was causing so much horror? He had to know! He searched the town but couldn't see. He saw the woman but not her attacker. Then it dawned on him. “Leechie!” he hissed with a grin. Not only had he found her but she had caught him a delicious meal to steal! How thoughtful of her! She might take some convincing of course but she owed him anyway. Besides Pennywise could be very persuasive. The clown chuckled darkly to himself and whisked his form away to appear in the woods. There was a body mangled and shredded, definitely looked like her handiwork but there was no nosferatu.

Pennywise snarled and ripped a piece of flesh from the carcass. It was delicious, the clown grunted and tilted his head back letting the meat slide down his throat the flavor still dancing on his tongue. Since when did she get so good at scaring her food? He finished her abandoned leftovers as quickly as he could not passing up a free meal and continued his search. His town was small she couldn't be that hard to find. Could she?

Hours passed and the clown stumbled into his home alone. He had failed.

“Jingles! Where the hell have you been all night?” Chucky shouted from the couch

“I didn't find her.” Pennywise mumbled ego bruised and officially worried.

“I thought you knew everything clown. Whats the matter losing your touch?” Freddy jabbed a sharp elbow into Penny’s side the clown snarled at him.

“She is…changing its not my fault I cant sense her.”

“What your magic dick juice do something to her?”

The clown opened his mouth to speak then decided to close it. The dream demon wasn't wrong exactly.

“Look we may help you out Jingles but you're going to have to owe us big.” Chucky said sliding in to take advantage of Pennywise’s rare moment of weakness.

“I’m thinkin free months rent he seems desperate enough hon” Tiff grinned as she studied the eldritch’s expression.

“Bubba and I want to put a hot tub in the basement and have poker nights again.” Freddy sneered. (Poker night was banned when Dracula tried to bet his lands and summoned a windstorm in frustration when he was informed that Transylvania is owned by the country of Romania not him.)

“Again with the hot tub? You don't even live here Krueger!” Pennywise snarled he didn't need their help he was the superior being how hard was it to find one small vampire?….ok he needed some assistance.

“Come on clown say it.”

A frustrated growl rumbled in the clown’s throat. “I need….allies….”

“You need what now?” The dream demon grinned wide.

“Allies.”

“Now now Jingles we've been through way too much to be just allies.” Freddy teased and the clown bared his fangs more in rage and defeat.

“Find my mate and I will allow poker night to continue. That’s all you are getting.”

“I was looking for the word friends but I’ll take that deal.” the dream demon winked and faded away to his own realm leaving his “friend” to grimace in disgust.

——————————-

Chris the ghost hunter awoke in the chair he had fallen asleep in but not in the same room. He was actually pretty sure this wasn't even the same building. How the hell did he end up in a boiler room? The human got out of the old chair and began to look for an exit or a phone. He could at least try to call Z to come pick him up. He must have been sleep walking again…. but that still doesn't explain the chair. He glanced over to the side and saw the words poorly written on the wall in children’s multi colored chalk:

One, Two Freddy’s coming for you

The ghost hunter stepped back “Who the fuck is Freddy?” he said aloud. He heard twisting metal behind him and then saw a set of pipes reading:

Three Four better lock your door

“What the hell is this?” Chris yelled out but getting no response other than metal and steam.

“Five six grab your crucifix.” a familiar voice called to him from above.

“Z-ZANDER? IS THAT YOU?!” the ghost hunter shouted said figure appeared in the window like an angel coming to the rescue.

“Seven eight better stay up late.” Zander said in a calm dream like voice. The panicked ghost hunter rushed into his leaders arms hugging him tightly “Bro I thought I was a goner this place has got some serious bad vibes” Chris mumbled as a strong arm wrapped around his back. a hand brushed his cheek and Zander tilted his chin up to his own. “I'm here now you need to tell me where we were before all this” he said leaning closer

“Eh-Z what are you-”

“Chris how long have we been friends? Don't think I don't know. I’ve always known.”

“Z-Zee”

“Now tell me where we were so I can take us away from this place.”

“Ah-a farm…. you brought us all to a farm we were going to get the demon out of the girl”

“Such a good boy for daddy.” Zander cooed and pushed Chris’ hair back and leaned in so close the ghost hunter could feel the stubble from his friend’s face prick his lips. As Chris closed his eyes Zander’s voice changed and he could feel multiple sharp things caressing his backside “Nine ten never sleep again lover boy” a deep voice growled and suddenly burnt lips pressed against his. Chris began to scream.

——————————-

Freddy reappeared on the couch about 30 minutes later half out of breath. The dream demon removed his hat and pulled out his vape and taking a long drag. The room stared at him expectantly as he seemed to take his dear sweet time and relax.

“Well?” Pennywise impatiently growled.

“Well what?”

“The location Krueger where is she?”

“Jingles give me like 5 minutes to collect myself jesus! Its been awhile.”

“Been awhile since what?” Chucky asked

The dream demon didn't answer and took another long drag of vapor.

“Did….did you?” Tiffany made a face that looked both shocked and disgusted

“Relax it was just head.”

“You went and got laid instead of finding my Peachy?!?!?” The clown roared.

“Jingles I told you to fuckin relax!”

“Relax? RELAX HE SAYS HAHAHAHAHAH OH ILL RELAX YES YOU WANT THE CLOWN TO RELAAAXXX” Pennywise’s form began to fall apart teeth appearing in places teeth should not be on a face, multiple eyes grew on his large forehead.

“iS ThIS rELaXEd EnOUgH?”

“Jesus christ Jingles let me get some action for once. Your chick’s been snatched up and is at some farm. Something about getting the demons out or whatever. Put yourself back together drama queen this is embarrassing.”

The clowns eyes went completely blood red at the word farm and he began to twitch.

“A W H A T?!”

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

HE MAD. Im pretty sure everyone has figured it out by now whats going on with Leech. And Freddy’s Pan AF in my HC (don’t worry it was consensual you'll see.) Next chapter I’ve been really excited about getting to because its gonna be a bit of a comedic torture scene! So get ready for that. Also Mikes gonna come back!

#pennywise #pennywise x oc #pennywise fanfiction #it fanfiction #horror fanfiction #slasher fanfiction #freddy krueger #freddy x oc #monster roommate au #vampire oc #nosferatu oc

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tipsycad147 · 3 years ago

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Channel Islands Witch Trials

The Channel Islands Witch Trials were a series of witch trials in the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey between 1562 and 1661.

Background

The Reformation saw the separation of the Church of England (or Anglican Church) from Rome under Henry VIII, beginning in 1529 and completed in 1537. In France John Calvin began publishing his thoughts in 1536 resulting in his fleeing the country, going first to Geneva then Strasbourg, where Calvinism became a significant religion with Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and John David Jarvis in Guernsey adopting the religion in preference to the Roman Catholic Church from which they broke away. This led to persecution by Catholics of non-believers and the fleeing of members of the Reformed Church of France, the Huguenots, some of which found refuge in the Channel Islands.

The Islands had retained Roman Catholic Priests, partly due to the island churches being responsible to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances, partly as a result of a shortage of French speaking Protestant priests and partly due to Mary, a Roman Catholic, being on the throne in England from 1553 to 1558.

During this period a number of Protestants fled the islands, Thomas Bertran, a Jersey Minister fleeing in 1556, a Guernsey merchant Guillaume de Beauvoir becoming a Dean of the English Church in Geneva in 1556, where John Knox and Christopher Goodman were the pastors. The highly influential English language Geneva Bible was first printed in that city in 1557. In Geneva John Calvin had people arrested, tortured, and executed. Suspected witches were also tortured and burnt by Protestant leaders, though more often they were banished from the city

Guernsey Martyrs

In 1556 during the Marian persecutions under Mary I, the persecution of Protestants for their beliefs, three women Guillemine Gilbert and Perotine Massey were sisters, and their mother, Catherine Cauchés were tried for theft, for which they were found not guilty, however Perotine Massey was the wife of a Calvinist minister and all three were found guilty of holding religious views that were contrary to those required by the church authorities and burnt at the stake, Perotine giving birth to a baby boy in the flames. They became known as the Guernsey Martyrs.

Calvinism

The death of Mary I and the arrival of Elizabeth I of England coincided with the arrival of the Huguenots in the islands, with them came a number of French speaking priests of the Protestant Calvinist faith. The Bishop of Coutances lost his influence with the appointment of the Bishop of Winchester over the island churches, so ending all Catholic influence in the islands.

The Bailiff, Hellier Gosselin and the Roman Catholic élite of the island were subjected to a series of commissions and investigations encompassing not only the circumstances of the execution of the women, but also embezzlement; James Amy, the Dean, was committed to prison in Castle Cornet and dispossessed of his living. Hellier Gosselin was dismissed from his post in 1562 but along with the Jurats managed to obtain a pardon from Queen Elizabeth.[4]:40

The French Wars of Religion from 1562 to 1598 increased the number of Protestant refugees arriving in the islands.

Calvinism is a very strict form of Protestantism and the islands found their churches being changed with the removal of paintings and religious symbols such as statues, decorated altars and fonts and the removal of crosses. By using the Ecclesiastical courts in the islands they enforced compulsory attendance at church twice every Sunday, bans of gambling and dancing and many other restrictions, especially on Sundays, upon pain of flogging, locking in stocks, imprisonment in the town cages or in castle dungeons.

Witch Trials

Between 1550 and 1650 at least 100 people were accused of witchcraft in Guernsey. Torture was used to force a confession to practicing witchcraft, after which the convicted were flogged, banished, hanged, strangled or burnt at the stake

George Reginald Balleine wrote about Witch Trials in Jersey, naming "the Witches' Rock at St. Clement", however his work is questioned as being naive about torture and resulting confessions.

Confessions in Guernsey showed the devil appearing as a cat, a dog, a hare, a rat, a weasel, or a goat and even as a masked man in daylight.

Ann of St Brelade in 1562 was the first witch trial in Jersey.

Paquette Le Vesconte, from Jersey, who had previously been arrested for witchcraft and banished from the island, returned and still using "diabolical devices and spells", was rearrested and "confessed that she had entered into partnership with the Devil, and by his help perpetrated innumerable crimes and homicides".

Jean Morant in Jersey, confessed to "a contract with the Devil.. by mark and pact.. by means of which he had committed infinite mischiefs, crimes and homicides"

Symon Vaudin in Jersey, confessed that he "had at divers times help familiar intercourse and talks with the Devil, who appeared as a cat and then as a crow".

Marie Tougis in Jersey, confessed "that she had caused the death of a child and bewitched a woman".

Peronelle Chevallier, wife of Robert Falla, was condemned to be "strangled at the post at the place of execution and there be burnt and her body consumed and reduced to ash and all her goods and property confiscated into the hands of our sovereign lady the Queen" Elizabeth I, in Jersey in 1597.

Elizabeth Grandin from Jersey was arrested for witchcraft but released with a warning "not to gad about the island".

Marie de Callais, from Calais Lane, St Martin in Guernsey was convicted of witchcraft, one of several in the coven at Le Châté Rocquôine and burnt at the stake on 17 October 1617. Two of her family were banished.

Mary Blanche, of a good family who lived in the area Les Blanches in St Martin, Guernsey, was condemned as a witch by the then Bailiff, Amice de Carteret and died in October 1622.

Thomas Tougis, Jouane Tougis, his daughter, and Michelle Chivret wife of Pierre Osmont were accused in 1622 of "long practised the horrible and heinous crime of sorcery" and kept imprisoned at Castle Cornet in Guernsey whilst "examined on various particulars", found guilty of having "committed various murders, smitten with debility several persons, made die many animals, and perpetrated a number of injuries", they were sentenced to be executed by being tied to a post on a scaffold, then burnt to death.

Isabel Becquet confessed "a woman she did not know", then "six others whom she also did not know" to be witches, they "were condemned to be taken with halters round their necks to the place of execution, there tied by the executioner to a post, and strangled and then burnt until their flesh and bones are reduced to ashes and the ashes scattered".

Marie Esnouf was the granddaughter of the Rector of Saint John, Jersey, but was executed in 1648, after having her head shaven, and witches marks found.

The trials ceased with the Act of Uniformity 1662 of Charles II of England which imposed the Book of Common Prayer and brought together Anglican and non-conformist religions, although it took a few years in the islands due to the spoken language being French

Not all deaths were the result of trials. In Jersey "Elizabeth Gavey was buried on the 29th day (of March 1765). She was found dead on the morning of the 28th near La Mare d’Angot at Ville a l’Eveque. Killed by miserable superstitious people accusing her of sorcery who after having cruelly mistreated her caused her to die, throwing there her poor body. She was a poor innocent, who was thus born and lived all her life a poor innocent

There is a link to the Salem witch trials, Philippe d’Anglois (Philip English), was born in Jersey of Huguenot descent and emigrated to Salem in the 1670s and was one of those arrested.

The last witch trial in Jersey was John Jarvis in 1736 by which time at least 66 had been accused in the island.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_Witch_Trials

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thong-in-the-twist · 7 years ago

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Chapter: Tamna

//Gong Yoo (Kim Shin) x you

Word count: 5,375

Summary: To atone for his sins he is forced to wander the Earth searching for her, before it’s too late.

Prologue: Silla Goryeo Joseon Tamna March 1st

Tamna is Jeju Island, it's an old name, Korean still jokingly use it. I spent last semester studying there, so I had to pay my kind of tribute to this lovely, albeit quite boring island.

He kept getting the same dream. The same weird, colorless shapes, scarcely illuminated, dancing just behind his closed eyelids. With no sense or pattern to it. And overwhelming, freezing pressure forcing itself upon him, pushing the air out of his lungs, suffocating him, strangling him, terrifying him.

He was a Goblin, a mighty entity, and yet he dreaded those dreams, flinched at the barest thought of those nightmares.

They started the day he saw her delicate feet dancing in the air. Was it Heaven’s punishment? For driving her to death, once again? Were those her last moments, while the rope tightened around her delicate, pale neck? Did she suffer, with the strange shapes moving behind her eyelids, as her body fought for one more breath, as linen slowly strangled her? Did she feel her spirit slowly leaving her body, did she feel the tips of her fingers growing cold?

He hoped that death came quickly, that she broke her neck before she could experience the horrors of being suffocated. He hoped that it was only a brief moment before she moved to her next destination.

He hoped that she wouldn’t remember this life.

But the dreams, haunting him in his sleep, and tormenting him during the day, kept telling him otherwise.

And even though he could not cease on his living, as a half-divine being, every night he kept dying with her.

And again – he couldn’t find her. Year, after year, decade after decade, she was eluding him. He didn’t catch the barest glimpse of her, as if she wasn’t there. He even started to wish to catch her too late, dying on the street or in the arms of another, just to know that she was somewhere out there. But she wasn’t.

He travelled to Qing, he travelled far away to Mongol lands, but he couldn’t travel to his nation’s overseas neighbour since they closed their borders.

He saw them. The Westerners. The Big Noses, with their tight clothes and loose hair, and smell so horrendous he couldn’t help choking. With their skin so pale and their bright eyes, and their crosses, and hard boots.

He didn’t trust them. No one really did. But they brought knowledge and weapons, and threat. His own nation, looking at what was happening in Tokugawa’s state, closed its borders to the unknown devil.

But as closing decrees went, king Injo did not only close Joseon’s borders to the unknown devil – he closed it to the known devil as well.

Tamna. The island of horses and sweet tangerines, the island without beggars, thieves and locked doors. The island of wind, stones and women.

Tamna. The island that was Baekje’s vassal, the island that was Shilla’s vassal, the island that was Koryeo’s vassal, and now was a part of Joseon. As islands go it was quite big and was considered most important horse breeder region of the country, and yet Joseon people were distrustful of people living there, deciding to ignore their bare existence.

So did Kim Shin.

And for him it was clear – that’s where she was.

Shaman is dancing on a straw mat. Her striking white clothes furl around her, looking like a white cloud that came down from heavens. The wind is howling, yanking at banners and shaman’s long sleeves. Behind her sea is dark and angry, waves high and decorated with white foam, crushing into rocks forming dragon’s tail. Salted water hits your face over and over again, bringing the smell of home and fear of sea’s power.

Shaman’s white socks are visible from under the hem of her robe, her toes pointed upwards, as her heels dig into mat. She doesn’t seem to mind the rocks underneath it. The sound of drums played by village elders is speeding up, reverberating in the air, hitting cliffs behind you, harmonizing with angry waves.

Shaman yells suddenly and drops lifeless on the mat, and you immediately look down, afraid to see the sacred ritual. The smallest mistake, the smallest transgression may have fatal consequences. Shaman screams again, and you catch a glimpse of her eyes – dark and blood rimmed and it gives you cold shiver running down your body. Shaman’s pupils nearly disappear, as she rolls her eyes back into her skull. It’s horrifying, and you know you shouldn’t be looking, but you can’t stop yourself.

Other women are hurdled together clearly smarter than you are – their eyes focused on rocks below you. But you can’t, you simply can’t.

You came here to pray to Yongdu the Dragon, to bring you abundant catches and as many returns as dives. Here at Yongduam, you gather every year to pray, to offer food, to perform the ritual, that is supposed to bring you good year.

Shaman yells once again, and single wave roars as it surges past dragon’s tail, over the rocks reaching straw baskets filled with food, and you stare fascinated at lifeless shaman, as water reaches her body, flowing over the mat, covering her, engulfing her, forming a dragon around it.

You catch it’s eye – formed from water, but seemingly solid and furious.

You sigh, and drop your eyes, feeling something drop in your chest. You don’t dare to look up until you hear other women moving. By the time this happens water is gone and waves calmed down. Shaman is slowly standing up, baskets and banners gone.

Seems like Yongdu accepted your offerings.

There is heavy knocking on the wood. You stir and sigh – hearing your sisters do the same. But none of you complains as you stand up. Clothes hastily put on, beddings hastily put away, balls made of buckwheat in your hands as a breakfast and you are on your way, horse bladders filled with air and straw baskets on your backs.

Village is only waking up, but women are already on their way. In few hours sun will go up – men will wake up and go to farm or breed horses, but your job, female job starts way before theirs.

You heard that mainlanders believes that man is stronger and overall more useful than woman, and that he is the head of the household – which for Tamna people is quite a foreign thought. Women can dive, women can fish, women can feed whole family. Men just can’t survive what you do – cold and water pressure.

You started diving when you were seven years old – the same year your cousin aged ten started working with horses. Twelve years later and you can support you and your family if you had to, and he… Not really.

And you have yet to reach top tier. Your skills are good, but you can’t yet hold your breath long enough, but you hope that next year you’ll be able to move up.

Because yes, you are a free diver, you are woman of the sea, you farm the rocks for sea salad, you dive for abalones, conches, little octopuses.

You reach your bulteok, and with your sisters you go in between wall made of rocks. There are two entrances to this roofless building – one small, with few corners so no outsider can see inside, and the second one: open leading right to water. Bulteok is the heart of your community, there are hooks in the walls, there are bonfires to warm up, and more importantly every one inside is part of your family. You go out together, you come back together.

You greet your elders, sitting half-naked near one of the bonfires, wrinkled faces and sagged bodies – but still active divers. Right next to oldest divers one woman is breastfeeding her newborn – she is also going to dive with you.

You shuffle to one of the walls quietly greeting other divers and start changing. Your working clothes consist of loose underpants reaching your midthigh and sleeveless tunica. Ready, you sit down to help your younger sister fix her taewak, the net you use to store your catch.

And then your leader calls – it’s time. Forty or so women go out to sea, may Yongdu bring you back being uttered all over the beach.

You don’t just march in. You go in slowly, accustoming yourself with water, as your leader reminds you that it’s still too early for octopuses and not to catch fishes smaller than your hands. And then you divide into four groups, depending on your tier, and together you swim out to your respective areas. You and other middle tiers swim out in the cold water to where it’s around twenty meters deep. After reaching your position, you rest on top of horse bladder, which your taewaks are fixed to, and drop anchoring rocks in.

And then when you hear the sound to dive – you do.

Usually you stay in the water up to four hours. Then you go out to rest, warm yourself, eat something, clean your catch, and after about an hour you go back. You go out to fish up to three times a day – usually in the summer, but the most common is two times a day. It still adds up to eight hours in the water, and it’s a hard job.

After a catch you share it, making sure that food is shared equally between you and the catch that is supposed to pay your taxes to Joseon’s king.

He is not your king. You are a woman of Tamna, free and self-sufficient, way better than any of land-walkers. But to keep your village and community at peace – you pay the tribute. To king, to Yongdu. As long as you are all safe.

Water is warmer than usual – it’s a clear sign of storm coming, but you trust your elders. You know that they are monitoring the waves and wind and clouds, and they will notice you as soon as it starts to get dangerous.

But for now, you wedge a sickle between rock and abalone. Few practiced pulls and abalone is yours, and you swim to the surface to put it in your taewak. You can see top tier divers further in the water, two women resting on the air-filled bladders. Sea is calm, but clouds overheads are dark and fear-inducing.

“Are they going to call us in?” You hear and you look around your shoulder to face Sunyi. She is older than you, by two years, and still only in the middle tier.

Before answering you catch your bladder, to let legs rest and you push yourself around to eye the shore. You can see your leader with village elder on the shore, clever eyes surveying water from underneath bushy, white eyebrows.

“Seems like it’s not time yet, sister.”

“It should be time.” She huffs, and disappears under the water. You can agree with that statement. You look to the open sea once more, and you see your mother in the top tier, resting on the bladder. She notices you, and you expect her to urge you to go back to fishing, but she starts to sing.

We, the Tamna divers, Absent women of the sea, Miserable households Our world knows.

On the cold day, On the sunny day, On the rainy day, Our sore bodies on the water float.

Other ladies, that are out to catch a breath join in. It’s a statement and way to give strength to go back to diving. You don’t join the song, but you dive – in the your mother did urge you to go back to fishing.

Visibility is good under the water, even though the light is scarce. It’s always easier with the sun – but without more water creatures appear near the shore. You see a sea cucumber, and decide that this will be your next catch.

You catch it with your bare hand, it does feel slick and wriggly under your fingers, but you know that it will make a nice soup.

You swim back up, noticing that not a lot of girls are under the water. Maybe the called you in? But then again, most of them are facing away from the shore.

You reach the surface and stuff your sea cucumber into the net, and grab your bladder to see what the rest of divers are focusing on. Weather was changing, waves already picking up. Now you can feel the wind on your face and first drops of rain – you should all be heading back.

But instead you focused on the boat. Quite a big one, with colorful banners on it. It was boat made in the name of king – and you all knew what that meant – tax collector was coming to your island.

It usually meant two things – horses being sold way under their worth and women disappearing to never come back again – usually with consent of both sides. Tamna could be suffocating. With Japan closed for foreigners, Joseon closed for Tamna people, your small island was your whole world.

You hear a long deep sound from the shore, and obediently you release your anchoring stone, put the taewak net on your back, and using bladder you start swimming back, without looking twice at the boat.

Other women pick up their song.

Our blood and sweat, The work never ends, Absent women of the sea, Where will we go?

Procession is long. Way too long, especially when you are kneeling on the dusty road.

First went banners bearers. Then the soldiers. Then again banners bearers. Soldiers on horses. Musicians. Banners bearers. More soldiers. Governor and tax collectors. Governor’s family. Soldiers. Banners bearers. Soldiers on foot. Banners bearers. Tax collectors’ carriages. Soldiers. Banners bearers.

All in all three hundred people marched through your village. You’ve been informed about their arrival yesterday, but even without that knowledge you would have hear them hours before they arrived.

But it meant no work today. Only the oldest ,and the youngest, and those indispensables in their work were allowed not to come. The rest was forced to wear their best clothes and kneel on the ground in wait for the governor.

That was misuse of power, but for peace of your village, you would do this – and more.

Your village is the closest to governor’s palace, so soldiers are still energetic, and they still march with dedication, every step sending clouds of dust into the air – into your faces, clothes and hair.

They stop when governor reaches main square. But it takes way longer before you can move there to offer your tribute. Soldiers have to make way for the carriages, and tax collectors have to be seated in front of the governor, and all of them have to be protected from sun, and soldiers still have to show you their power, and it takes ridiculously long time.

But finally they are ready to collect taxes, and you can move from your knees, and go to stand in the queue with the rest of your family and rest of the villagers.

Every household has to present itself and explain if somebody is missing, and inform about every death and every birth in the family, and then, accordingly, leave third of their produce.

Village takes care of the members of the community. You made sure that everyone had enough to present to the tax collectors, so none of you is anxious. It’s just a gruesome process.

But finally – you, your mother, father and your four sisters stand before governor.

He is an old, fat man. It’s no secret that out of the taxes that should go back to Joseon, he takes what is best. But then, except for his hunger for power and greed, he is a just govern, so Tamna people doesn’t complain. As long as they have food and horses to breed and sea to fish in, Tamna people are peaceful.

Two tax collectors are wearing blue hanboks, as they should. One of them is young, as if he just passed the civil exam, the other one is middle-aged, with hawk-like stare. He is the one who asks question.

To your father.

Or usually, to the oldest male in the family.

Except from that, he could be tolerable. But you are not Joseon, man is no head of family. But nor your mother, nor every other women decides to speak up.

Peace. Your people like peace.

You stay silent as your father introduces your family, and talks about catches and how your youngest sister started diving with you for the first time this year.

“Still no son?” Asks older collector, and no one bats an eye. In Tamna, your father is blessed. To have six divers in the family? That is a blessing. But younger collector seems to agree. Only governor, even though Joseon person, has been here long enough to understand.

Your father shrugs apologetically, and moves to give awaiting soldier your family’s tax.

Only then you realize that one of the soldiers standing behind governor’s chair is staring at you, and probably has been staring for a prolonged period of time. You look at him boldly, too late realizing that he is also Joseon person, and you could have endangered your village.

You can stare boldly at men from your island. Not the foreigners.

And even being a subject to the same king, he was still a foreigner.

“Next.” Calls older collector, and your family moves to the side, shielding you from the soldier’s stare. You stay there, listening to all your neighbors describing their year. From this side you hear familiar talk, familiar accent, familiar events. But… The way Joseon people speak… Is different. The accent, the phrasing, the words. It’s all foreign.

On top of taxes, you have to feed and entertain the whole procession.

And so you do. It’s the best you can do, but you know that all villagers find the fact, that your alien visitors find your cooking and entertainment subpar, quite enjoyable.

But you are still loud and homely, and act to every belief they might have about your community. It’s always better to keep outsiders in the dark about the life of your village.

You join other unmarried girls in the circle dance, and after what it seems like half an hour, you go back to your family, when village elders take the stage to play music.

That’s where you find the foreign soldier, the one that was looking at you, asking your father for you. As in marriage.

Your father seems both outraged and terrified, your mother sitting next to him seems half amused, half annoyed, and your two youngest sisters (too small to dance, but old enough to dive) seem entranced.

“Excuse me, sir.” You say out loud, feeling how your insides start to churn in anger. He turns around, and his face lights up, when he sees you. “I have no business marring Joseon person.”

He looks… Taken aback. To the point where he looks over his shoulder at your father, who shrugs, for the second time today.

Boonya, your second youngest sister, the most brave one, runs to your father, and grabs his hand.

“If sister doesn’t want to, I am willing!” And they both look to your mother.

“No.” She says decisively, and your sister deflates. You’ve been observing soldier this whole time, so you saw the moment he started to realize that he might have addressed the wrong person, because he slowly turned to your mother. She laughed. “I would give you praise for quickly realizing that here the world is different than that of land-walkers. It’s women world. We need no land-dwellers to stir nonsense here. So even if you were to ask me for my daughter, I would advise against – too much trouble raising one of you to be real islander.”

“Find yourself a wife oversea, eh?” You say, and rush past him to seat next to your father at the table. Soldier doesn’t move, but both you and female family members ignore him. You can only see your father looking up at him, with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Will you sit with us?” He finally says, and all of your sisters look at him surprised. Is he really using land language?

“If that’s not a bother.” Soldier says, and sits down in front of your father. He glances quickly at you, and suddenly you realize – he didn’t understand a word from you or your mother said.

“How they call you?“ Asks your father, and you look suspiciously at your mother. All of the islanders understand language from the land – but no one really speaks it. And the fact that your mother seems to be avoiding your gaze tells you the story.

“Kim Shin, father.“ Soldier answers, and you snort under your nose, hearing the word father. Whose father exactly?

Your father sends you unhappy glance, so you turn to your oldest sister.

“That is a good name. A mighty one.” Says your father, pushing food to his interlocutor. “But you see, Tamna is very different from Joseon. Where do you come from exactly?”

“Gyeongju, father. And I already gathered that much.”

“The old capital? Gyeongsang province, the land of the men? That could pose a serious problem. If Gyeongsang is the land of men, Tamna is a land of women. Woman is the head of the household, and woman is the one choosing her husband. And if you want to wed my daughter, instead asking me, or more fittingly my dearest wife, you should make my daughter want you as a husband.”

“Father!” You call, hearing your sister giggle. “I don’t want him! He probably knows nothing more than toy around with his sword and few Chinese books. How is that helpful to the household? He won’t even be able to raise children! How I am supposed to do that while diving?!”

“She has a point.” Says your mother, and you know you won. If your mother agrees, than it’s a done deal.

Your father doesn’t even look at you.

“The most important part would be to learn language of this island. So you can understand when she is cursing at you.”

Soldier, Kim Shin, laughs.

Soldier, Kim Shin, stayed in the village. Governor went away, with the rest of his procession, but Kim Shin stayed in the village. And in such small community everyone knew why.

It baffled you and it annoyed you. Why would he stay, when the rest of his family was over the sea. You wouldn’t go there. And how he could not understand that you didn’t want him as husband.

But it baffled you more that your father did everything to help him. What’s more, as time passed other men in the village started to do so, as well.

Elder allowed him to sleep in one of his spare rooms, other allowed him to earn his share. He farmed, he breed horses, he learned how to sail, he learned the language.

And every morning, without a fail, he would come to wait for you, so he could wish you a good catch, with the very first islander’s phrase he learned.

“May Yongdu bring you back.”

Which your sisters found irresistible.

The fact that he was tall and handsome, and seemingly strong didn’t help.

The fact that after the first night your mother learned about Kim Shin staying in the village, and fighting with your father over it till the wee hours of the morning, and she never said a word about this again – it was also very confusing.

Had they tried, your mother or your father, to talk you into this marriage you would have easily said no, and lived on.

But without such guidance you didn’t know what to do.

He was persistent. Chatting you up, every time you were coming home from the dive, taking your net, and cleaning the catch, sailing with other men to fish, breeding horses, helping with repairing thatch on the houses.

So when on one autumn’s morning he presented her with new sickle, sharp and beautiful, with rock handle, clearly self-made, but way more beautiful than anything she ever seen, she just said yes.

He didn’t ask. He was living there long enough to know, that it was her choice. He might have hoped, but he never asked again.

But she still answered the question he posed months earlier, during the governor’s visit.

And he simply couldn’t find a word. Seeing him like this, so elated that he couldn’t even voice it, made you sure that it was a right choice. And the fact that you did it without any pretentious gestures, made it way more homely.

And that was the most important to you.

So you took your new sickle, you fixed your taewak, and your bladder, and you turned on your heel to follow your sisters. But you no longer were like them. Now you were promised.

He was so happy he couldn’t even say “may Yongdu bring you back”.

You got moved to the highest tier. The best tier. To tier where your mother was, and every other important women of your community, those with the highest skill and the best catches. First of your sisters to do that, and first in this year to achieve that.

The day you agreed to marry foreigner, you got promoted to the highest tier – both events were surprising, but both elating. But together… It was a happiness you couldn’t even understand.

But you stifled it – diver needs to be focused to do their job, and to do it well. Especially on the first day of new assignment, you have to show that you are worthy.

Especially when you got promoted half year earlier that you expected. Of course it was you dream, so you were happy, but at the same time – your community never promoted divers ahead of their time. Even if they were good enough – just to protect them. Sea is dangerous and traitorous, and no one should ever forget that.

As always you enter the water at the first sound. You are meticulous in your preparation, especially now, in the autumn, when water is just unstable. You don’t know what can happen in a minute.

You swim with the rest of top tier, further than usually, but you know the drill. You drop your anchor, you secure your bladder and taewak, and you wait for the sound of the first dive.

You dive. Water is colder here and deeper, but you can still see the rocks underneath so it calms you down. You vow to stay next to the line connecting your taewak to your anchor, just in case.

Your first catch is an octopus. It fights you, all eight arms sucking onto the rocks, but it has no strength against your new sickle. So first catch in your new position is an octopus. That is a nice catch.

In the beginning you keep close to others, and to your anchor. But soon you realize, that it’s no different than being in middle tier, except for better catches and deeper water. You start being bold. In the end you are Tamna women, you are raised to be bold and fearless. Third octopus lands in your net, along with smaller catches, when you go up to rest.

Your mother smiles to you.

“Soon, we will be swimming back.” She says, and looks at the sky. It’s dark, it’s going to rain soon. “I don’t think we will go back for the second dive today, so you should try to go down for one more fish, and call it a day. Good job, my daughter.”

She smiles at you, and you smile back, realizing that she doesn’t yet know. And that in a half an hour you are going to see Kim Shin. Maybe you could fry something for him?

So you change your sickle to a spear and you take a deep breath and go down once more.

You see it. A fish of a length of your forearm. That would do nicely.

You dive after it, legs kicking forcefully – catching fish is harder than catching octopus or abalone. Spear is parallel to your body, not to disrupt your chase, and when you are close enough you push it, piercing through the fish, wedging the blade into the seafloor.

That might have not been the cleanest kill, but it will be good enough. Knowing your limits and your air reserve is also vital, so you swim to your catch quickly, knowing that you wouldn’t want to risk staying underwater for too long.

But you can’t reach the spear.

In fact water keeps pushing you away, and before you realize it – it’s too late. You swam in the middle of rip current – pushing you into the sea.

You panic, even though you tell yourself not to. Your mind is busy analyzing things that have already happened, how could you miss the signs? Different color of the water, irregular waves, narrow channel of choppy water – you know how rip current looks, and yet you swam right into it.

But analyzing doesn’t help. You fight with the current, even though you know not to. You should let it push you out, so you can go out of it when it loses it strength. You know that, you know that, You know that, you know that, you know that. But your mind is blank, and your arms and legs are flailing about, and you try to go out, and you try to breath, but you can’t, current pushing you down to the sea floor, and your lungs hurt and your limbs hurt and your eyes hurt, and you look up, seeing light over your head, but you can’t go up, you keep fighting, but you just can’t keep up, and you open your mouth, and salty water goes into your pipes, and you know, that Yongdu is not going to bring you back.

Water is freezing, and so are your limbs. There are weird, colorless shapes, scarecely illuminated in the deep waters, dancing in front of you, as if laughing at your sufferings. Water washes over your lungs, pushing the rest of air out of it, bubbles disappearing in the current. You are suffocating, you are drowning, you are dying the most horrible death for a diver.

On the day you said yes.

***

She drowned. She drowned and it was his fault.

Kim Shin wasn’t the one that found the body. Divers came back from the dive horrified, with no power to go to search for her, because rain came, bringing strong waves. It was his anger and misery showing.

She drowned. On the very day she yielded.

She washed ashore in the next village. She was purplish white, and her face showed horror of her last moments. They said she was caught in rip current. They said it was too early for her to be in the high tier. They said she was a good diver. They said everyone could have made that mistake.

She drowned. She drowned, because of him.

No one knew she agreed. No one knew they were supposed to get married. Her father invited him to her funeral. He saw her being buried once again. Villagers pleaded Yongdu not to take more of their own.

She drowned, and Kim Shin cursed Yongdu. But Yongdu did not care.

In the end, it was Kim Shin’s fault. Highest tier was her dream. He knew it, she heard it her prayers many times. And out of gratitude, out of love, when she said yes, he fulfilled her dream. Even though he knew that it will come around on its own. He needed to validate her and himself.

And he killed her.

Again.

#gong yoo scenario #gong yoo imagine #gong yoo #kim shin imagine #kim shin scenario #kim shin #kdrama scenarios #kdrama scenario #kdrama imagine #kdrama imagines

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

This minimal island is what commenced my lust to grow to be an expat. I was lucky adequate to get to dwell there for a few months in 2009 even though volunteering at the only museum in the state. All through that time, I satisfied other expats and I understood that I wanted to dwell abroad. Nonetheless, Grand Turk is my most loved island getaway! Because residing there, I have visited 2 times.

Grand Turk is the ideal spot to have a do almost nothing, beach front getaway. The beaches are pristine with virtually no other people today on them, although you will once in a while meet a cow or a donkey. My beloved beach on the island is the seaside at the Bohio Resort, technically known as Pillory Beach. The sand is tender listed here and the h2o is deep adequate to swim even in the course of very low tide. The resort does not mind if you use the beach both, while you could get a drink or have lunch there. They do have the best rum punch on the island! I also like to walk the seaside and this is a superior seashore to wander from. The beach landscape variations as you head north and you will locate shells and normally see some birds, this sort of as cranes or blue herons, on the walk.

Of system, there are points to do on the island apart from swim and tan. You can head about to the Turks and Caicos Nationwide Museum to see the oldest shipwreck ever located in the western hemisphere. They are ordinarily only open up on days there is a cruise ship in, so examine their internet site for the present agenda. Upstairs they have a small historical past of the islands and a lighthouse lens. You can also get an wonderful see of the Caribbean from up there as the museum faces the ocean!

Grand Turk is effectively recognised in the diving local community as one of the finest coral reef systems. It is the third premier in the world right after the Excellent Barrier Reef and Belize reefs. So if you dive, you can expertise the beauty of the reefs. There are numerous dive retailers on the island and lots of divers go 2 times a working day (I listen to there is even evening diving)! If you don’t dive, do not fear you can see a great deal from snorkeling because the water is so obvious. The moment a barracuda determined to comply with me to see if was a fantastic snack or not! I think he made a decision I was way too large of a snack and he left me by yourself. The dive boats will get snorkelers on the dive excursions and it is also entertaining to look at the divers go off and occur back again.

The bordering waters bring in a vast wide variety of more substantial animal daily life than basically barracudas and reef fish. You can consider a boat to Gibbs Cay, which is about a 30-moment boat experience, to feed stingrays. These stingrays know the sound of boats suggests food items, sadly. They will come correct up to you. I fed them conch from my hand! They brush up in opposition to you and the feeling is unusual. They experience slimy and gentle at the same time. I was scared at initially, but as extended as you do not make any unexpected movements or loud noises, there is nothing to be concerned about. The other thing I really advise is to go on a whale observing boat. In January and February, Humpback Whales come to Grand Turk to give start. They then stay in the shallow waters till the babies are large and powerful more than enough to swim very long distances. On the tour I went on, the whales discovered us and ended up very playful! There were being 4 girls and a person baby. Many people from the tour acquired in the water and swam with them. It was an astounding practical experience to see these mild giants up near.

While there are not a ton of sites to remain on Grand Turk, there are a number of I recommend dependent on what you are looking for! If you want a vacation resort experience, then I suggest the Bohio Dive Vacation resort. Bohio has diverse varieties of rooms to choose from and all have an ocean check out from a balcony or terrace. The rooms are significantly less than a moment walk to the seaside. Bohio also has a pool and a restaurant. If you want a additional apartment like selection, you can stay at the Manta Seashore Property. It is ideal on the h2o and two residences have kitchens. The gain to this site is that it is in town and you could wander to the grocery retail outlet and there is a small seaside throughout the street. My other recommendation is the Osprey Beach front Resort. It is also found right on the seashore and has a pool and a restaurant. Some rooms do have a kitchen area. A few rooms are across the street from the lodge in “The Atrium” upstairs. These are more personal than the hotel, which could possibly be excellent for couples. Each and every of these places either has dive services or is down the street from a dive shop.

Since Grand Turk is so compact, the three destinations I recommend feeding on are all found at the places to remain! Bohio has an fantastic cafe, Guanahani with an astounding chef! On Thursday nights, there is an international night with dishes from all around the world. Make guaranteed to make reservations to get a table on the deck by the seashore. At the Manta Seaside Residence is the Sand Bar, the final seashore shack! They have the very best cheeseburger on the island. When the meals is superior, this is a bar very first and foremost. It is found ideal on the water and is the excellent position to go to have a chilly beer and look at the stunning sunset. The Osprey Beach front Resort has BBQ evenings on Sunday and Wednesday and offers sights of the ocean by their lovely pool. There is generally reside music on individuals evenings as properly.

Receiving to Grand Turk is easy. Fly to the huge of Providenciales from the United States or Canada (most flights are from Dallas, Miami, New York Metropolis or Toronto). Then get a compact aircraft that can take about 25 minutes from Providenciales to Grand Turk. There are two airways that fly there, which are Caicos Convey and Intercaribbean. I’m not ready to propose possibly as they ended up not in procedure when I have been, but I am guaranteed that either would be a great selection.

I hope you really like Grand Turk as a great deal as I do. If you get a likelihood, you can hop more than to some other islands when there, this sort of as Salt Cay or Providenciales. I cannot hold out to pay a visit to all over again!

Created by Tiffany from A Woman and Her Passport. Hello! My name is Tiffany. I am expat who is on an journey of a life time. I moved to Qatar in August 2013 for a new job in higher training. I have lived in Dallas, Lubbock, New York, the Turks and Caicos Islands, New Orleans and Fort Worthy of. My approach when moved right here was to travel as considerably as attainable and given that transferring listed here I have traveled to 10 countries, eleven if you depend Qatar! So observe alongside on my adventures as I explore the globe. You can comply with Tiffany at A Lady and Her Passport & observe her on Twitter & Instagram.

source http://cheaprtravels.com/top-points-to-do-in-grand-turk-turks-and-caicos-islands/

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divetraining · 5 years ago

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Sustainable Tourism and Diving: Tips for Treading Lightly

If you’re a diver, here’s a little tidbit I’ll wager you’re completely unaware of: Did you know you’re an “adventure tourist?” Indeed, you are — at least according to the travel industry. In fact, scuba diving and snorkeling are specifically listed as adventure travel activities by what may be the top expert in the field — the Adventure Travel Trade Association. They define an adventure tourist as anyone engaged in a travel experience that involves at least two of three elements: 1) physical activity; 2) the natural environment and 3) cultural immersion.

But before venturing further on the adventure tourism path, let’s look first at travel and tourism in general. In terms of both direct and indirect impacts, tourism is a major contributor to the global economy. The international tourism industry generates nearly one trillion dollars annually and comprises 30 percent of the world’s exports of commercial services (six percent of total exports). According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, it accounts for more than nine percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs one in every 10 people on earth. By comparison only three other industries rank higher in global export: fuels, chemicals and automotive products. And it’s growing.

The scuba diving industry is an excellent example of how tourism has grown in recent years. In fact, it has changed fundamentally. Once driven by scuba equipment sales it’s now driven by travel. For example, at 19 billion dollars in revenue annually, dive travel now accounts for more than six times the revenue generated by dive equipment sales.

But you’re not in the diving or tourism business. So, why should you care? The reason is simple. The dollars quoted in all those statistics are your dollars. Thus, you have a very big voice in how, where and on what that money is spent. In other words, you have enormous power to influence the future direction of the travel industry, generally, and the dive travel industry, directly. More importantly, your dollars don’t just contribute to the financial success of whatever travel provider you choose. If you choose wisely, your dollars can also have a positive impact on the quality of the destination you visit and on those who live there.

RELATED READ: How Shark Tourism is Protecting Global Shark Populations

So, what’s the problem? Well, it turns out that tourism can be a double-edged sword. In many ways it has the potential to be a victim of its own success.

International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) now exceed a billion per year — millions of which are scuba divers. That’s equivalent to the entire population of China and the numbers are expected to increase to nearly two billion by 2030. So, it’s hardly surprising that at destinations where their bread and butter is a natural resource (like coral reefs), the impact from tourism can range from harmful to devastating. Yet, tourism can be done responsibly and actually become a positive force for conservation, if — and that’s a big “if” — it’s done right. It’s up to you. As one travel expert has puts it, “Tourism is like fire — it can cook your meal, or it can burn your house down. The choice is yours.” Preventing the fire of tourism from getting out of control is the biggest challenge facing the travel industry today because some popular destinations around the world are being literally “loved to death.” This phenomenon even has a name — overtourism.

When it comes to the environmental consequences of overtourism, marine tourism is perhaps the sector most affected of all nature-based travel activities. As a major share of marine tourism takes place in the tropics — and what draws folks there is the environment — it doesn’t take a genius to realize that much of marine tourism is wholly dependent upon healthy coral reefs and associated ecosystems (seagrass beds and mangrove forests). And surely there’s no segment of tourism more dependent on the continued existence of healthy coral reefs than scuba diving.

Of course, tourism isn’t the primary reason for the demise of earth’s coral reefs. And though factors such as destructive fishing practices, pollution, coastal development and climate change are far bigger problems, tourism does play a role. However, the reason reefs at popular dive destinations are in trouble isn’t from what you might assume. When talk turns to how coral reefs are degraded at popular tourist sites, divers are often viewed as the culprits. After all, our high visibility and close association with coral reefs makes us easy targets. Without question, anchors as well as clumsy and careless divers do take their toll on our beloved reefs. And the overabundance of divers on any reef, regardless of their behavior, will have a negative impact. But this problem pales in comparison to other destructive factors.

A colleague of mine once summed up the problem quite accurately. “A diver,” he contends, “probably does more damage to a coral reef by flushing the toilet in his hotel room than he’ll ever do by diving on one.” It was a glib but astute insight into the real problem. From a tourism perspective, the concern is less about direct damage from recreation activities like diving and boating, and more about the indirect threats from the infrastructure needed to support tourism. Every tourist needs a place to eat, sleep and go to the bathroom. They also prefer that these facilities be very near or, ideally, on the water. In addition, every tourist demands the facilities and services that make tourism possible, such as beaches, docks and marinas. These all add to the eutrophication, pollution, demand for seafood and sedimentation problems already threatening reefs from local population pressure (a population pressure that’s sometimes driven by tourism). And considering that on small islands, tourists can sometimes outnumber the local residents, it’s easy to understand the validity of my friend’s “flushing the toilet” assertion.

While the environmental consequences of tourism are often obvious — at least for those willing to take a closer look — there are other not-so-obvious results that involve people. Clearly, the consequences of a rapidly expanding tourism industry have, at many destinations, been as detrimental to societies as it has to the physical environment. For instance, many developing countries’ job opportunities in tourism have encouraged the migration of people to tourism centers, often disrupting or outright destroying traditional ways of life. Already some communities and cultures have been completely displaced or destroyed by a booming tourism trade. This social upheaval can lead to problems with crime, pollution and a general erosion in the fabric of society. Ironically, this can lead to the decline in the appeal of a destination because it no longer feels “authentic” to travelers, thus killing the golden egg-bearing goose.

RELATED READ: A Guide to Ocean Conservation Organizations and Efforts

This phenomenon is, in fact, so common and well-studied that it even has a name — the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC). The TALC cycle views tourism as a dynamic process where destinations go through predictable successive stages. It starts when a relatively undeveloped location initially attracts a few adventurous tourists seeking pristine nature and indigenous cultures. Then, as tour operators and related businesses recognize the market potential of the location, the local tourism industry rapidly expands and develops. However, the changed nature of the now “discovered” destination causes the type of tourists who were initially attracted by the undeveloped nature of the location to move on to other destinations that remain undeveloped and pristine — and the cycle is repeated.

But there’s nothing inevitable about this cycle. By recognizing the cycle of overtourism and unsustainable tourism practice soon enough, destinations can reverse the downward spiral. Corrective actions can be taken, such as limiting tourist numbers, establishing marine protected areas, improving infrastructure codes or restricting certain destructive practices. Ideally, the entire tourism paradigm can change, but this calls for a different kind of tourism: Sustainable tourism.

The concept and practice of “sustainable tourism” is a multi-facated concern. Destinations that welcome divers must protect their resources by protecting dive sites from anchor damage and overuse. They must also address issues related to infrastructure and reducing plastic pollution.

Sustainable Tourism: A New Paradigm

The problem is that undiscovered tourism destinations are not unlimited. As a popular protest poster tells us, “There is No Planet B.” Tourism has become so big that we have almost run out of truly pristine locations. So, without the option of creating more places on earth, the only reasonable alternative is conducting the business of tourism in a different way — and that’s exactly what’s beginning to happen all around the world. Tourism, and tourists, are changing for the better. So, let’s look at how.

Traditionally, the reason for travel has been to rest and relax. In the marine sector, this emphasis on leisure is referred to as “sun, sea and sand” tourism. This describes the bulk of marine tourists and probably always will. But over the past few decades there have been some significant changes. Increasingly, tourists want more from their holiday than a suntan and souvenirs. These more intrepid travelers — I’ll no longer call them tourists — want a closer and more experiential encounter with the destination they visit than lying on the beach during the day and partying at night. For many, the primary motivation for selecting a destination is not the quality of its beaches, golf courses or of night life, but its healthy natural environment and undisturbed culture. In the words of one tourism expert, “An increasing number of travelers today want holiday experiences that are authentic, immersive and self-directed.” And what’s good news for us is that’s almost the perfect definition of scuba diving.

The other good news is that, while the travel and tourism industry is sustaining a healthy grow of five to seven percent annually, the adventure and nature-based travel industries are growing in the 20 to 30 percent range. And even more significantly, these travelers most often understand, in fact prefer, to travel responsibly. Of course, this hasn’t gone unnoticed by many within the travel industry and has already led to massive changes in the travel products offered by many destinations and how they’re marketed.

The evolution of adventure travel can be traced to early attempts to meet the demand of changing attitudes toward tourism, which led to the development of the ecotourism industry. From this evolved the idea that travel should not only serve the tourist but the destination and its inhabitants as well. As ecotourism became more mainstream, newer and more authentic directions were explored and the market segmented into many more specialized sectors and activities. Then, with the growing recognition of the declining state of earth’s environment, many in tourism began to realize that making tourism more accountable to both the local environment and residents could no longer be just a specialized endeavor targeted to “tree-huggers.” All forms of tourism should become part of the solution and not part of the problem. From this movement was born the idea of “responsible tourism,” or what’s become better known as “sustainable tourism” — an off-shoot of the growing concern for sustainable development.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CHECKLIST

But what exactly does sustainable tourism really mean? While arguments rage among the experts in the field, one of the best functional definitions has been offered by those who have been involved in international tourism since its inception, Caribbean islanders. According to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, sustainable tourism is defined as “the optimal use of natural and cultural resources for national development on an equitable and self-sustaining basis to provide a unique visitor experience and an improved quality of life through partnership among government, the private sector and communities.” Importantly, this definition recognizes that tourism isn’t just an economic activity. As it has both environment and cultural consequences, so too must it take into account, and be responsible for, its effects. This ethos is exemplified in the commonly used sustainable tourism mantra “people, planet, profit” or what some have termed the “triple bottom line.”

In general, sustainable tourism has six underlying goals. These include: minimizing environmental impacts; improving local contribution to sustainable development; protecting the quality of the environment by maintaining biological diversity and ecosystem function; minimizing the use of non-renewable resources; ensuring cultural integrity, local ownership and social cohesion of the community; and last, but certainly not least, providing a high quality experience for tourists.

Today, savvy tourism operators trying to cater to the new, more environmentally and socially conscious traveler have a daunting task. No longer can they be satisfied by having the nicest hotel and restaurant or best beach or even the most exciting tours. Study after study has shown that many travelers today — a majority of European and a fast-growing number from the U.S. — are just as or more concerned with the environmental and social footprint of their travel provider as they are with the actual product. So, travel providers and destinations today aren’t turning to sustainability because it’s a nice thing to do for the earth or future generations. They’re doing so because it makes business sense and realize that not to do so will at some point will mean they’ll no longer be in business.

So, What Can You Do?

My experience has been that divers are a special breed. The most serious among us are anything but tourists — we’re travelers. We take very seriously our responsibility to protect the environments we visit and are increasingly recognizing that our travel demands are sometimes placing undue stress on local ecosystems and cultures. So, what we can do to help ensure that operators and destinations hear our wishes loud and clear to make tourism more sustainable is simple. As I indicated at the beginning, we can vote with our wallets. When making your choice of what destination and operator to patronize, take a few minutes to consider not only what you might “get for your dollar,” but how that destination or operator does business and reward those who are doing it right. In that way, you can become part of the solution and help drive a process that will make tourism a positive force for change. Let’s use the fire that we helped ignite to create a warm glow — not burn our house down.

Story by Alex Brylske

The post Sustainable Tourism and Diving: Tips for Treading Lightly appeared first on Scuba Diving News, Gear, Education | Dive Training Magazine.

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#scuba #scuba diving #underwater #ocean #dive training magazine

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the-connection · 6 years ago

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Entire Thai soccer team, tutor freed from cave, Navy answers

Thai Navy SEALS report that all 12 members of the team and the coach are out of the cave while four savers remain inside.

The stunning three-day rescue of a Thai youth soccer team that had been stuck in a flooded cave came to an culminate Tuesday when the last boy and the team's coach were plucked from the underground cavern -- more than two weeks after they became trapped, Navy officials said.

The Thai Navy SEALS said on Facebook all 12 boys from the team and the team's tutor were out of the cave. Four saviors, a medical doctor and three Navy SEALS remained inside until coming out of the cave two hours later.

"All 12 Wild Boars and instruct ought to have removed from the cave. Hooyah! " the announce enunciated. The Navy SEALS later wrote: "We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what. All the 13 Wild Boars are now out of the cave."

Earlier in the day, neighbourhood Thai media reports stated the 11 th being emerged from the cave after two other parties had been extricated. The conditions of all of those people who saved on Tuesday were unclear.

Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn added Tuesday's intricate and high-risk procedure originated just after 10 a.m. and implied 19 divers.

"We did something none remembered probable, " he said during a brief press conference after the extricate was complete.

This photo tweeted by Elon Musk pictures campaigns underway to rescue caught members of a youth football squad from a inundated cave in northern Thailand. ( Courtesy of Elon Musk via AP)

Cheers and applause were reported in the streets as the final ambulance arrived at a infirmary in Chiang Rai city. Payap Maiming, 40, who helped support food and demands to rescue workers and correspondents, told the Associated Press a "miracle" had happened.

A team reunited. Glees and cheering as the final ambulance arrives here in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Relief and unadulterated rapture from a crowd and the world. So many have been waiting and watching for the team’s safe reappearance. A enormous date in Thailand! @FoxNews #ThamLuangCave #thailand pic.twitter.com/ GhMFh8kIyy

-- Jeff Paul (@ Jeff_Journalist) July 10, 2018 blockquote > div >

"I'm happy for Thais all over the country, for the people of Mae Sai, and actually simply everyone in the world because every news directs has presented this story and this is what we have been waiting for, " she alleged. Mae Sai is the district where the cave is located, in the northern part of Chiang Rai province, near the border with Myanmar.

"It's really a miracle, " Payap said. "It's hope and sect that has brought us this success."

Before the final save of the group, there was optimism that the dive crew was getting more efficient in their attempts. They successfully extracted the second largest group of four a full two hours faster than the first, officials said.

THAI CAVE RESCUE TIMELINE: THE DANGEROUS RACE TO BRING TRAPPED SOCCER TEAM HOME

"Two periods, eight Boars, " read an earlier Facebook post by the Thai navy SEALS about the operation at the Tham Luan Nang Non cave that has been initiated Sunday, more than two weeks after the Wild Boars soccer team became trapped.

SpaceX and Tesla heading Elon Musk, who saw the cave, liberated photos of developments in the situation on Twitter, and said his high-tech submarine was ready to help if needed.

Just returned from Cave 3. Mini-sub is ready if needed. It is make use of rocket characters& listed Wild Boar after kids’ soccer crew. Leaving here in case it may be useful in the future. Thailand is so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/ EHNh8ydaTT

-- Elon Musk (@ elonmusk) July 9, 2018 blockquote > div >

"Just recalled from Cave 3. Mini-sub is ready if needed, " Musk tweeted. "It is make use of projectile parts& listed Wild Boar after kids’ football squad. Leaving here in case it may be useful in the future. Thailand is so beautiful."

But despite his offer to help, the Thai rescue chief said it would be of little use for the salvage of the boys, according to Sky News.

"Although his technology is good and sophisticated it’s not practical for this mission, ” Narongsak said.

The divers inaugurated the third phase of the operation at 10 a. m. Tuseday neighbourhood is necessary to bring the remaining boys and their 25 -year-old coach out of the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province.

The boy's lineages were being kept at a distance at a hospice because of nervousness of infection and the emaciated-looking boys were dining a rice-based porridge because they were still too weak to take regular menu, governments answered.

Rescue activities have expected two divers to go out with each boy through the cave.

At a news conference on Tuesday morning, officials said the second group of four boys brought forward Monday are healthful, and that there are no bats inside the cave so there are no animals that can transit any diseases.

Jesada Chokdumrongsuk, deputy director-general of the Public Health Ministry, replied Tuesday that the first four boy rescued, aged 12 to 16, are now able to eat ordinary menu. He added that two of them maybe have a lung illnes but all eight are generally "healthy and smiling, " and "the kids are footballers so the government had high immune systems."

The second group of four extricated on Monday are aged 12 to 14, and all are in "high spirits, " he added.

Video

Thai cave: Entire football crew extricated

Doctors are expecting to keep the sons in the hospital for at the least 7 days, and said there are no complications with the boy's eyesight despite spend multiple eras in the dark.

The parents of the first group of boys rescued on Sunday have visited their children through glass openings, as physicians continue to keep them "isolated" as they ensure they are healthful. The group has been vaccinated and sacrificed vitamin B1 and IV trickles, according to officials.

THAILAND CAVE RESCUE OPERATION: 4 MORE BOYS FREED, BRINGING TOTAL TO 8

Throughout the valiant extricate, there are still threats to monsoon rainwaters rising water in the cave endangering the team's dry recourse and fixing the escape route extremely treacherous.

A Thai well wisher gives a posting to pray for boys and their football manager. ( AP Photo/ Sakchai Lalit)

The plight of the sons, aged 11 -1 6, and their coach, has riveted Thailand and much of the world -- from the heart-sinking news they were missing to the first shimmering video of the cluster of expectant more smiling boys formerly they were found by the pair of British divers deep in the sprawling cave.

President Trump congratulated the Thai navy SEALs and their international partners who rescued the team and their tutor after more than two weeks of entrapment in a cave.

On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Thai Navy SEALs and all on the successful salvage of the 12 boys and their tutor from the perilous cave in Thailand. Such a beautiful minute - all release, huge job!

-- Donald J. Trump (@ realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2018 blockquote > div >

"On behalf of the United States, congratulations to the Thai Navy SEALs and all on the successful extricate of the 12 boys and their coach-and-four from the tricky cave in Thailand, " he wrote on Twitter. "Such a beautiful time - all release, immense profession! "

Writing in sumptuous Thai script, the boys advocated their parents not to perturb, adding that they hoped they wouldn't get too much homework after being extricated and couldn't wait to eat their favorite menus again.

Thailand's prime minister replied Tuesday that increased security will be introduced at the cave shaped "world famous" by this week's intrepid extricate action, Sky News reported.

Rescuers stroll towards the admittance to a cave composite where five were still trapped, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province , northern Thailand Tuesday, July 10, 2018. ( AP Photo/ Sakchai Lalit)

"In future, we have to monitor the entrance and depart to the cave. This cave has become life acclaimed, " Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha remarked. "We have to install more lights within the cave and was put forward clues. It's a hazardous cave."

All preparations of the rescue, including changing the oxygen cylinders arranged along the route out in the cave, take at least 20 hours, officials mentioned. The security of the divers, who have meticulously strategy members of the mission, is also overriding. One diver died during preparations for the boys' extraction.

Fox News' Jeff Paul and Melissa Chrise in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and The Associated Press contributed to this report

Edmund DeMarche is a news editor for FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @EDeMarche.

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Entire Thai soccer team, coach-and-four freed from cave after daring relief, Navy reads

Read more: http :// www.foxnews.com /~ ATAGEND

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investmart007 · 7 years ago

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MAE SAI, Thailand | Spirit of mythical princess looms over Thai cave crisis

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MAE SAI, Thailand | Spirit of mythical princess looms over Thai cave crisis

MAE SAI, Thailand — Along a muddy mountain path not far from the entrance to a flooded cave where 12 young members of a Thai soccer team have been missing for four days is a shrine to a mythical princess whose spirit is said to inhabit the caverns below.

A steady stream of visitors come to kneel down, light candles and incense and pray in front of a statue of a young woman wearing a pink traditional outfit, surrounded by flowers and other offerings.

For the past four days, the wish has been a simple one: Please let our boys come home.

The youngsters aged 11-16 have been missing since their 25-year-old coach took them to the sprawling cave on Saturday after a practice match. Rescuers led by elite navy divers have been frustrated by incessant rain and flooding that has slowed their search of the kilometers-long (miles-long) underground complex.

The statute is of Jao Mae Nang Non — which roughly translates as the reclining goddess — and her name is shared with the cave, Tham Luang Nang Non, as well as the surrounding mountain, Doi Nang Non.

Her legend, and in turn how her spirit came to linger in the cave in Chiang Rai province’s far northern Mae Sai district near Myanmar, is similar to dozens of other tales across a country whose belief system and folklore are heavily influenced by Brahmin, Buddhist and animist traditions.

It also speaks to the spiritual and mythical significance that caves hold in the Southeast Asian nation, where the ordeal of the young soccer players has spawned an outpouring of media coverage of ghost stories and supernatural explanations for the incident.

The legend goes that in ancient times a beautiful princess fell in love with a stable boy and became pregnant. Knowing their love was forbidden, they fled and eventually settled in the cave to rest. When the stable boy went out in search of food, he was caught by the princess’ father’s army and killed.

Distraught, the princess stabbed herself and bled to death in the cave.

The legend says it is her blood that became the water that flows through the cave, while her body is the surrounding mountains, said to look like a sleeping woman.

Runchanok Nganjit, a student and native of Mae Sai, said she has heard the story of the princess since she was a child and that local residents believe her spirit now guards the cave.

“We all believe that all places have guardian spirits, places like mountains, caves and houses,” she said. “We may not see them, but they can see us so we need to respect them when we go into their places.”

She said she believes the princess’ spirit is playing a role in the disappearance of the boys but she isn’t sure how.

Caves throughout Thailand have shrines, many of them Buddhist, and often bear stories about the Buddha’s travels in the region and how he pacified fearsome giants or spirits, said Andrew Alan Johnson, an anthropology professor at Princeton University and author of “Ghosts of the New City,” about development and tradition in northern Thailand.

In the myths of the northern region, there is a link between danger and caves and the idea that these dangerous female spirits, or Jao Mae, can also help humans who can appeal to them, he said.

“The Jao Mae of caves seem to suggest something constant about caves in the human imagination,” he said. “Here are spirits who stand at the bridge between life and death — indeed, if we think of women as those figures that are able to bring life into the world, it’s unsurprising that these spirits are for the most part female — dwelling in these liminal spaces. They are places of danger, but also of possibility.”

Edoardo Siani, a cultural anthropologist at Kyoto University who specializes in Buddhism and power in contemporary Thai society, said caves in Thailand are thought to hold a special kind of power that those who enter can accumulate.

He said this is why ascetic religious practitioners like monks and hermits sometimes go to meditate in caves. It’s also the genesis for the shrines and offerings.

“The reason why you find offerings and even shrines built inside caves throughout Thailand is that people try to appease the spirits or the gods that may inhabit the caves, and who have already domesticated that power,” he said.

As for the tale of the reclining goddess, “because she has killed herself in it, she has indeed become part of that otherworld, and, very much like the cave itself, she has become simultaneously attractive and scary,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, as the rain poured around them, Naruemon Saowake and her friends made their way to the Jao Mae Nang Non shrine with an offering that included soda, boiled eggs, fruit and desserts.

“I don’t know what upset her. But we will make an offering to please her,” she said. “I hope she will be kind and let the boys come home.”

By Associated Press

___

#12 young members #Mae Sai #mythical princess looms #spirit #Thai cave crisis #TodayNews

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sohannabarberaesque · 4 years ago

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Moth Mondays with the Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera:

Sis from The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour

Something of a sassy type herself, Sis--along with her friend, Honey--can be imagined as having a rather interesting life after the short-lived variety series. And as if “pop-up” shortwave radio broadcasts weren’t interesting enough--well, let’s let Sis explain:

Can you imagine us being the only humans in a community of dive-hungry animals?

That was actually the case a few years back when Peter Potamus, intrigued somewhat by one of our mobile worldcasts on shortwave, invited us to his beach house colony on the Pacific coast between San Diego and Oceanside--yes, the same Oceanside of “Tan Yer Hide In--” notoriety--as happens to be the “home base” of his company of divers. You know, Wally Gator ... Magilla Gorilla ... Breezly Bruin ... Loopy De Loop ... I suppose you get the idea from their several TV documentaries demonstrating the fun and friendship of the diving experience, and you have to hand it to Peter Potamus for proving that SCUBA and snorkelling can be wonderful sports in themselves. And it may be a rather eccentric sort of colony, judging by a rather substantial practice and testing pool made from an old shipping container, and with “see-through” windows besides ... not to mention space along the Pacific for near-shore and open-water diving practice.

At any rate, over a sausage roast over a driftwood fire on the beach, pretty much the entire troupe couldn’t believe we were as much shortwave radio renegades as potential suckers for dive lessons from Peter Potamus; Mildew Wolf, in fact, wondered aloud whether we were serious diver material, let alone “diver babes.” (Honey and I, to be frank about it, took the notion in stride.)

In fact, the main reason Peter Potamus invited us to that colony was to have us introduced to the potential of diving as a worthwhile time-killer. He’s not only quite the adventurer, knowing about some isolated parts of Polynesia where the natives are still practically naked, but also something of an ambassador for diving in ways which Jacques Cousteau probably wasn’t. Peter Potamus likes peppering the presentation of diving’s potential with much whimsy drawn from the experiences of his dive company in many interesting dive spots around the country.

At any rate, Honey and I stripped down to our tankinis for what was certain to be a rather interesting experience in itself: Peter Potamus having us discover as much snorkelling, which is your basic near-shore sort of dive, as SCUBA, by way of the glass-sided practice pool next to Peter Potamus’ quarters in the colony. Which is constructed so that there’s a modest little deck to dive off of by way of both snorkelling and SCUBA. The difference, of course, being that with snorkelling, you can just jump into the water whereas with SCUBA, you have to do what’s essentially a backflip to enter.

Still, one thing I admit was slightly annoying was when practically the entire colony stood facing the glass side of the practice pool, practically ogling at us as if we were sexpots of the dive world, practically out of the covers of those tacky “mens’ action” pulp magazines also known as “sweat” such from the 1960′s. But suffice it to say that curiosity played into the picture as well, and I had to admit that Honey and I came off rather gracefully, not to mention looking rather “cool.”

Perhaps the highlight of our experience was where Peter Potamus “himself” invited us to try some open-water SCUBA just offshore of his colony ... and so, by way of a somewhat charming diver’s pontoon craft, we took up the opportunity. With Squiddly Diddly as cameraman, we couldn’t believe just how wonderful it actually could get underwater, even if was a transition between rock and coral reefs as was commonplace in the Pacific in those parts; as Peter explained it, things didn’t start turning to serious coral until well past the Mexican border, offshore of Ensenada ... nonetheless, such remarkably clear waters, some rather spectacular underwater “walls” with some equally-spectacular underwater caves and crevasses, even some unusually friendly sea lions and dolphins were points in our favour. In fact, one particularly friendly sea lion managed to “kiss” me on the cheek, and I admit feeling a little love-struck in the bargain.

Which brings to mind one especially amusing admission we brought up with the crew in a debrefing session after completing the dive: The very possibility of doing one of our shortwave radio worldcasts underwater, and actually wearing SCUBA gear rather than the old-school divers’ suit. And--get this--actually talking during the dive!! Peter admitted there were some new SCUBA mask and mouthpiece hybrids out as would permit the possibility ... though admittedly, it might require some research to develop a decent waterproof mike as would work in such a milieu for shortwave radio. But imagine sharing what the dive was actually like while actually diving!!

Which certainly got a laugh all around ...

“... and that’s the story from The Moth”

(The preceding is an independent fanfic feature having no official connexion or association with The Moth. For more information, please to visit their website ... and tune in to The Moth Radio Hour weekends on your local public radio station; check your local radio listings for the day and time.)

@warnerarchive @hanna-barbera-land @warnerbrosentertainment @hanna-barbera-blog @joey-gatorman @hanna-barberians

#fanfic #hanna barbera #the moth #crossover #moth monday #storytelling #honey and sis #the hanna-barbera happy hour #peter potamus #snorkeling #scuba #open water diving #discover diving #beach house colony #hannabarberaforever

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winrepl0l1l0 · 7 years ago

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The tale of Yuri. (Preemptive apologies).

Yuri had lived in Russia all of his life, in a small town near Moscow. The town had horrible weather conditions almost all of the time and very few people lived there. Everyone living in the town was struggling to survive in such poor conditions. Yuri had lived alone in a small house in this town. He worked every day at a factory that was close to this town. It was hard work, and Yuri was never very happy with his work, but he kept enduring the rough conditions to be able to have an income. Yuri's life had been like this for several years, and he had endured many hardships during these times.

Every day, while Yuri was taking his walk to the factory before work began, he always passed by a large billboard on the side of the road. The billboard changed every month or so, usually showing an irrelevant advertisement for something that Yuri had little interest in. Today, however, Yuri noticed a new advertisement on the billboard. It read, "SWIMMING LESSONS" in large letters, accompanied by a picture of a large man swimming through the water. This ad had given Yuri something to be interested in. He had always had an intense passion for swimming, but it was always too difficult to practice in the frigid waters of the lake near his home. Yuri continued to read the ad before he finally came to the price: 5000 Rubles base fee.

Yuri was sad, because this was much more than Yuri could afford to spend. However, he thought to himself, "If I could save up enough money from the factory work, then by the end of the month, I should have enough..." After this, he decided that day that he would work as hard as he could to make sure he had enough money by the end of the month. He even had to cut back his food supply by just a small amount to still have enough money. Finally, at the end of the month, Yuri finally had enough money to be able to go to the swimming pool not far from his home where the practices were being held.

Every day after his hard work at the factory, he greatly enjoyed going back to the pool and practicing his swimming. He had started quickly and advanced rapidly. Everyone who frequented the pool to practice their swimming was impressed by Yuri's natural ability to be able to learn and adapt so quickly, becoming very popular with the people at the pool, his hometown, and even in Moscow. It was truly a passion of Yuri's.

A few months had passed, and Yuri's amazing swimming abilities had been noticed by people in places all across Russia, considering a swimming prodigy. Yuri was always modest about his skills, but was humble nonetheless. However, he still had to continue his work at the factory, and live in the same small house he had lived in since he was born. For him, swimming was the one thing that saved him from the cruel and harsh life he lived.

Later that month, on his way to the factory once again, he had noticed that the billboard he so often passed had changed once again. While it was difficult to read in the unrelenting snowstorm, he managed to make out the words "DIVING PRACTICES" in big letters. Diving was something that Yuri had also found to be interesting, but could never find the time nor place to practice properly. The pool he went to had no diving boards or excessively deep sections of the pool, so it was hard for Yuri to practice diving. However, this would give him another opportunity to pursue what he wanted to do. He looked down at the bottom of the billboard and saw something that, like the other ad, made his heart drop. The base fee was 7500 Rubles. Yuri knew that it would take another month or two of hard work at the factory to be able to achieve such a high sum of money. The factory was beginning to offer less and less money to Yuri, making life harder on him than it was before. He had to cut back his food money as well to accommodate for this. However, Yuri overcame the hardships in his life and save up just enough money by the end of two months.

The practices were held at another pool not far from the one he already went to, so it was easy for him to practice both swimming and diving at once. He continued to master his swimming skills while also learning how to practice diving. Much like with swimming, however, he had picked up skills quickly, and it only took him another few months before he had mastered diving.

Many people had heard of Yuri at this point. Several news stories across Russia were focused around Yuri, who was considered to be the best swimmer and diver in the whole country. He continued to remain incredibly modest through all of his interviews. "It is only something I am fond of, a hobby" Yuri would say. "I still have a life in the factory that I must attend to every day. It is a hard life, so swimming and diving are what I use to keep myself healthy." Despite his fame and popularity, Yuri did continue to work at the factory day in and day out, receiving little pay and little food for all of his hard work. Despite all of Yuri's hardships, he continued his daily routine of working, swimming, and diving.

For yet another time, Yuri was on his way to the factory. The billboard had changed once again. Yuri anticipated something exciting on the billboard, and he was not disappointed at what he saw. "TRAVEL TO AMERICA TODAY!" read the ad. Yuri was very interested. He had always heard of America, and had heard nothing but positive things about it. The land of the free! It was a very exciting idea to Yuri. However, he knew that with ads like these, he knew they would come at a steep price. Unfortunately, he thought correctly. The boats that traveled to America were advertised as costing 60,000 Rubles.

Yuri knew that that kind of sum would come from only another year or so of hard work at the factory. The factory work had become increasingly more difficult every single day, with little pay, food, and free time. However, he endured the next year the same way he endured the previous years: with swimming and diving. It truly was his passion, and Yuri was not sure on how he would have survived without them.

Finally, the year had passed, and Yuri had finally saved up enough Rubles to be able to ride the boat to America. He climbed aboard the boat with all of his possessions with him, all managing to fit in one small suitcase. The boat was somewhat small in size, being able to house only around 20 or so people. The boat set sail across the cold waters of the ocean. About a day had passed when people had finally recognized Yuri, the famed Russian swimmer and diver. They were all very excited to meet Yuri, and had several questions to ask him about his swimming skills. "It is nothing much, just a passion of mine, that is all. It is something I use to endure the hardships and trials of my life..." Yuri would always respond to his fans.

One day the boat had to make a stop at a small island to fill up the boat's gas supply, for they had much less than they had expected to have. It was a nice, sunny day outside, and the water was said to be very warm. One of the passengers asked Yuri to show off some of his diving techniques to his fans, since they had time to kill before the boat would depart again. "Hey, Yuri! While we wait, could you show us some of your diving skills? I would LOVE to see them!" Yuri was hesitant at first. Another passenger asked, "And maybe once you have done that, could you show us your swimming techniques? The water is warm, and it would make my day to see them!" Yuri replied, "Well... ok, if you all insist I do it."

Yuri looked off the side of the boat. On the bottom of the boat, a balcony extended from the bottom. Yuri feared he might hit the balcony on his dive down, but everyone else assured Yuri that he wouldn't hit it in a million years. Yuri stepped up over the railing, onto the side of the boat. With the same skill that he had used so many times before, he demonstrated his graceful diving skills by performing his favorite dive he knew. His fans watched in amazement as his body twirled through the air beautifully, showing the same amount of skill he put into each of his other dives. As he dove down towards the war waters below, people watched and expected for Yuri to land smoothly in the water.

Unfortunately, Yuri never landed in the water. He landed instead on the solid, hard deck of the boat's balcony below. The impact sounded painful, and all of the spectators winced on pain over his fall. Yuri remained motionless for several seconds, and his fans began to worry. Many people were about to call for medics when Yuri managed to get up slowly. "Are you alright Yuri? That fall looked hard! That must have broken some bones!" Yuri, however, had barely an injury. As he had gotten up, he simply regained his sense of direction. This had amazed several people, as that kind of a fall would have surely broken any other person's bones, if not killed them. Instead, Yuri simply stood up with barely a scratch, and waved back at the row of spectators.

"It is OK, everybody" Yuri yelled back. "I have endured many hardships in my life."

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

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#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

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