Non-Fishing Links for The Traveling Angler
Here at Half Past First Cast, we surf the web so you don’t have to – and also because we’re addicted to the process. We spend hours checking out rabbit holes, dead ends, time sucks and (occasionally) enlightening opportunities.
Yes, we spend lots of time watching YouTube fish porn and reading articles about the sport we love, but so many of the pieces that ostensibly have nothing to do with angling or travel prove meaningful because they reflect our values, goals and interests (or just plain goofiness). Here are some of the fun ones we’ve seen lately.
How One Man Discovered His Dream Job In Retirement
This one dovetails nicely with our goals of “making the most of our remaining casts.” You’re never too old and it’s never too late to reassess your goals or to make the most of your life. John Burrows moved to his dream location at 69 years old, leaving behind a lot of people, places and priorities that he knew – and ended up with a bucket list job: Ski Ambassador. He’s effectively a living/walking/talking/skiing advocate for the sport and the place that he loves. It’s a model for lifetime employment and happiness.
11 Best Places To Spot Florida’s Iconic Wildlife
We’ve been fortunate to see incredible and sometimes-rare wildlife across the globe, including but not limited to in Africa and the Amazon, but one of the most biodiverse places around is within a short distance of many of us: Florida. The Sunshine State’s many wildlife refuges offer relatively easy access to all sorts of critters, including manatees, Key Deer, gators, and a tremendous variety of bird life. If you want to add to your “life list” without spending a lot of money or even leaving the country, get there ASAP.
Death in the Forest
Like Florida (above), the Amazon is a region loaded with biodiversity that is undergoing massive changes, not all of them good. The Washington Post put together this lengthy article about a planned highway that will connect Manaus (one of our favorite jumping-off points to a fishing trip) to other cities in Brazil. While that would seem to be an overall benefit for the region’s citizens, it is not without its complications and complexities. These include alleged deforestation, along with violence and crime. Development is always a complicated topic and this piece handles it deftly. Bottom line: no matter where you come down on the issues and facts, everyone needs to get to this amazing portion of the globe sooner rather than later. I’ve been three times and cannot wait to see more.
From Zero To 100 Butts: The Wild World Of Invertebrate Behinds
It may not yet be a Hallmark-worthy holiday, but did you know that there’s an Invertebrate Butt Week? This lighthearted-but-informative piece answers important questions like "What Makes a Butt a Butt?" On a related note, check out this piece about “The fish that lives in a sea cucumber anus.”
Photographer Captures Squirrels Fighting Over Lettuce
“Alex, I’ll take ‘Things Americans will never fight over’ for a thousand.” Chocolate, maybe. Beer, definitely. But lettuce??? “Please know [that] both squirrels walked away with no injuries, just hurt feelings, and [they] probably told their friends ‘you should have seen the other guy’ stories,” photographer Paula Badour said.
