Thanks! (For all the fish, for you sci-fi's, and for the Cornflakes, for the rest)
Hi, all, At this time of year, we Americans are reminded of the bounteous blessings we have in this, our transitory life. I could go on, and on (no, I won't, for once!)... I'm totally blessed to be living the dream, long in coming, as those who followed our adventures for the last 10 years or so to get to where we are today know. Here in Marsh Harbour, and the surrounding Abacos in the Bahamas, we're additionally reminded of our bounty: We're healthy We're happy We're surrounded by friends electronic, in the flesh, and in other cruisers We're warm enough/cool enough We're dry, when it's wet We're adequately fed We have funds sufficient to survive for a while. We, barring some surprise, expect to live for quite a while, yet Not everyone has that privilege, most starkly brought home to us in our travels. My father and Lydia's mother are in their twilights, my father much more so, prompting contemplation of a trip to the US while he still can recognize me. We've, otherwise, seen anywhere from outlandish luxury to obscene poverty in our travels. However, one recent series of events here in Marsh Harbour has our attention. I'll turn over the pen to Lydia for a guest posting; those of you receiving her log (the google one in the list at the end of my signature) have already seen it. Many of those of you have asked if you could pass it around. Those same have already received our enthusiastic approval. So, consider that request granted to those reading it, now, for the first time. Nobody will send you a new Ford, give you a discount at Applebees, a free laptop or whatever else the usual spam blandishments promise if you do. Nor will you be, somehow, cursed, if you don't. But, if you're so moved, please do disseminate it far and wide - you'll see why when you read the following (begin Lydia's guest appearance): Subject: Making a Difference and The Price of Cornflakes If you're not an animal lover, you may as well skip this particular log entry. Just go ahead and exit the site, or move on to the next email, (depending upon how you receive this) because what I'm about to talk about will only deeply affect those who have large hearts for God's creatures. Here's a story for you: Back in the fall of 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and happened upon Cuba, which he claimed for Spain. Among the many things he brought ashore were his Spanish horses, beautiful creatures bred for their hardiness, endurance and courageous spirit, and with them, Columbus established two horse farms on the island. Fast forward 400 years. At the turn of the 20th century, the forest on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas, was being clear-cut, and logged. Not having any modern machinery in those days, nor work animals on the island, they brought in horses from Cuba to drag the logs out of the forest. Many years later, when tractors became available, the horses were abandoned and turned loose in the forest to fend for themselves, obsolete, cast away. Bred to survive harsh conditions, they made the sun scorched island and the regenerating forest their home, and they thrived despite all odds. Today, DNA samples prove that the wild horses of Abaco, which are now recognized by the Horses of Americas Registry as Abaco Barbs, are direct, undiluted descendants of the Spanish horses introduced to Cuba by Christopher Columbus in 1492, and brought to Abaco in the late 1800s. There are no similar horses in Cuba today. As of this date, only 6 horses remain from a herd of about 200, on the verge of extinction for the second time in recent years. These beautiful creatures have become endangered by the environmental changes brought about by man; the road which cut through their forest, the relentless clear-cutting of same, the unspeakable atrocities perpetrated by men who hunted and slaughtered them, the fires which destroyed their natural grazing source, the poisonous weeds that grew up in the aftermath of bulldozing. Against all odds, these 6 remaining Abaco Barbs, known to be the most endangered breed of horse on our planet, continue to fight courageously for their survival. That, effectively, is the end of the story. Most people really don't care. The Bahamian government doesn't seem to much care, either. But there's one woman here in Marsh Harbour, who lives on her boat, and who devotes her life to preventing the extinction of the Abaco Barbs. Skip and I met with her today, to see how we could help, how we could give back, how we can make a difference. We'll start by volunteering our time in the Buck-a-Book bookstore, where, not surprisingly, books cost a buck, and all the money generated goes to the non-profit fund for the horses. And the fund needs money badly. Now, if I were to ask you whether you thought you could afford to spend $10 a month on eating out, you'd tell me not to be ridiculous. Of course you can't eat out for $10/month. You can't even buy lunch for two at McDonalds for $10. I'm not even sure that you can buy a 6-pack of Bud Lite for $10 (you definitely can't in the Abacos), and I know for an absolute fact that $10 won't get you more than two boxes of Cornflakes anymore. I've thought about this a lot - Skip and I are on a tight budget out here - and I've concluded that in today's economy, you can't really do very much at all for $10/month. But you could make an enormous difference for the Abaco Barbs for $10/month. If we all did it - if everyone of us who gets this log did it, (which doesn't include the non-members who simply log in and read from the site), we'd have generated $6750 in one month. In ONE month!! That amount of money would go a long way towards catching up the wages for the two loyal men who stand watch over the 5 miles of fence around the horses (constantly weeding around it and repairing it, among other things), who haven't had a paycheck since July, but are still working, such is their devotion. I don't know how you feel about your raison d'etre, but I believe that if I see an opportunity to make a positive difference in this world, I'm obliged to take it. I mean, really - if you are reading this log, I can safely say that we all agree with that, right? So, for $10 every month, I am going to be a part of preserving the oldest, and most endangered breed of horse on this earth. I'm going to help repair the damage that mankind caused these creatures; I'm going to help stave off their extinction for at least another month. I'm doing it for the horses, and I'm doing it for my grandchildren, and your grandchildren, and all their grandchildren, and the beautiful planet we live on. I think that most of us could scratch up $10 each month from the change under the seats of our cars and our sofas, not to mention what gets left in our pockets in the laundry hamper. Would you help me? Please take the time to look at the site - http://www.arkwild.org. Please click the donation button. I already have. -- Love, Lydia S/V Flying Pig Morgan 46 #2 "The only way to live is to have a dream green and growing in your life - anything else is just existing and is a waste of breath." Ann Davison (end Lydia's guest post) Well, that's what she had to say. I can't add much - other than that I've had hands-on with these beautiful animals, and wish you could have the same experience... L8R Skip, thankful Morgan 461 #2 SV Flying Pig KI4MPC See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery ! Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it however." (and) "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hand (Richard Bach) _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
