Author: Tom
The Doomsday Glacier Is Melting Faster Than Thought
The Thwaites Glacier is an Antarctic Glacier that flows from the western side of Antartica into the Pine Island Bay that is part of the Amundsen Sea. It’s called the Doomsday Glacier because, along with the Pine Island Glacier, it is thought to have significant potential to raise global sea…
Orvis Letter on AAPI Racism
Yesterday, Orvis posted the above letter on its Fly Fishing Page on Facebook. There were overĀ 1,500 posts in response. From a very rough count, I estimate that anti-Orvis posts were running about three to one over those thanking Orvis for their letter. I assume that’s to be expected: there’s…
When We Love Too Much…Salmonids
Dave McCoy is the owner of Emerald Water Anglers, and is an ambassador for both Patagonia and Thomas & Thomas. In a long conversation with filmmaker Mark Titus, he reflects on the business and sport of fly fishing in a time of climate change and the risks of species extinction….
The Other Pandemic Is Returning
And, of course, the other pandemic is that of mass shootings in the United States. After the last year of shutdowns, social isolation, and fear of the COVID-19 virus, there were no mass shootings in public places in 2020; mass shootings are defined by the FBI as four or more…
Lords of the Fly
It has been on Earth for at least 50 million years; its fossil ancestors go back more than 100 million years. Its females can live 50 years, with males living approximately 30 years. It is a slow-growing fish, but can reach up to eight feet long, and the largest can…
Second COVID-19 Vaccine Shot: Minor Reactions
Yesterday (2/23) I received my second COVID-19 vaccine shot at St. Clare’s Hospital in Lakewood. The 20-mile trip was easy and quick – in spite of the morning rush-hour time of my appointment. There were far fewer people this time, with everyone in for the second injection – I assumed…
Barry Lopez’s Last Interview
Sometimes called the modern Thoreau, Barry Lopez had a reporter’s insights and a naturalist’s focus on the relationships between humanity and the natural world. He was a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, but is perhaps best known for his non-fiction book on the fragile Arctic, Arctic Dreams (1986), which…
Thoughts on Birthdays
Andy Rooney is credited with saying that “life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.” There is a good deal of truth in that statement whether he said it or not, but there is a big “but” – and…
We Lost the Line
The second day of the impeachment trial of ex-President Donald Trump focused on recreating the events and timeline of the insurrection on January 6th, 2021. The House managers presentations contained many shocking and terrifying images. But among the elements of those presentations the one that has chilled me most were…
Better Casting Leads to More Privacy
No fly fisher goes looking for crowds, at least none I’ve met. One of the attractions of the sport is finding a stream or beach where no one else is in the vicinity. A place where the casting and fishing is only a part, even if the greatest part, of…