In real estate, they say there are only three important factors; location, location, and location. When making fire by friction, there are also three important factors; materials (type), materials (condition), and materials (preparation). As a child, I once used my dad’s electric drill to make fire by friction with a pine dowel rod and a […]
Here at The Immersion, we practice the skills of our ancient ancestors. We use these skills to better interact with the landscape and increase our ability to thrive in any scenario. Here is an example of some of the skills we learned this quarter. Stone Tools We spent a day down by the Tolt River […]
One powerful part of The Immersion is the projects and adventures that each individual student chooses to engage and create for themselves. Due to the fact that we have only 3 scheduled class days a week, that potentially gives us 4 days where we are free to fill with whatever passions move us. Many take that time […]
A common pastime of outdoor enthusiasts is collecting edible mushrooms. This endeavor must be pursued with great caution since mistaking a poisonous mushroom for one that is edible can cost you your life. There are many old wives tales that would have you believe that there are easy ways to avoid poisonous mushrooms through blanket […]
Is it safe to drink this water? I ask myself that question often and most of the time the answer is no. There often is the risk that bacteria, chemicals, and pathogens, specifically Giardia, are in the water. Rainwater or dew that is resting on non-poisonous plants such as moss is safe to drink as […]
“Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” as the old saying goes. A more apt statement for these times might be, “water, water everywhere, but is it safe to drink?” And if it’s not, what is a reliable water purification process? Sadly, in this day and age there are few, if any, places […]
It felt like my gut was an industrial washing machine set on “agitate,” churning furiously and steadily. It felt like I had two weasels in my midsection, their claws braced into the walls, trying to tear each other apart. It even reminded me of the classic sci-fi B-movie “The Hidden,” in which an intelligent but […]
Once humans developed a need to travel on water in order to fish, trade, and explore, cultures worldwide created lightweight boats consisting of the skin of an animal stretched over a light frame of wooden poles or strips. One such boat is the coracle. This is a boat of the British Isles and is varied […]
Sleeping outside in a primitive survival shelter with no tent and no sleeping bag?! In the rain? Are you crazy? This idea may indeed seem crazy and a bit daunting to many of us. However, with a couple of hours, proper materials, and the right mindset, constructing and sleeping in a primitive survival shelter can […]
Venomous Spider: The Black Widow When considering venomous spiders and spider identification, the first one that comes to mind is the Black Widow. In North America, there are around five species of the Black Widow spider. You can easily identify the black widow, especially the female, because of it’s round, bulbous belly. The female Black […]