by Pat Heyman | Nov 28, 2009 | Essays, Pat
When he first arrived in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, Tom Carr was only five. He recalls that he tagged his first turtle when just six years old. He spent three years in Tortuguero with his parents before returning to the United States to go to school. Every summer for the next eighteen years he would return to help with the turtle project.
In the old days, the Tortuguero research station worked because it was one big family with the local village. The village helped the Carr family, and the Carr family helped them. “Pana pana hancome hango,” they would say. “You help us. We help you.”
The earliest settlers of Tortuguero were black Caribs. In the early days Carib faces were the only faces around, but through the years migration has brought an ethnic mix to the Tortuguero area. As they were generally the only people who could speak English, when the tourist boom began, many moved to San Jose and some became successful hoteliers, head chefs, and front deskmen.
At first, the Tortuguero field station was run just by Archie Carr, his family, and his graduate students from the University of Florida during the summers. There was very little communication or transportation, and one of the Carr boys would go down a week early to set up camp. As time went on Archie’s students who had graduated began to take over the project.
The early days of Tortuguero were filled with adventures straight from the pages of the Swiss Family Robinson, complete with smugglers, pirates, and guerrillas. Today, Tortuguero remains a colorful, albeit calmer, town.
Adventures in Tortuguero
Life in Tortuguero was not always easy nor quiet. There were little to no supplies. There were threats from Cuba and pirates. Here is one firsthand account of an adventure at Tortuguero.
Hunting the Giant Jewfish — recounted by Tom Carr
To get fresh meat and quench my urge to fish the unknown waters of turtle bogue I would go fishing at the boca (river mouth) after my chores were done. I hooked a 400 pound Jewfish one late afternoon; I had tied the line to the largest log I could find on the sandbar at the mouth of the river. Even though he was in water only a meter deep he was able to pull me and the log slowly but surely into the sea. There were a hell of a lot of big tiger sharks out there in those days from all the turtle butchering going on.
At the last moment before the monster made it to deep water I got to my feet and ran out in to the water towards the fish using the line as my guide. As I ran I pulled a small .38 caliber derringer (a survival gun) from my back pocket, and when I reached the fish was able to shoot him twice in the head. The bullets did not enter the skull but the impact was such that that it stunned him and I was able to drag him back to shallow water. The fish was way to big for me to get him into my cayuca (canoe) so I tethered him to the gunwale and with a small outboard towed him back to Casa Verde (the Green House) where Shefton, our friend and cook, butchered him. The meat from this fish fed our team and the village for days. I was fourteen at the time.
by Pat Heyman | Nov 28, 2009 | Essays, Pat
How it all began:
Fifty years ago, we knew next to nothing about sea turtles. If you study sea turtles today, you will notice one name popping up again and again: Dr. Archie Carr. Dr. Carr set up the first systematic turtle research program, which still operates today. He is directly responsible for saving the Caribbean green turtle population from extinction. Most of our knowledge of sea turtles stems from his research. Dr. Carr’s life was as interesting as the turtles he loved.
Archie was the son of a Presbyterian minister and spent his early years traveling throughout the south with his father. His father was a strict disciplinarian who insisted on a proper education. Fascinated by adventure fiction, Archie’s character was shaped by his heroes, the characters of Kipling, Hemingway, and Twain. With a literary bent, Archie felt drawn to write as well.
He had once read that one of his favorite authors had said that to write one had first to live hard. So Archie took it upon himself to live hard, and live hard he did. For a time, he worked the river boats of the Mississippi following in Mark Twain’s footsteps. He wound up working the docks of Savannah. One day while loading bales of cotton, one of the large needles used to sew up the bales pierced his forearm. With no penicillin, the doctors chose to remove his bone and replace it with a metal bar.
With his days of hard living at an end, Archie chose to attend college at the University of Florida, where he graduated with a double major: biology and English. Taxonomy was his specialty, and in those days, that meant going out, finding new species, and naming them. He met his wife, Marjorie, while on a trip into the field. She was studying the sex life of the St. Johns River large mouth bass at the time.
They married, and soon word of Dr. Carr’s research reached the ears of the Ivy League. Harvard asked if he had ever heard of a fellow named Popenoe. (Popenoe’s research lead to the introduction of the avocado to the United States.) If Archie would help “Pop,” Harvard would pay for him to live and do research in Honduras. The fruit companies would front the money for the project. And so Archie packed up and moved off to Honduras. He describes these as the best years of his life. He was teaching biology to bright young students in Honduras’ Zamarano School of Agriculture. He had all the time in the world to travel into the cloud forests looking for new species. His wife studied her birds. His children were born. And, the fruit companies indirectly paid for it through Harvard.
In order to go deeper into the jungles, Archie hired himself out to chicleros. (Chicleros were the collectors of chicle, from which chewing gum is made. Many chicleros were less than reputable.) So there Archie was. White American university professor, Ph.D.–gallivanting around the jungle acting as huntsman and cook for the toughest bandits in all Honduras. Life was good…until one fateful day.
October 10, 1947, Archie had taken a trip on horseback to the Pacific coast in search of new species. And there for the first time in his log, he records seeing a nesting sea turtle, “…eggs came out every 4-10 seconds in bunches of 2, 3, or 4 [few times], usually 2-3. Turtles eyes closed and plastered with tears and sand. This must be of some function.” The preliminary sketches and descriptions tickled his imagination and began a fascination with turtles that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
A good friend of his, Guillermo Cruz, told him that if he were really interested in sea turtles, then he needed to go to Costa Rica to Tortuguero. After a cursory trip in 1955, Archie and his family made the trip on horseback from Honduras to Tortuguero in Costa Rica. The leader of the expedition was none other than Pepe Figueres, the leader of Costa Rica’s revolution less than ten years earlier.
And so, Dr. Archie Carr began what has become today the longest lived turtle research project in the world–Tortuguero. And still today, the Carr family watches over the goings on in Tortuguero.
This series is dedicated in loving memory to Dr. Archie Carr. 1907 – 1987.
by Pat Heyman | Nov 28, 2009 | Essays, Pat
April 1996
There is something special about seeing a huge sea turtle braving the pounding surf to nest. Every year, thousands of people are drawn to coasts around the world in order to get a glimpse of these beautiful creatures. Some go farther and help researchers tag and study turtles.
I first wrote these articles while working at Holbrook Travel. I was in charge of creating a website for them, but found myself in a dilemma; we had nothing to put on the website. So after careful research and several interviews, I wrote this series of articles. With the pasage of time, the articles have been removed from the Holbrook website. Perhaps it’s sentiment for my sophomore effort, or perhaps it’s professional pride, but I thought that the articles were important enough to save for posterity. They are centered around the conservation efforts to preserve the Green Sea Turtle.
So I hope that you learn something, and I hope you enjoy the articles. I look forward to hearing from you.
by Pat Heyman | Jul 12, 2009 | Essays, Pat
Those famous words were spoken by Wesley (Cary Elwes) in The Princess Bride in response to Vizzini’s convoluted arguments. I feel the same about anyone who can understand all of the intricacies of firearms. I have already written about some of my adventures into the realm of handguns, but this did nothing to prepare me for the dizzying variety in the world of shotguns. Shotguns have infinitely more variety than handguns
This little article will describe some of the choices and options to consider when purchasing a shotgun. (Please keep in mind that I have not yet had the opportunity to take a shotgun class, so much the information here will most likely need to be updated afterward.)
As always, the first question to be asked of any gun purchase is the gun’s intended purpose. With shotguns, the basic purposes boil down to recreational shooting such as traps and clay birds, hunting birds and small game, hunting larger game (such as deer), and self defense, especially home defense. If you are on a tight budget you will probably want one shotgun that can serve multiple roles. This can be accomplished because most shotguns allow multiple barrels that, in combination with different types of ammunition, can be configured for different roles.
The shotgun I am buying is first for self/home defense, and second for hunting/sporting (two things I do not do that often). The key things to consider when purchasing the shotgun are the action, the gauge, and the barrel.
The Action
The action refers to the type of shotgun. The basic (most common) three actions are break-action, pump, and autoloading. The break-action has a pivot between the chamber and the barrel. The action “breaks” or pivots open and the shells are loaded into the barrel. This is the traditional shotgun and comes in two basic varieties. Single barrel, and double barrel. Double barrels may be side by side or over-under, which describes the placement of the two barrels. These shotguns are very simple, very durable, and the barrel can be changed out for different purposes. They have been around for hundreds of years and vary from extremly inexpensive to very expensive.
The second type of shotgun is the pump-action shotgun. This is the iconic police shotgun from just about every movie featuring a policeman. Pump shotguns offer the advantage of quicker follow up shots when compared to break-action shotguns but are more complicated and can be more expensive. The shotgun shells are typically loaded into a magazine tube mounted below the barrel. The user loads a new round by sliding (pumping) the action.
The third type of shotgun is the autoloading (or semiautomatic) shotgun. These shotguns use the recoil of the shotgun to load the next round. These offer the quickest followup shots but are the most complicated and most prone to mechanical failure.
Generally speaking, the pump action is preferred for self defense purposes, due to it combination of quick follow up shots and rugged, reliable action. Of course reading any internet forum will bring a myriad arguments in favor of all three. So which did I go with? The pump action.
The Gauge
The gauge refers to the size of the round the shogun will accommodate. Gauge is typically measured as a fraction, so 12 gauge is actually larger than 20 gauge (1/12 > 1/20). The most common gauge by far is the 12 followed by the 20, with the oddly named .410 recently gaining in popularity. (The .410 is measured in inches and would be equivalent to 67 gauge.) Other relatively common gauges include the 10 and 28 (probably best known for being the gauge former vice president Dick Cheney used to shoot a hunting partner by accident).
Shogtun shells are verstaile creatures, able to accommodate, birdshot, buckshot, slugs, and specialty rounds such as flechettes (tiny darts) or tear gas cannisters. For civilians, the first three are the most common ammunition. The size of the gauge determines how much shot or what size slug can be used. The trade off is the amount of shot vs the kick or recoil of the gun. Shotguns are notorious for their kick, and new users are often steered to the smaller gauges because of their lighter recoil.
Randy Cain (my gun guru of choice from reputation, accessibility, and experience) maintains that this is a mistake. There is more 12 gauge ammunition available than any other choice, and if recoil is an issue, low-recoil 12 gauge shells have less recoil than traditional 20 gauge rounds. Anne Langlois also offers that loading a 20 gauge magazine is more difficult than a 12.
So what did I go with? 12 gauge. I haven’t paid for Randy’s advice on shotguns yet, but I might as well try to do it his way first.
The Barrel
The barrel on most shotguns can be replaced, so a single shotgun can be configured for multiple purposes.
Length
Generally speaking, a short barrel is desirable for self defense applications because it is more maneuverable. The shortest barrel that can be owned by civilians without hassle is 18 inches. Shorter barrels are also used for hunting in more densely wooded areas. Generally speaking, a longer barrel is used to for hunting game that moves because the heavier barrel swings more smoothly.
Bore
The bore refers to the inside of the barrell. There are two types of shotgun bore: smooth and rifled. Rifled barrels are a more recent development and are generally used for hunting with slugs. Smooth bores can be used for shot or slugs.
Choke
Some shotgun barrels are choked, which means the muzzle end is constricted. Choking the barrel prevents shot from spreading as much, allowing the shotgun to be used for longer distances. Some shotgun barrels have interchangeable chokes so that the same barrel can be used for several different purposes. For self defense shotguns, cylinder or improved cylinder barrel is preferred.
Sights
The traditional shotgun sight is a single bead at the muzzle end of the barrel. The shotgun is pointed not aimed. However for slugs and longer distance hunting, traditonal rifle sights or vent-ribs may be used. A vent rib is a tube or ridge that sits above the barrel and aids in sighting. For a defensive shotgun, rifle sights are preferred. Note: Jeff Cooper decided that ghost ring sites were best for tactical shotguns, so that is what is most popular, but in more recent times, instructors such as Randy Cain have discovered they shoot faster and better with traditional rifle sights.
The Conclusion
We have only begun to scracth the surface of shotguns, but hopefully, you have enough basic vocabulary to choose a shotgun for home defense. The preferred home defense shotgun is a 12 gauge, pump-action, shotgun with an 18 inch, improved cylinder barrel with rifle sights.
The Contenders
The two most common types of shotgun that meet these criteria are the Mossberg 500 series and the Remington 870. (Please note that I have no experience with the Mossberg, so this information is either factual or 2nd hand anecdotal). The Remington 870 has been around a long time and is a standard among armed forces, police, and hunters. It seems to be the standard by which all other pump shotguns are measured. There are a ton of replacement parts and accessories available for it.
The Mossberg 500 series is both stronger and weaker, more and less reliable, more and less rugged than the Remington 870 depending on who you listen to. Generally speaking, the major factors in its favor are that it is often less expensive, and the safety is located on top of the receiver and is completely ambidextrous, making it attractive to left handers.
The choice
Randy Cain’s preferred shotgun is the Remington 870, and since I have no preferences whatsoever (my shotgun experience is only with break-actions) I went ahead and bought a Remington 870. Of course, that brings another set of dizzying choices with it. The next article will highlight the different models of Remington 870 and guide you through some of their major features.
by Pat Heyman | Jul 12, 2009 | Essays, Pat
In the last article I highlighted some of the major choices that must be made in choosing a shotgun. Having narrowed my choice to a Remington 870, I thought that I simply needed to find the best price on one and buy it. If only it were that simple. This article will detail some of the choices and options available for the Remington 870.
The first thing to understand is that the Remington 870 comes in four different models or levels:
- Remington 870 Express
- Remington 870 Wingmaster
- Remington 870 Police
- Remington 870 other
This link has some nice information regarding the differences between the models although the information is a few years old and may be subject to change.
The most basic is the 870 Express. The internal workings are not as nice, the action does not slide as smoothly, and the finish is quite terrible (reports of it flaking off abound on the internet). Its major advantage is that it is 50%-60% of the price of a Wingmaster.
The Wingmaster has much more attention to detail than the Express, a much smoother slide, and high quality blued finish. The Wingmaster is considered vastly superior to the Express.
The Police model (870P) has even more attention to detail, is assembled in a special part of the factory to ensure quality, and features a parkerized finish. The 870P is also the only model to come with a 18 inch factory barrel (14 inch is also available if you want to go through the NFA hassle).
The other models include the Marine model which is identical to the Express but has a nickel plated corrosion resistant finish and is intended for salt water use. The HD and Tactical models are sold with home defense and tactical accessories. Some are based off the Express model while others are based off of the Police model, so care should be taken when choosing one of these.
Generally speaking, in order of desirability for home defense, the Police is preferred, followed by the Wingmaster, while the Express is deprecated. So now you have decided to get a Remington 870 12 gauge pump-action shotgun with rifle sights. Congratulations. But if you want an 18 inch barrel, it’s only available in the Police model. You could of course, get 20 inch barrel and have a gunsmith cut down the barrel and resolder the sight. But care must be taken because a quarter inch too short will land you in trouble with the ATF not to mention that resoldering the sight means refinishing the barrel. (Also keep in mind that although you can use other 870 barrels with the 870P, the finish will not match.)
So you might decide to get a Police model with a factory barrel. But the police model is only available from authorized LE (law enforcement) distributors, which means your chances of finding a super discount are close to zero. On the other hand, you could keep an eye on the pawn shops looking for police trade-ins. In the four months that I looked, I was unable to find a used 870P for a decent price, and finally ended up buying a new one with the exact features I was looking for. Four days after I called in my order, I found a good deal on a police trade in on a local gun forum. (Customizing a used gun can end up being more expensive than simply buying it the way you want in the first place.)
This website has a decent guide to the various 870P models. I decided on the 4421 (includes extended magazine tube), although I was told by one distributor that the 4421 was discontinued (of course that same distributor told me they didn’t know what the 4418 model was). Another store said they had no 4421s in stock but sold me a 4417 with a magazine extension tube for less than other stores’ price on the 4421*.
The best price I found was from Firingline, Inc.
The next article will detail some of the possible accessories you may want to add to your Remington 870.
Update: Both of the models I mention above are synthetic stock shotguns. I originally went that way because I wanted the OEM extension tube, and it was only available on synthetic stock shotgun from factory. Because they were either discontinued or out of stock, I ended up getting the shotgun tube separately (although it’s still OEM). Knowing what I know now, I would have gotten the 2505 version which is 18″, rifle sights, but with wooden stock and then installed the magazine extension. Wood is prettier and also easier to cut to the correct length. (Cutting your shotgun down to size is the topic of a future article.)
by Pat Heyman | Jun 10, 2009 | News, Pat
Here’s a fabulous article on the Tiananmen Square massacre. It does something few of the other articles I’ve read–it gives perspective.
…
“A China that has made enormous progress economically, and that is emerging to take its rightful place in global leadership, should examine openly the darker events of its past and provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal.” –Hillary Clinton, Sec. of State
There is only one proper response to this: Look who’s talking!
Before an American secretary of state gets up on her hind legs and lectures the rest of the world about “the darker events of its past,” complaining about the lack of “a public accounting of those killed, detained, or missing,” let’s look at the record: in 1993, then-attorney general Janet Reno ordered the murder of 76 people in Waco, Texas, on grounds that didn’t sound all that credible at the time, and, in retrospect, turn out to have been entirely dubious and self-serving. Can it really be that the U.S. government – yes, the same people who ordered this and this – is hectoring China for unlawful detention?
As a great philosopher once said, oh, puh-leeeeeeeze!
No one disputes the fact that the suppression of the Tiananmen Square revolt was a brutal act, one that belied the Chinese government’s claim to enjoy popular support in the face of what it characterized as a “counterrevolutionary” gathering. Yet what, exactly, was being suppressed? This is where the Western-spun narrative veers markedly away from reality.
To begin with, what was the uprising about? What demands were the students – and most of them were indeed students, rather than ordinary workers and peasants – intent on pursuing to the end? The initial protests were over reductions in student subsidies. As an economizing measure, the government decided to drastically cut student allowances, while China’s generous foreign scholarship program, which enabled many students from Africa to study in Chinese universities, was continued, in spite of the cutbacks.
This outraged the fiercely nationalistic Chinese students, who, in the winter of 1988, used it as an excuse to rampage through the living quarters of African students, injuring 13. What began as a lynching miraculously turned into a “human rights” protest, as 3,000 demonstrators showed up in Nanjing, where slogans such as “Kill the black devils!” mingled with demands for “political reform.”
Read the rest.
When he first arrived in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, Tom Carr was only five. He recalls that he tagged his first turtle when just six years old. He spent three years in Tortuguero with his parents before returning to the United States to go to school. Every summer for the next eighteen years he would return to help with the turtle project.
To get fresh meat and quench my urge to fish the unknown waters of turtle bogue I would go fishing at the boca (river mouth) after my chores were done. I hooked a 400 pound Jewfish one late afternoon; I had tied the line to the largest log I could find on the sandbar at the mouth of the river. Even though he was in water only a meter deep he was able to pull me and the log slowly but surely into the sea. There were a hell of a lot of big tiger sharks out there in those days from all the turtle butchering going on.
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