Sunday, March 27, 2005
National Parks that can kill you...
I just got back from a few days in Florida, and had the chance to visit Ft. Jefferson (America's most inaccessible National Park). Located on a tiny island some 70 miles west of Key West, Ft. Jefferson is surrounded by....
Nothing.
Water. Lots of water, most of it shallow.
The National Park was established in an effort to protect the fort, which was built around the time of the Civil War, but abandoned by 1874. Here's a view from the air:
Anyway, what's particularly cool about this National Park is that it's quite easy to get maimed, crippled or killed there. Lots of loose masonry, lots of long drops into shallow water (probably bouncing off of rocks on the way down), lots of open balconies with no guard rails. Get hurt, and you are at LEAST an hour or two away from medical care. Think about this for a second: in today's pasteurized, sealed-for-your-protection, sue at the drop of a hat world, how many places can you visit that have ANY element of risk? Not many...
So here's the moral, boys and girls: life is short, so take big bites. Do something that's a little dangerous, a little out there. Without adventure, life isn't worth living anyway.
Nothing.
Water. Lots of water, most of it shallow.
The National Park was established in an effort to protect the fort, which was built around the time of the Civil War, but abandoned by 1874. Here's a view from the air:
Anyway, what's particularly cool about this National Park is that it's quite easy to get maimed, crippled or killed there. Lots of loose masonry, lots of long drops into shallow water (probably bouncing off of rocks on the way down), lots of open balconies with no guard rails. Get hurt, and you are at LEAST an hour or two away from medical care. Think about this for a second: in today's pasteurized, sealed-for-your-protection, sue at the drop of a hat world, how many places can you visit that have ANY element of risk? Not many...
So here's the moral, boys and girls: life is short, so take big bites. Do something that's a little dangerous, a little out there. Without adventure, life isn't worth living anyway.
// posted by John Patmos @ 2:51 PM 
Comments:
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I wish I could do away with all the handrails of the world.
All the gentle lies and niceties.
All the handholding.
All the gentle lies and niceties.
All the handholding.
# posted by 
: 7:32 PM
: 7:32 PM 
Mr. Underhill: My world has no handrails, but you are required to wear a safety harness. It's for your own protection...
darth: Surprisingly enough, no. It was cool being absolutely without parental supervision.
darth: Surprisingly enough, no. It was cool being absolutely without parental supervision.
I tried the snorkeling thing, but just couldn't get into the salt-water-in-the-lungs thing. The missus liked it, and she shot a few disposable underwater cameras on the trip.
It was an amazing place to photograph. In an hour and a half, I shot about 150 frames.
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It was an amazing place to photograph. In an hour and a half, I shot about 150 frames.
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