Season Two Talk: Brand New Contestants, Same Old Bears

[Ocean Chick]

I, too, thought the "wolf" looked like a dog, but was thinking that maybe it was just me and my poor eyesight.  Glad someone else thinks it's a dog. 

[riverheightsnancy]

19 minutes ago, Ocean Chick said:

I, too, thought the "wolf" looked like a dog, but was thinking that maybe it was just me and my poor eyesight.  Glad someone else thinks it's a dog. 

Does anyone on the thread know anything about dog breeds? What breed of dog could it be? (I know cats). 

[rainsmom]

5 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Does anyone on the thread know anything about dog breeds? What breed of dog could it be? (I know cats). 

I do. I'll have to find it and rewatch. If it's any dog breed, it's an Alaskan Malamute (or a mix of nothern breeds). But I remember it looking like a wolf, not a dog. I'll pay more attention next time I see it.

[riverheightsnancy]

3 minutes ago, rainsmom said:

I do. I'll have to find it and rewatch. If it's any dog breed, it's an Alaskan Malamute (or a mix of nothern breeds). But I remember it looking like a wolf, not a dog. I'll pay more attention next time I see it.

I forget if they have another name, but there are some wolf-dogs hybrids that people raise as pets. There was a big uproar about it in NJ a while back. I only remember it vaguely because a friend of mine told me about it at work one time. Her neighbor was raising these dogs and the township was trying to get him to stop because they were believed to be dangerous or something like that. Maybe it is one of those? 

[humbleopinion]

The wolf is JOSE!

He shape shifted into a wolf for the show.

[holly4755]

Yes, in NJ the wolf dogs ate the woman who kept them and fought the town to keep them. I don't remember how she died, just that they ate her.

well, my hound dog might eat me after a few days of not being fed,

[Kelda Feegle]

On 6/11/2016 at 1:04 PM, cooksdelight said:

I think it would be funny as hell if Larry winds up winning this. 

I really missed Larry McLanguageWarning this week. With only 5 aloners left you would think we could touch base with all of them.

David won a couple of points with a lightsaber reference.

Get.The.Canoe.In.The.Water Jose!

Thought Justin was going to do himself an injury on that climb but props to him for coming back motivated to continue.

Nicole is just awesome - I completely agree it is her mindset that makes her campsite great - not positioning by producers or whatever.

[mythreecents]

The "wolf" looks like it could be any one of a number of the mixes that are used for sledding in the North, and of which there are tons of "rescues" here on VI. But maybe it's a wolf, just thought it would be fun to throw that out there. :)

[seasick]

6 hours ago, mythreecents said:

Okay I'm just gonna wade into the Land of Strange Theories here. The footage of the wolf leaping at someone doesn't look at all like a wolf to me, it looks like a dog, wagging tail and all. I think (drum roll please) it's the WINNER'S dog coming to greet the WINNER when the team comes to tell the winner the news. Now all we have to do is find out which of camptestants has a dog. Brilliant, what? 

Or you know, it's a coastal wolf...whaddo I know? 
. 
 

I thought maybe the same thing,! so I had actually replayed episode 0 to see if I saw that 'dog" at anyone's pre-show.  But I also thought it isn't easy to fly a dog all that way and I didn't recall anyone being so attached to a dog, other thanTracy, that the family would go through the hassle.   Anyway, no sign of that dog in anyone's run-up.  I also thought that the only one who might be able to easily transport a dog would be Jose's wife if she drove down to their base off of VI.  The two dogs of his that they showed were not that one--however, if they realized that they were going to use this 'dramatic footage' of a dog/pet that could be mistaken for wild wolf they may have omitted any footage that showed this animal in Jose's intro.   

[Quilt Fairy]

Vancouver Island wolves

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[humbleopinion]

Above is a picture of Jose(in his Vancouver Island form) scouting for wood washed up on the beach to carve the gunwales and ribs for his never-ever-ending boat project.

[Vicky8675309]

Jose is the only one who seems to be planning for the long term rather than just day to day survival. I know most people favor Nicole but all we have seen is her staying calm and getting a daily meal (she has better luck and/or skill than David in this) but the fact that she released that fish rather than smoking or salting it show no long term plans. I bet Jose would have smoked that fish if he were living on the fish super highway. Don't get me wrong, I like Nicole but I don't think she should win based on what I have seen so far on this edited show. 

[seasick]

35 minutes ago, Vicky8675309 said:

Jose is the only one who seems to be planning for the long term rather than just day to day survival. I know most people favor Nicole but all we have seen is her staying calm and getting a daily meal (she has better luck and/or skill than David in this) but the fact that she released that fish rather than smoking or salting it show no long term plans. I bet Jose would have smoked that fish if he were living on the fish super highway. Don't get me wrong, I like Nicole but I don't think she should win based on what I have seen so far on this edited show. 

I agree--or at least Jose talks about it.  But we may never know what he's doing other than fooling with that boat.  It's hard to make an assessment of who appears in it long term even though who will be the last one standing is the premise of the show.  For all we know Nicole could have a smoker going and it's too full for another fish.  Maybe its not the chopped and manipulative editing. Maybe Nicole just didn't bother putting it on film

[riverheightsnancy]

13 hours ago, Kelda Feegle said:

I really missed Larry McLanguageWarning this week. With only 5 aloners left you would think we could touch base with all of them.

Oh, don't worry! The TV commercials for this week ensure that Larry will be flying his f***ing flag in full colors this week. I find him a bit disturbing actually. Especially what they previewed and what he said (I have to say that this is on the tail of watching the ESPN doc on OJ Simpson, so there's that). 

[ClareWalks]

Can I just say how amazing it is that we have nicknamed two Alone contestants here in two seasons: Lovely Mitch, and FUCKING LARRY. What a dichotomy :)

[riverheightsnancy]

5 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

Can I just say how amazing it is that we have nicknamed two Alone contestants here in two seasons: Lovely Mitch, and FUCKING LARRY. What a dichotomy :)

Oh, you brought up my hands down favorite: Lovely Mitch!  His daughter was so cute when she said that. Sigh.  

[ProfCrash]

How would Nicole salt the meat? That would require the harvesting of a ton of salt water and I don't think any of them have the ability to do that. Not to mention having a large enough area to spread to water out so that it can evaporate and leave behind the salt.

I am surprised that I have not seen a smoker out there. It could be that the smoking process is more complicated then we think it is and that it is not something all that effective given their current conditions. I remember one of the contestants caught some fish in an early episode and buried it after cooking it thinking that it would keep for a few days. I cannot believe that someone who is aware of using the cool of the earth for refrigeration wouldn't think of smoking as an option so it might not be an option.

We don't know what Jose is planning on doing because they have not shown us any footage of what he is planning on doing. We have not seen a smoker at his camp or seen any footage of his discussing smoking fish. It could be that he is on a bay like David and knows that a net won't work so he wants to get further out and fish that way.

We are giving Jose credit for a plan that we have no idea is really his plan. I know that is because of his bio but I think that we need to see what he does before getting too excited.

From what I have read the fall/winter in VI is not horrific.

Quote

http://www.hellobc.com/vancouver-island/climate-weather.aspx

Spring

Spring is always a wonderful time to visit Vancouver Island. Daily temperatures range from 11-15 ºC. Hiking season in mountains above 1,110 m usually doesn't begin until July, as routes can be snow-covered or muddy until then.

Summer

From June through September, Vancouver Island is typically sunny and mild. Daytime temperatures in the southern region of the island (from Nanaimo to Victoria), range from the low-to-mid 20s ºC, with evenings cooling down to about 10º C.

Fall

Fall brings average highs of 12 ºC to most communities. By November, storm season has kicked into full gear on the west coast: Tofino can expect about 475 mm during this month alone, more than three times that of Victoria. The Vancouver Island Mountains usually receive some snowfall by mid-November.

Winter

Vancouver Island enjoys the most temperate winter climate in BC, which allows for outdoor pursuits such as fishing, hiking and golfing in the south-coastal areas even in January. The west coast is on storm watch through March, an ideal time to watch as surf pounds the rugged Pacific coastline. Winter also brings vast snowfalls to the Vancouver Island Mountains: Mount Washington Alpine Resort receives 860 cm of snow in an average season.

So if they can golf and fish during the winter, I am assuming that Nicole's not smoking the fish is not that big of a deal. It also means that there will be plants available through the winter. So I don't think that Nicole is in any danger of starving. It also means that Jose boat strategy is probably more because of where he is located and an inability to fish off his shore then because he wants a massive haul that he then smokes.

[riverheightsnancy]

20 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

I remember one of the contestants caught some fish in an early episode and buried it after cooking it thinking that it would keep for a few days. I cannot believe that someone who is aware of using the cool of the earth for refrigeration wouldn't think of smoking as an option so it might not be an option.

We don't know what Jose is planning on doing because they have not shown us any footage of what he is planning on doing. We have not seen a smoker at his camp or seen any footage of his discussing smoking fish.

We are giving Jose credit for a plan that we have no idea is really his plan. I know that is because of his bio but I think that we need to see what he does before getting too excited.

Mike is the one who put the fish in the ground and Jose has mentioned smoking the fish. I forget what episode, but he did mention it (in the few interactions that we have seen). It was like one sentence. It was all predicated on getting a lot of fish to make it worthwhile and catching the salmon run. I think that you are correct that his location is not quite where they run, so he needs to go to them. 

[ProfCrash]

Gotcha on the Jose and smoking fish. I missed that line.

Nicole and Mike know their stuff and they are not smoking the salmon. I suspect that it is either not necessary or not practical in this area even for people who are well trained in survival. It is more then obvious that I could be wrong but I'll chuck that in just to be safe.

[Quilt Fairy]

Nicole has a stream running through her site; apparently the others do not. Jose said that from reviewing a map of the area prior to the start of the show he knows that a stream (like Nicole's) is accessible across the cove from where he is and that's what he is attempting to get to, not just deeper water. He also said that he was counting on the salmon run to be his winter "larder" which implies he was going to preserve the fish in some way.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Quilt Fairy

[candall]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 7:32 PM, holly4755 said:

well, my hound dog might eat me after a few days of not being fed,

I'm cracking up because I JUST came from a different show thread where this is being discussed.  According to that discussion, houndie will honor your remains for about 45 minutes before giving you a taste test.  Booyah!

Edited June 22, 2016 by candall

[Vicky8675309]

58 minutes ago, candall said:

I'm cracking up because I JUST came from a different show thread where this is being discussed.  According to that discussion, houndie will honor your remains for about 45 minutes before giving you a taste test.  Booyah!

smart dogs! gotta eat the meat before it goes bad!

[Snarklepuss]

11 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

I am surprised that I have not seen a smoker out there. It could be that the smoking process is more complicated then we think it is and that it is not something all that effective given their current conditions. I remember one of the contestants caught some fish in an early episode and buried it after cooking it thinking that it would keep for a few days. I cannot believe that someone who is aware of using the cool of the earth for refrigeration wouldn't think of smoking as an option so it might not be an option.

Didn't someone else smoke fish out there or was that last season?  I'm not a camper but I do grill and it's not that difficult and can be done with wood in a regular camp fire.  The only hang up I can see is not having salt.  Usually fish is heavily salted before smoking since the salt acts like a brine and aids in the preservation process, so if they don't have access to salt they may not want to attempt it.  Here are some instructions on how to smoke when camping courtesy of the internet:

http://learncamping.weebly.com/how-to-smoke-fish-and-meat-in-camp.html

I did see some articles on smoking without salt, not sure how successful that would be, but it is possible, I guess.

[Kelda Feegle]

5 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Nicole has a stream running through her site; apparently the others do not. Jose said that from reviewing a map of the area prior to the start of the show he knows that a stream (like Nicole's) is accessible across the cove from where he is and that's what he is attempting to get to, not just deeper water. He also said that he was counting on the salmon run to be his winter "larder" which implies he was going to preserve the fish in some way.

Pretty sure Justin has a stream running through his site also ;-) 

[riverheightsnancy]

7 hours ago, Kelda Feegle said:

Pretty sure Justin has a stream running through his site also ;-) 

So did Larry until he moved. ;)

[Quilt Fairy]

Salt (and sugar I think) was one of the possible "10 items". No one took it. I have no idea if it's possible to easily harvest salt from the ocean. Do you really need salt? I though you just cut the meat up into strips and put it on a rack to dry. Or does that work with only meat and not fish?

[HurricaneVal]

I think it might be tastier if you brine it first, but I would think you could soak the salmon strips in salt water for that.  Nicole would probably add some lovely foraged herbs and wild garlic...

It may come down to the fact that long term food storage may be a bit problematic with the bears and other scavengers around.  Raccoons in particular can be wily little buggers.  Sure, you can hang it from a tree to keep food away from bears, but it will still attract them and get them hanging around.  And a raccoon will just rappel down to your bag and chew through it.

[qtpye]

Just a quick google search on the fascinating native cultures of VI brought this up:
 

Quote

 

Before the arrival and exploration of Europeans, the native peoples of Vancouver Island enjoyed plentiful supplies of food: deer, bear, elk, mountain goat, seal, and bountiful quantities of fish and shellfish. One of the most central components of the native diet was pacific salmon, which were eaten fresh or preserved smoked and dried. Wild edible plants, berries and bulbs supplemented their diets.

With food sources readily available and in abundance, the native peoples of this region had time to develop a culture rich in arts. The Northwest Coast First Nations tribes are known for their beautiful arts, crafts, storytelling, music, and religious and social traditions. Carvings of tower-like totem poles and ceremonial masks depict symbols from the legends of a particular tribe or family group. The symbols used in these carvings are usually the depictions of native wildlife such as the salmon, beaver, bear, wolf, raven, orca whale or frog.

The early native peoples who lived on this island had an intimate relationship with the land and sea around them. The abundance of western red cedar and yellow cedar trees were an especially important resource for the aboriginal tribes of Vancouver Island and throughout the Pacific Northwest. The trunks of the cedar were used for building homes, canoes and totems. The bark of the cedar could be softened for use in clothing and blankets and woven and twisted to make durable baskets, rope, mats, and other materials for use in their homes. Rain repellent clothing, such as hats and capes, were made from the soft and fine fibers of the yellow cedar. With the diversity of plant life on Vancouver Island many medicinal uses were discovered. Native traditional medicine was connected to spiritual beliefs and plant medicines were revered as gifts from the Creator. The gathering and use of medicinal plants involved special prayers and rituals.

 

So, I think smoking salmon is not a bad idea, but probably not crucial for survival, like it can be in other areas.

Edited June 22, 2016 by qtpye

[Scaeva]

It may be also that some people went into the show with mental tap dates, and aren't planning to endure winter. Their goal might be 60 days, for example. That might explain why Nicole set the fish free rather than trying to preserve and store it for later.

[Quilt Fairy]

43 minutes ago, Scaeva said:

It may be also that some people went into the show with mental tap dates, and aren't planning to endure winter

I normally hate this phrase, but I expect the contestants to be "in it to win it". I don't want people who are going to treat it like an extended Outward Bound experience trying to find themselves.

[mythreecents]

Just to weigh in on smoking fish: the smell of cooking attracts bears (it's right in the BC wildlife handbook! Be careful bbq'ing in the woods!); the smell of salmon smoking might as well be an invitation to dinner. If I were Nicole, knowing the bears and how close they were, I wouldn't smoke fish. 

 

 

The great black shadow moves easily
through old growth forested landscape
catching a scent in the breeze
he turns and moves in close
hears laughter sees smoke
mouth watering
hunger peaks
no one
sees
as he
approaches,
unaware of
what circles, watching
then melting back in trees
having recognized grill smells
beast grumbles and slowly moves off
them no wiser for close proximity
what's wrong with these creatures-hot dogs, again?

[ProfCrash]

I had not thought about that. Maybe when the bears go into hibernation it would make more sense for her to smoke extra fish.

[Ina123]

15 hours ago, Scaeva said:

It may be also that some people went into the show with mental tap dates, and aren't planning to endure winter. Their goal might be 60 days, for example. That might explain why Nicole set the fish free rather than trying to preserve and store it for later.

I don't think so. I think Nicole is just one of these, "take what you need-leave what you don't" people. She is confident something else will come along. She's done the best so far, it appears, in keeping a diverse diet.

[Ocean Chick]

Do the bears on the island go into a "true" hibernation?  It's not like there's going to be 5 feet of snow on the ground.  Sometimes hibernation, in warmer climates, merely mean alternating sleeping/dozing and waking periods where the bear may come out of its den and look for food and water.  Does anyone know the hibernation habits of the VI bears?

[muffkins]

Well, when I lived there, 30 years ago, it was colder in the winter than it is now.  We usually got some snow every now and then, and it was a little colder, but not much.  However, the bears did pretty much hole up and sleep for stretches.  They did make appearances now and again, but not a whole lot.

[mythreecents]

From the VI-WILDS site:

During Jan/Feb: 

"the bears do not truly hibernate, but enter a state more similar to a deep sleep. Unlike true hibernators, their metabolic activity is still close to normal, and their body temperature does not drop more than a few degrees."

[Ina123]

Snowed last year on the few remaining. Not heavy.

[seasick]

21 hours ago, Scaeva said:

It may be also that some people went into the show with mental tap dates, and aren't planning to endure winter. Their goal might be 60 days, for example. That might explain why Nicole set the fish free rather than trying to preserve and store it for later.

I think that's very possible.  I'm not sure if that explains why she let the fish go,but I keep thinking that NIcole especially has a very full professional life--anthropology professor,  guiding in Africa etc.  I don't think she is planning on staying away for say 9 months even in the best of conditions should that be what it takes to win.  I think she has a time limit in her head.

Regardless of it possibly attracting bears, I think not catching and smoking fish during a prolific salmon run in your back yard is a waste of resources.  There are few other resources available to them, and if it does turn cold,  with ice and snow, plant edibles will be limited.  It's foolish not make the most of what you have.

[Joan Z]

Can't wait for this week's episode! Preview shows jose fell into the water. I hope that doesn't break him and make him tap out. 

Someone caught a mice! I'm guessing %{&'$Larry/@%~*f&)|~ and his I'm-gonna-blow-up-this-place mice 

[ethalfrida]

He caught a mouse. Only one.

[derriere]

I think someone has had a word with Larry about his language because he was noticeably restrained with his "effings" and "freakings".

[SRTouch]

11 hours ago, derriere said:

I think someone has had a word with Larry about his language because he was noticeably restrained with his "effings" and "freakings".

I think that may just be a reflection of his improved mood after his move. Almost immediately, even before he started getting some food in the new camp, you could see mood change from moody morose depression to beginning to get back into the game. 

[Quilt Fairy]

12 hours ago, derriere said:

I think someone has had a word with Larry about his language because he was noticeably restrained with his "effings" and "freakings".

He's pretty free with the "effing" and "freaking" as well, but they are a step up from the constant bleeping.

[Joan Z]

Did justin tap?? I haven't watch this week's episode. I was about to watch it online yesterday but my WiFi went crazy. I saw an extended tap out video from history channel with Justin on its thumbnail on my YouTube homepage 

[riverheightsnancy]

5 hours ago, Joan Z said:

Did justin tap?? I haven't watch this week's episode. I was about to watch it online yesterday but my WiFi went crazy. I saw an extended tap out video from history channel with Justin on its thumbnail on my YouTube homepage 

Yes. 

[Jipijapa]

I don't really get why David is so unpopular.  What don't people like about him, specifically?

Jose's outrigger looked... bad.  The fact that his boat was so tippy makes me wonder if he really knows what he's doing.

I prefer "Scary Larry" to "F----in Larry" just because of his wide mood swings.  I would not want to be married to a guy like that.  His household must be pretty chaotic.  

[ghoulina]

On 6/25/2016 at 0:15 AM, SRTouch said:

I think that may just be a reflection of his improved mood after his move. Almost immediately, even before he started getting some food in the new camp, you could see mood change from moody morose depression to beginning to get back into the game. 

I agree with this. I think when he's angry, he has less control. When he's in a decent mood, he realizes - "Oooh, I better not saying 'fuck' on national TV."

 

On 6/25/2016 at 10:25 PM, Jipijapa said:

 

I don't really get why David is so unpopular.  What don't people like about him, specifically?

 

I am not as annoyed by David as I originally was. But in the beginning he seemed very "Eeyore", to me. Frankly, I'm surprised he's still out there. I do get the impression that this is really and truly about the money for him, while for others there may be more they expect to get out of it. That's totally his prerogative, but not what I ultimately want to see from a contestant. 

[crabatha]

Hi all. I've been reading for awhile, and this is my 1st post.

It was good to hear that I'm not the only one wondering what's been going on w/ Jose...is it the fault of production's editing, or is it that Jose only films himself when he's building something? Somehow, I think it's the latter.

He seems like a perfectionist, and only want to show us the zen and sanitized version of his time on VI. What does he struggle with, what's he been eating, how is he coping, when has he explored his surroundings? Does he even have any demons to exorcise? Maybe he'll whittle us one...WHEN will he be done w/ that boat?!

I was OK w/ Justin leaving, but not w/ Randy or Mike. David is a sad-sack, but I'm warming to him, especially after his "perfect day". Tragic Larry cracks me up, and I hope Nicole wins.

[holly4755]

We also saw the video of Jose finds sea snails - I think someone posted it in an earlier episode - it is on youtube - but for some reason Alone production did not decide to show it. 

[walnutqueen]

7 hours ago, crabatha said:

Hi all. I've been reading for awhile, and this is my 1st post.

It was good to hear that I'm not the only one wondering what's been going on w/ Jose...is it the fault of production's editing, or is it that Jose only films himself when he's building something? Somehow, I think it's the latter.

He seems like a perfectionist, and only want to show us the zen and sanitized version of his time on VI. What does he struggle with, what's he been eating, how is he coping, when has he explored his surroundings? Does he even have any demons to exorcise? Maybe he'll whittle us one...WHEN will he be done w/ that boat?!

I was OK w/ Justin leaving, but not w/ Randy or Mike. David is a sad-sack, but I'm warming to him, especially after his "perfect day". Tragic Larry cracks me up, and I hope Nicole wins.

Welcome, crabatha.  I love your screenname!  :-)