Thank you for the postscript, because the whole time I was reading, I was thinking, "How magical that you two could be alone there, because I'm betting nowadays the beach is overrun with tourists." I'm glad to find out it isn't. And glad you took the risks to make your life what you wanted, instead of pretzeling yourself into someone else's idea of a life. It's so clear your parents just wanted you to be safe ... and as a risk-averse person I understand ... but even I can see that safe isn't everything.
Thanks, Jenn. And I have such complicated feelings about what I did. I'm so glad I had that experience but if too many people did it those penguins would be long gone.
I can understand that. Although I do think there are unintrusive ways to observe wildlife. Jenny Diski reported that the penguins in Antarctica seemed wholly uninterested in human visitors: they were interested in one another and in fish, and they treated people like rocks. I also saw this in bighorn sheep in the Rockies: human observers were nothing to them; they only had eyes for one another. It's very possible that you disturbed nothing being there that night, the way you were just lying on the beach not making noise, nor chasing them nor trying to feed them, nor approaching their nests.
The park service says that if an animal reacts to our presence, we're too close, and I've certainly seen people do all kinds of boneheaded moves: approaching animals, trying to pet them, crowding them, stomping on their habitat. So I always strive to stay farther rather than closer, and to ensure they seem indifferent to me.
But of course, this situation is one of those ethical dilemmas travelers encounter so often. When is visiting a place harmful to the inhabitants of that place? We don't always know.
I really enjoy it when your pieces have lots of dialogue like this! Also, I’m imagining a series of short stories with the prompt: “You guys want to sleep somewhere way more interesting than a hostel?” he’d said. “Have yourselves a real adventure?”
Wow that was an incredible read. Fairy Penguins...sounds like something straight out of a children's book. I loved your story about them and the life lessons you learned all wrapped up in one whimsical package. Just subscribed, looking forward to more of your writing. 10/10 loved every word of it.
Great story, Michael! As I read it I was wondering where this magical place was. Glad it’s not been ruined like other fairy penguin habitats. I saw one where they had bleachers set up for tourists to watch and I lost interest. Luckily I had seen them with a friend 40 years or so earlier. Thanks again!
Thank you for the postscript, because the whole time I was reading, I was thinking, "How magical that you two could be alone there, because I'm betting nowadays the beach is overrun with tourists." I'm glad to find out it isn't. And glad you took the risks to make your life what you wanted, instead of pretzeling yourself into someone else's idea of a life. It's so clear your parents just wanted you to be safe ... and as a risk-averse person I understand ... but even I can see that safe isn't everything.
Thanks, Jenn. And I have such complicated feelings about what I did. I'm so glad I had that experience but if too many people did it those penguins would be long gone.
I can understand that. Although I do think there are unintrusive ways to observe wildlife. Jenny Diski reported that the penguins in Antarctica seemed wholly uninterested in human visitors: they were interested in one another and in fish, and they treated people like rocks. I also saw this in bighorn sheep in the Rockies: human observers were nothing to them; they only had eyes for one another. It's very possible that you disturbed nothing being there that night, the way you were just lying on the beach not making noise, nor chasing them nor trying to feed them, nor approaching their nests.
The park service says that if an animal reacts to our presence, we're too close, and I've certainly seen people do all kinds of boneheaded moves: approaching animals, trying to pet them, crowding them, stomping on their habitat. So I always strive to stay farther rather than closer, and to ensure they seem indifferent to me.
But of course, this situation is one of those ethical dilemmas travelers encounter so often. When is visiting a place harmful to the inhabitants of that place? We don't always know.
I really enjoy it when your pieces have lots of dialogue like this! Also, I’m imagining a series of short stories with the prompt: “You guys want to sleep somewhere way more interesting than a hostel?” he’d said. “Have yourselves a real adventure?”
What a great prompt! Go for it!
Wow this was a wonderful story, very inspiring and thoughtful!
Thank you so much!
Wow that was an incredible read. Fairy Penguins...sounds like something straight out of a children's book. I loved your story about them and the life lessons you learned all wrapped up in one whimsical package. Just subscribed, looking forward to more of your writing. 10/10 loved every word of it.
Thanks! Very glad you enjoyed it so much!
Great story, Michael! As I read it I was wondering where this magical place was. Glad it’s not been ruined like other fairy penguin habitats. I saw one where they had bleachers set up for tourists to watch and I lost interest. Luckily I had seen them with a friend 40 years or so earlier. Thanks again!
Thanks, Robert. I get why they have to do that now but it really is a shame.
Thank you for this inspiring story, Michael. I worried about the tide getting you all through reading it.
Thanks for reading!
You can rarely go wrong drawing inspiration from nature. Great story!
Thanks, Arman.
This is wonderful, thank you. You might enjoy this tiny piece of fiction.
https://heftymatters.substack.com/p/all-because-he-was-afraid-of-penguins
"Sproinged" is a great word, so evocative!
Thank you very much!