Keeping a Personal Field Journal

by Harold Ball

Field Journal Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Years ago it was common practice for explorers, adventurers and just ordinary folks to keep a personal hand written journal.

For some their journals were used to compile and publish books about their experiences after returning from the field, and for others, finding the time to quielty reflect and record events as they were happening was the most effective way to leave behind a permanent record of their life experiences.

I started keeping a personal journal of my fishing trips about ten years ago. I recorded my impressions of the things I saw, people I met, how many fish I caught - including where, when and under what weather conditions - the hottest lures, water temperature and so on.

If you are anything like me, and have trouble remembering what you had for dinner the previous evening, having a journal to look back on has not only put more fish in my boat, but has saved me from having the same thing for dinner two or three days in a row more times than I can remember.

These journals have been the source of many of my stories in the Cabin 14 books, and as I continue journaling, will be an important source of information for new stories to come.

Over the coming months I will be posting entries from many of my personal field journals, starting with my trip to Trophy Lodge on Great Bear Lake in July 2008.

I hope you enjoy them - and start journaling !

Last modified onTuesday, 17 March 2015 16:14