I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel - my boots (and car) have taken me to the Pyrenees, to Andorra and Spain; I have lived in France on three occasions - on a farm in Britanny, in Royan and Besançon. I have climbed the Great Wall of China and almost drowned in a rip current in Bali. I have climbed Ayer's Rock at dawn and watched the children lay paper swans on the memorial in Hiroshima.

In the course of research for "Wake of the Invercauld", I have been to Scotland and visited Invercauld estate near Aberdeen, wandered the remains of gold diggings in Australia, and been to the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands four times - losing my heart to New Zealand in the process. Two of my trips to the Aucklands have been to do a site survey of the Hardwicke (Enderby) Settlement - a failed dream which lasted 18 months in the 1850s.

The book, "You'll Never Believe It If I Told You" may be written someday - for as past Owner/Director of Camp Ouareau since 1971the stories I could tell! However, that will have to wait for mylife is now focusing on the remote sub-antarctic Auckland Islands.

© Invercauld Publications

How does a camp director end up writing booksabout the Auckland Islands? It all started when I decided to try to find my birth family - the 7 years ofsearching - 7 years of dealing with closed doors - led me to write about myexperiences to try to help other searching adoptees - the result - Reunion, Search for MyBirth Family.

When I met my family, I was presented with a manuscript "Wreck of the Invercauld" which my great-grandfather, Robert Holding had written in 1918 about his year as a castaway (1864-65) on the Auckland Islands. It was afantastic tale! Could it really be true?

25 men on a clipper ship heading from Melbourne, Australia to Chile - remoteislands misplaced on a chart, a fatal error by the captain one May morning,at the beginning of a sub-antarctic winter resulted in 19 survivors marooned at the base of 1200 foot cliffs! When they were rescued 372 days later, three remained to tell the tale - the mate, theskipper, and a seaman - Robert Holding, whose leadership andskills had kept them alive.

It was a tale that HAD to be told. But - was ittrue?

We were on our way to New Zealand for a sabbatical - could we possibly getto the Auckland Islands? (That is a story in itself - all told in Wake of the Invercauld.)

I have been fortunate enough to have been to the islands four times. The firsttrip was under sail - we charted the Evohe, a 80 ft. ketch with Lance Shaw asour skipper through FiordlandEcology Holidays.

The second trip, as part of a filming crew with SouthCoast Productions, was on the Geomarine - a tough, stubby 100 ft.motor vessel. It was a great little ship, but there is a magic to sail which nothing cantouch. During this trip, the video "No Place For People", was filmed.

In June, 1998, I had the opportunity to tag along with an archaeological group doing southern Maori studies. Again, with Lance on his new ship, Breaksea Girl.

I took the opportunity to begin a site survey of the Hardwicke Site and was able to return in November, 2001 to complete it... well, as much as it can be done for the present.

All this is heading for the writing Tales of the Sub-Antarctic, and "General Grant's Gold".

Well, enough for now --- read on! You can follow our trip in Diary of Adventure (which still needs updating!)

Adoptee Searcher's Handbook.

I have again become active in the movement for Open Records for those involvedin the Adoption Triangle. Until adoptees have the right to knowledge of whothey are, the right to their medical history, information which every otherCanadian takes for granted - we will always be considered "the eternalchildren". Full of helps, links, ideas for those who aresearching for themselves, or for the child unknown.