The River Esk

A four mile bike ride from the house is a hiking path that follows the river Esk. Yesterday, I found a bike that fit me and I decided to spend the day exploring the river. It was a gorgeous day! The sun was warm, the air cool, a gentle breeze. It was perfect! I walked for two hours along the path and enjoyed the sound of rushing water going over boulders and down rocks which flowed to become calm and steady.

I sat and watched salmon jumping up stream, which brought tears to my eyes. How lucky to have seen such a thing. In ten minutes of watching I counted 15 salmon. Is this a normal salmon run? Is this enough? I hear stories of not being able to see the bottom of the river because of so many fish. I could see the bottom of the river with no problem. The salmon are dying. Dams, global warming, loss of freshwater habitat, these are all factors to the demise of salmon. Want to know more, read Derrick Jensen. Actually, just read Derrick Jensen in general because he is brilliant. But back to the salmon. I did see some and I yelled out encouragement to them as they threw their bodies against the raging falling water. What an inspiration. If only I had their perseverance and ambition to throw myself against the raging destruction of society on a daily basis. I try to but too often I feel weak and overwhelmed. Me, the salmon, we must continue the fight to live in a poisonous world where civilized people torment plants and animals. We have to. How else are we going to survive?