May 2024 - Narcisse snake dens -

 

Greetings, welcome back.  I've only got a couple tattoo photos this week, but it's a special post, because a couple weeks ago, the snakes at Narcisse were emerging from their dens, so stick around to see some great photos of the Garter snakes!  A big reason I'm excited to start blogging regularly again is that if you click on these images, it'll open up a big file and you can see all the detail in the photos, hopefully you'll enjoy that with these snake photos.

I'd like to start this post with an acknowledgement that I live in Manitoba, Canada, on the traditional lands of the Ojibwe, Oji-cree, Dene and Dakota. The water that brings me life flows from Iskatewi-zaa'inaniing 40.  My heart beats and aches for all my kin, across turtle island, and across the globe.  

I neglected to share these images earlier in the year, but these are photos from my first outdoor skate of the spring, so glad to be in the wild-open!

A bunch of plastic shit... 

Spring and Fall, Rest and Rebirth

As Above, So Below

Thank you so much.  Made By hand.

To see more of my tattoo work, check me out on instagram, @bramadey

Email me at bram_adey@hotmail.com for bookings.

Okay, now for the headline story!  In Manitoba, around mother's day, we have the distinct priviledge to see the garter snakes emerge from their dens and mate before heading out across the prairies for the summer.

About an hour and a quarter from Winnipeg Centre, is a place we know commonly as the Narcisse Snake dens, just outside of Narcisse, Manitoba.  This is a place where the limestone in the ground has eroded to create a perfect place for garter snakes to den for the winter, just below the frost line.  

In the spring, for a couple weeks, when the temperature starts to reach and exceed 16 degrees celcius, the snakes emerge and mate.

Those first few days that really hit 20 degrees or so in the spring, the dens will be absolutely full of snakes!  Don't come if it isn't above 16 or 18 degrees, or if it's raining, the snakes will not be out.

The dens aren't overly developed, but there are chain-link fences around them, with railings overlooking the dens themselves.  Even peak season, when the parking lot is full and cars line the highway, it's not overwhelmingly busy.  The park is basically a path that runs in a big circle around the four den sites, and people generally walk the route stopping at each den for five or ten minutes each.  

Handling the male snakes is allowed and common, and there will be conservation officers there to greet you and give you tips on handling snakes safely.

What makes the snakes emergence such a spectacle is the mating ritual that occurs.  Females are absolutely swarmed by smaller males, and the writhing balls of snakes produced are an absolute sight to behold.  Here, we see a female snake poking her head out of the mating ball, plotting her exit.

This year the crocus' were pretty well done blooming, but usually Narcisse at the time the snakes are running is often a good time to see the crocus in bloom as well.

That's all I'm gonna post about The Dens.  Go see them, they're great!  There are outhouses, but no potable water, so come prepared!  Dogs are allowed.  The highway headed north to the dens is really trashed, so take it slow once you pass Teulon.

I took the family to visit a fun secret place that I was young at.

The stone-skipping was top-knotch.

Throads all around this old Quarry were all posted no parking, so we had to walk a good kilometre, and brave the no-tresspassing sign, but emerged unmolested.  The friendly waves of locals on ATV's settled my nerves when we got there.

Thanks for looking!

-Bram