Thanks so much, Steel!  This was a lot of fun to write, and I hope GA and I will be able to continue this in the future.  And while writing, I had your "Far Side of the World" sailing around in my head, too.

Thank you so much, Russandol!  I had a lot of fun writing this. :^)  It likely will be a while before Gandalf's Apprentice and I will be able to address this, but this is a taste of what we have in mind.

Thanks so much, Raksha, for having another read, the comments and for your assistance.  Yes, I'm hoping that GA and I will be able to address this story in the future.  I think this has potential if I don't say so myself!  However, GA has to get young Aragorn out of danger in "Sword" and Sámaril has been yammering at me of late, too!  But Darwen and Isilmë, for that matter, are two characters who will not go away, I suspect.

Thanks again! 

Robinka!  My apologies for the inexcusably long time it took me to reply to this.  My thanks are no less heartfelt though.  I'm really glad you like this.  I have so many darned irons in the fan fic fire that it might be a while before I get back to this, but Darwen (and the subject of her studies) certainly is of keen interest to me!

Thanks so much for reading! 

Thanks so much, Ithilwen!  I anticipate having fun with this.  In The Elendilmir, I mentioned Mélamírë's treasured book (now in Sámaril's hands), which was written and illustrated by the naturalist who traveled with Tar-Aldarion so that seed engendered this fic.  I give Darth all due credit for coming up with the naturalist's name so I ran with it from there.

Hey, thanks!  The poor story is languishing,  but I do think of it now and then, and really would like to continue it.  And of course, it connects to other pieces of the Pandë!verse.   Yes!  I recall that you said it reminded you of Patrick O'Brian's works.  Might not be an accident. ;^)

Thanks so much!  As noted in Real Time™, I'd love to pursue Lady Darwen's voyage and her observations that lead to a controversial theory. :^)  Some day. Maybe when I retire!