We would like to thank Megan, Shanley, Keene Haywood, and E-money for never giving up on us, teaching us the ways of the big blue, and opening our eyes to the magical world of exploration of land, sea, and caves.
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Exploration Science: A captain’s reflections on adventure
I wonder how to recapture a bit of the rush that Julia felt when a particularly big wave loomed overhead then harmlessly passed away – instead of chortling with joy, I merely shield my face in case a bit of spray comes aboard.
Sometimes, though, excitement comes to you.
Read MoreMy Amazing Adventure at Sea: One More Generation’s Olivia Ries
We wanted to share My Amazing Adventure at Sea, a great piece in The TerraMar Project’s news outlet, The Daily Catch by Olivia Ries, co-founder (with her brother) of One More Generation!
Read MoreExploring Mindset: Martinique to the British Virgin Islands
To date, Exploring Mindset has been firmly based on the swaying, floating base of Pangaea’s Sea Dragon, our 72ft yacht. The solitude of ocean life alongside the team work and sailing skills needed to ensure each passage is successful, provide the ideal scenario for our program. And no, you don’t need to have any sailing experience to join us!
Read MoreeXXpedition: Land ho!
It did not take us long to get our land legs, and we followed tradition by dining at a local restaurant, Mango Bay, where we enjoyed Caribbean cocktails and food. We all sensed the outside world pressing in on our bubble at sea, with the cacophony of sounds and so many people. We could all sense that the time together was growing short and our new found friendships would have to be maintained at a distance. This incredible experience has left a mark on us all in quite unique ways and is likely only to be fully appreciated after our return to our homes and busy, daily lives, only days away.
Read MoreeXXpedition: Inspiration from our skipper & sessions on the future
Too close to land to do more science in the afternoon, we finished our series of talks with Emily, our skipper. She took us on a journey of her life, studies, and ultimately her thrilling adventures at sea, which have helped to shape her philosophy that brings us all here. Emily was one to “never say never,” leaving one career to pursue her adventures both on sea and land, all of which were geared toward building awareness of and creating more sustainable communities around the globe.
Read MoreeXXpedition: Science, seaweed, and songs
We ended the day with a touching and impassioned talk from our Head Scientist and co-founder of eXXpedition, Dr Lucy Gilliam. She is an incredible human being, with a wealth of personal and professional experience that has made her an astonishing advocate for the health of our planet. From her school day passion to stop logging in the rainforest, to her current fascination and determination to save the oceans, she is an inspiration to us all.
Read MoreeXXpedition: Shanley’s sea tales and a trip to the salon
Shanley grew up by the sea, and has simply never wanted to be apart from it. Even to the extent that when she did find herself living in landlocked mid-US, she found herself driving for hours at a time simply to reach the ocean. She is one of those people who just belongs at sea, and since she found her way onto a boat in the Caribbean, as she describes it, she’s never really been off a boat since.
Read MoreeXXpedition: The Future, climate, and toxics
After our trawl work, we had a mission. We are supporting a campaign called The Future. This campaign is spreading awareness on climate change and telling our politicians “we are keeping an eye on you” by watching the political process and policies being created (or lack thereof). To represent The Future campaign, we encircled one eye with black or red makeup (eco-friendly) and took photos to share. We feel our mission of exposing toxics in our environment is connected to The Future’s mission, as well.
Read MoreeXXpedition: Art and our daily consumption
Discussions on board have also centered on making visual the problems we are facing with plastics. This was further emphasized in the evening presentation by Maria, our other on-board artist. Maria shared with us pictures of her many dramatic sculptures and installations that capture the impact of humans on the environment. She has no shortage of creative raw materials and easily collects several bags of plastic daily from a small patch of beach.
Read MoreeXXpedition: A wind of active positivism
We are still enjoying the amazing crew members’ talks, and yesterday evening we heard from the Norwegian environmental activist, Malin. Malin started her environmental activist career at the early age of 14, and then by 18, she was named Norway’s Environmental Hero after succeeding in her work to stop Hydro’s oil drilling off the southern coast of Norway. Even at her young age, her work has consisted of intense involvement at the intersection of environmental activism and political participation. Questions of where our energies are best directed arise directly from this. Her talk has kicked off an active discussion on board about how individual actions can move and inspire bigger decisions, even at higher political levels.
Read MoreeXXpedition: On nature, art, and giving thanks
The day ended with a bright moon on the water and each of us sharing what we are grateful for. Reflections on our current journey, as well as tributes to family and friends, were recurring themes. Also, our gratefulness to each other for creating an environment of support, caring, and harmony in our floating shelter, very far from home.
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