Antarctic Reflections As Life Goes On

I’m writing this in the wee hours of the morning three weeks after stepping off the ship. The amnesia still hasn’t kicked in. The last days of this 4 month odyssey were a nightmare and the memories are still raw. I’m really looking forward to that subsiding so I can enjoy the three months of great memories that were made on that boat and the precious time down in Antarctica. 

I know that will come. Perhaps as I look though my thousands of pictures and recall those special memories of curious penguins, of languid seals, of majestic whales, of magical skies and of the ever present frozen sculptures floating in our midst. 

Antarctic Seeps Into Your Soul

I’m still without the right words for it and hopefully they will come in time, but Antarctica is enthralling. It’s raw. It’s pristine. It’s unlike any place you’ve ever experienced.

The wildlife is unafraid and curious. There’s a deep peace that settles inside you when you stare out across the Antarctic Ocean, across the frozen tundra.

To think that these animals thrive here is mind boggling. It’s harsh and beautiful. It takes no prisoners but lavishes you with magic and mystery. Of auroras and mirages. Of phenomenon that I’ll never experience anywhere else. The stark serenity.

It draws you in and settles in your soul. Every molecule that makes me up feels connected to this place and its inhabitants. Every part of it must be cherished and protected.

I’m not sure I will ever experience ever again such untouched wilderness. Unspoiled. No plastic floating in the water. No visual evidence of humanity other than the climactic impact that leaves no part of our world unaffected.

Antarctica Feels Humanity’s Indulgence

Humanity is, however, tugging hard on the Antarctic strings now. I sense that whaling will resume and they are now hauling out krill by the hundred of tons so that people can have omega-3 capsules. 

As John Muir poignantly states, “When one tugs on a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world”. Let that settle into your soul.

The significance of this quote is especially true in Antarctica. You can see the strings pulling in Antarctica, a place that few of us will experience and, as such, should be free from our ravenous ways.

As human beings and stewards of this planet, we need to keep something sacred. We can’t keep ravaging every last little bit of nature. Nothing will remain, we know that, and yet, that is exactly what we are doing. It breaks my heart!

Climate Care and Conscientious Consideration

I hate to end this post on such a depressing note. It sounds cliché and I suppose it is these days, but my God, every single one of us needs to be mindful. We need to open our eyes and really contemplate how we are personally pulling on nature’s strings. 

Are you buying the krill oil? Why?

Is meat at every meal necessary? Doubt it!

How much waste do you create? Where is it going?

What are the things that you can do differently so you lessen your impact and pull fewer of natures strings?

Every little thing that we do can add up and hopefully save these wild places. Leave what is managing to survive alone.

Let’s not touch every last reserve.

Let’s back off.

Use what we’ve already created or mined or produced. Ease up on wanting the newest, the latest and greatest. That ‘want’ serves billionaires at the expense of our planet and makes you a mindless slave to marketing. It’s time to wake up and consider that you to have a part to play in this climate crisis. 

Big Life, Small Impact

For my part, for my health and for the planet, I’m going to become mostly vegetarian and drastically limit my dairy consumption. I’m looking forward to cruising more as well. I find living in developing countries easier to be closer to my environmental values. Local produce. Prohibitively expensive oversees groceries. It’s great! The more local we all can live, the better!

I am in no way perfect or a model for how to live, but I don’t expect perfection of me or anyone. I just want to see each of us taking baby steps to a better future for all the living beings on this planet. As Maya Angelou says, “When you know better, you do better.” You know better!

Climbing off my soapbox, please let these pictures of Antarctica soak into your soul. It’s not untouched but it’s the closest thing we have.

If you feel compelled, join the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, an organization actively working to protect Antarctica, Earth’s last great wilderness.

Let’s save this wild place!

The post Reflections And The Philosophical Side Of My Time In Antarctica | Ross Sea and East Antarctic first appeared on Sailing Kaihanu.

Box 1 – Tick!

No More Fishies For Us

Today our allotted quota in Box 1 has been caught and it’s time to move the roughly 560nm to our next fishing hole in Box 2 which is further along the coast of East Antarctica towards White Island and Davis Station. 

I’m super excited to see what beholds us though it looks like we might have to endure a bit of a weather system to start. Thinking positively, that usually brings some beautiful days behind it, which is exactly what we want in order to be able to see the land!!! 

Bring it on!

Morale Waning Continues

Otherwise, crew morale has taken a bit of a hit.

I think we are all starting to feel the grind and a bit of an the itch to finish the trip. The other day Dylan and Junior had a little bit of a tiff, but are swiftly back to being buds again.

The rest of us are tired and you can tell we all have less patience but, on the whole, everyone is holding tough. It hasn’t deteriorated to the point of bringing the boat’s lovely peaceful feeling to an end. Thank goodness!

Change of Scenery

The steam to the far end of Box 2 has been lovely. There is an evil weather system just above us and we are managing to, by chance, avoid the brunt of it.

And there are whales absolutely everywhere. You only have to gaze at the horizon and within 5 minutes you will have spotted at least one, but probably more, whales! 

I feel so privileged to be in this area, in this fragile and pristine corner of the world.  I feel changed and even emboldened. These creatures are thriving here because this is a highly regulated area.

However, they are still very much affected and in danger. Human activity and pollution have reached this far off place. Climate change is leaving it’s mark. My heart breaks for these animals who have had no part in this disaster but have to suffer the consequences. 

Time To Step Up And Save The Wild Places

And I have a small part in their struggle. There are parts that are easier to remedy than others but there is no time like the present to start living in line with my heart and my values.

It’s time to reduce my footprint again now that I’m wiser to the impacts of my actions. 

I am going to start eating vegetarian/pescatarian again, for them and for me. And I am going to become an active and engaged citizen scientist. As much as possible, I will eat locally.

Thankfully I live on a boat so it’s hard to accumulate material goods but I’ve never been too interested in that anyway. It’s the travel that’s the clincher. Our work means that we have to fly. If I want to see my family, I have to fly…or wait years to sail there.

Thankfully traveling by boat does reduce my tourist impact but boat ownership comes at an environmental cost too. Everything does, but it’s time to put on my big girl britches again and live my cleanest possible life…for these beautiful whales and all the creatures that call this little blue ball home. 

So watch this space as I develop my citizen science conservation project, Save The Wild Places.

The post Steam From Box 1 to Box 2 | East Antarctica first appeared on Sailing Kaihanu.