November 17, Grand Marais, Minn.
It has been a warm fall, unusually so, and we've been wondering if winter would ever arrive on the North Shore. Well, yesterday it happened - our first real snowstorm of the year.
It has been a busy fall for us. We were very honored to be the guest speakers for the Friends of the Boundary Waters. It was great to be able to tell the One World story. However, it soon became apparent to us both that the hardship and misery from the Arctic Ocean are in the past. We've found ourselves only remembering the good times. Perhaps that's why we're going back in 2006. Still, we're both up to the challenge and looking forward to the 'daily grind.'
Also, for those coming to northern Minnesota this weekend, be sure to stop at the North House Folk School for the Winterers Gathering with a special One World presentation on Friday night. Check out www.northhouse.org for more information.
November 1, Grand Marais, Minn.
While Lonnie may look a bit like a claymation figure from the '70s, he's actually trying the team's new Helly Hansen dry suit on for size. Gumby would be proud with the fit.
Upon returning from our 2005 attempt, we spent time poring over our equipment and its functionality on the expedition. Without fail, nearly all of our equipment choices were spot on with two notable exceptions: dry suits and gloves. The gloves were obvious replacement items. One of the pairs we took nearly fell apart on our hands. The dry suits performed functionally without fail; however, we simply wanted something that could be put on over our boots.
The Helly Hansen dry suits fit on over all our clothes and boots. They will be used to swim leads or break semi-frozen ice. We will add Kokatat dry bibs to our equipment list as well to cope with constantly falling through the ice. Of course, the new dry suits also make great Halloween costumes.
October 18, Grand Marais, Minn.
From Eric: There's no place like home. After over two months at sea aboard the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, it feels great to be home. My time on board was incredible with stops in Greenland, Canada and the east coast of the United States. I really felt like I was able to continue OWE's mission to create awareness of Global Warming and promote clean energy solutions. Thanks again to everyone at Greenpeace for the incredible experience.
Of special interest on our transit from New York to Miami was our encounter with tropical storm Tami. After two months at sea, we sailed through easily the worst conditions. The Arctic Sunrise performed admirably; however, as an icebreaker with a round hull and no keel, it tends to pitch and roll (as much as 60 degrees). It wasn't the craziest situation I've been in, but it was close. We finally arrived in Miami, where once on land, I proceeded to get sea sick!?!
In northern Minnesota fall has arrived in full force. The air is cool and leaves are changing. In fact, most of the maples have already dropped their leaves. Meanwhile, Lonnie has been holding down the fort in good old Grand Marais. Making a few small changes here and there - and most importantly, finding our old truck tires from under a tarp, polishing them up and getting them ready for our upcoming days of dragging. Look out forest roads and trails of the north shore, here we come!
October 4, New York
We've almost stopped counting the times that we've been to New York. Last tally: five since April. This visit, however, was unusually special as the Arctic Sunrise sailed up the East River and docked at Chelsea Piers for the Greenpeace open boats and Project Thin Ice party.
Lonnie arrived in a whirlwind from Minnesota. Both he and Ann Possis were delayed as the plane they were flying in had to make an emergency stop to refuel in Wisconsin. Go figure. The weekend was great with many people interested in all the stories from the ice.
"The polar bear that jumped on the tent" was a popular story. One of us was always just starting or finishing that arctic yarn. People were genuinely interested in our stories and the things we had seen during our time on the sea ice.
Ironically, a recently released report shows just how severely the ice in the Arctic has been breaking up. More melting occurred this summer in the Arctic than during any since recording the ice extent began.
Hopefully, our time in New York, Boston and, as the Arctic Sunrise sails south, Miami will make more people understand the need for clean, renewable energy solutions (check out the RELI link on our sponsor page). We have been to the front lines of global warming and the problem is real. Let's do something right now. For ways you can help, visit www.projectthinice.org
September 23, Boston
Has it been so long? After over a month of separation, we were reunited in Boston for Greenpeace fundraising event on board the Arctic Sunrise.
For almost three years straight, we spent nearly every day in close contact during one moment or another. Then, of course, there was our summer attempt which found us sharing a tent roughly the size of a piece of plywood. To be apart for nearly a month was a relatively new experience for both of us.
The event in Boston was a huge success. We are currently working with Greenpeace to promote clean energy solutions. Eric has left the ship for the week to participate in interviews, give talks and promote the Cape Wind farm. The Arctic Sunrise will be in the area for four days and people are invited to stop by and tour the boat. For more information on the tour schedule visit www.projectthinice.org.
Of other importance during our meeting was our discussion of next year's expedition. We are both looking forward to going back and trying again.
September 15, Boston
From Eric: When I close my eyes I can still see ice bergs - towering, massive chunks of glacier floating in the sea. The images of Greenland are strong in my mind despite the hot September air. After nearly a month touring Greenland and Canada, I am almost back in the U.S. I am excited about this next leg of my journey and looking forward to talking with people about some of the things I have seen. Did you know that if the Greenland ice cap were to melt completely that sea levels would rise 7 meters? The sail on the Arctic Sunrise from Halifax to outside Boston (where we are currently anchored) was uneventful which, as I am learning, is how an ocean transit should be. I continue to learn new skills on board. I have also met a new batch of interesting people as new crew members joined in Halifax. Today, we were all treated to a series of whale sightings that awed everyone on board, even our sea-hardened captain.
From Lonnie: My trip to Cape Cod went well. I spoke at Cape Cod Community College about the Cape Wind Project and had a full house. Cape Cod Wind Farm is a project to install 130 energy efficient wind turbines in Nantucket Sound. The wind farm would provide 75% of the Cape and surrounding islands' energy and reduce the Cape's reliance on the dirty Canal power plant in Buzzards Bay, the third dirtiest plant on all the east coast.
September 7, St. Lawrence River
Lonnie writes: I spoke at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable Sept. 6. While there I endorsed the proposed Cape Wind farm, a project to install 130 energy-efficient wind turbines in Nantucket Sound. On a more practical expedition note, I hope to start training again with the tires October 1 and also work full time in the office. Of course, there are more interesting activities in life, but pulling upwards of three tires at a time is an important aspect of our training.
Eric writes: Of course it's true about rolling stones, but ice-breaking ships, too? You bet, the Arctic Sunrise has been on the move throughout our Canadian tour and much too busy to gather moss. With stops at Quebec City, Three Rivers and Montreal, the ship has been a constant buzz of activity and activists (it's Greenpeace, of course).
In Montreal alone, nearly 2,400 people toured the ship. I also had a chance to meet many of the amazing Greenpeace Canada staff, who have proved to me all over again what it means to be passionate about the environment. While the Canadian government has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, the G.P. campaigners here feel that more action needs to be taken.
Our tour of eastern Canada has been especially interesting to me as I've had the opportunity to explore an area which was once a gateway for some of the earliest explorers of North America. Seeing monuments to these people, of whom I've only read, is humbling at best. I had to smile when I passed by the statue of Jacques Cartier, a distant relative of Lonnie's. I couldn't help but snap a few pictures and send them back to Grand Marais.
Ship life has been an adjustment for a landlubber like myself. Motorized vehicles, no matter the type, are not my first love. Regardless, being on the open ocean is an experience that I'll never ever forget - a wide horizon rolling into near infinity, a gentle breeze, birds, whales...
Equally amazing is my adjustment to this life. I found myself using the term aft to describe the back of the ship - a word which three weeks ago had never even passed my lips. I can flake the anchor chain and coil a heave line. I know where the cargo net, tag lines and paint are stored.
This life is steeped in history, too. Traveling by ship, I can't help but wonder if my thoughts are anything like those of the explorers before me. Sailing into unknown lands, missing their loved ones, scared and excited. What I once could only imagine, I now understand.
