Drake Passage
Our last day at sea. For tonight, we will be docked at the southern-most city in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina. Now, in the Drake Passage, the Endeavour rolls a bit, rocks a little and we each have our thoughts between packing, chatting and a cocktail party. Oh, it has got to change your life at least a bit. They call it a continent for science. I call it a continent for contemplation. Antarctica is simply the wildest place on earth, owned by no one…no, not true; it is owned by all of us and we all have a responsibility to keep it free, keep it safe, keep it wild. Few people have had the pleasure to travel here. Hmmm, there’s something to think about: traveling to Antarctica is not like going to Belgium. Tourists are welcome in Belgium, wanted in Belgium, there are relatively cheap flights, lots of shopping, good hotels, great restaurants, so every one wins, you have a great time and you help lots of folks make a living. Antarctica is completely different. The penguins don’t charge anything, the government collects no taxes and no one rips you off for a short taxi ride, this is a wild place and beyond your basic travel arrangements, meals and lecturers, there is no place to spend money, oh, maybe a t-shirt, a stamp and a coffee mug from one of the stations, but nothing more. There is no park service, no rangers, no parking fees; it’s free, but it is not, not really. There is an impact from visitors and researchers here, as well as from cars and power plants at home. It is not free, nothing is free, not even the clean air you breathe anymore and I salute everyone on this voyage for their sensitivity. Beyond that, I particularly thank those of you who have become ‘Antarcticans’ by your direct contributions to Oceanites and their quest to inventory and monitor the health and welfare of the Antarctic Peninsula – a task that no government is doing. While they don’t know it and it is best and better that they never know, the penguins would thank you too, thank you for helping to make this earth big enough for all of us to live on, for making it bigger than it has ever been before.
Our last day at sea. For tonight, we will be docked at the southern-most city in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina. Now, in the Drake Passage, the Endeavour rolls a bit, rocks a little and we each have our thoughts between packing, chatting and a cocktail party. Oh, it has got to change your life at least a bit. They call it a continent for science. I call it a continent for contemplation. Antarctica is simply the wildest place on earth, owned by no one…no, not true; it is owned by all of us and we all have a responsibility to keep it free, keep it safe, keep it wild. Few people have had the pleasure to travel here. Hmmm, there’s something to think about: traveling to Antarctica is not like going to Belgium. Tourists are welcome in Belgium, wanted in Belgium, there are relatively cheap flights, lots of shopping, good hotels, great restaurants, so every one wins, you have a great time and you help lots of folks make a living. Antarctica is completely different. The penguins don’t charge anything, the government collects no taxes and no one rips you off for a short taxi ride, this is a wild place and beyond your basic travel arrangements, meals and lecturers, there is no place to spend money, oh, maybe a t-shirt, a stamp and a coffee mug from one of the stations, but nothing more. There is no park service, no rangers, no parking fees; it’s free, but it is not, not really. There is an impact from visitors and researchers here, as well as from cars and power plants at home. It is not free, nothing is free, not even the clean air you breathe anymore and I salute everyone on this voyage for their sensitivity. Beyond that, I particularly thank those of you who have become ‘Antarcticans’ by your direct contributions to Oceanites and their quest to inventory and monitor the health and welfare of the Antarctic Peninsula – a task that no government is doing. While they don’t know it and it is best and better that they never know, the penguins would thank you too, thank you for helping to make this earth big enough for all of us to live on, for making it bigger than it has ever been before.
