“We are the species that have the greatest effect on the world.” – Pacific Science Center President and CEO Bryce Seidl.


“This is a very


emotional day. I could go on and on about the experience. We got to do the fun part - sailing the boat. I’m thankful we put in the Lugger engine.


“Having scientists on board was like Kevin Miller


having a private graduate course. There are too many people to thank so I won’t start in case of missing someone, but I do want to thank the Sailors for the Sea.”


– Captain Mark Schrader Taking turns at the podium, Pacific


Science Center President and CEO Bryce Seidl, Sailors for the Sea founder David Rockefeller, and Captain Mark Schrader all spoke with one voice, emphasizing that a healthy ocean is truly vital to the health of all living things on the planet, and that the end of this voyage is only part of the beginning of the effort to educate the peoples of our island, especially the children, in whose hands all our problems and efforts to solve them, will be handed. “We alone, as no other species on the planet,” says Seidl, “have the ability to most effect our planet.” Despite the fact that the evidence


of man’s effect on the oceans was painfully obvious to the travelers as they went from country to country, the final message is really one of hope. “We made this problem and we can fix it,” said David Rockefeller. “Lately, it’s become very obvious just how valuable and vulnerable the oceans are.” Unfortunately,


many


“Today is one of the happiest and saddest days of my life – just like this past year has been the longest, yet shortest time. “I’m a sailor, not a scientist, but


it’s obvious things are changing when many boats, not just us, can do the Northwest Passage. Of the 48 glaciers in Chile, 46 are receding. It was amazing to see firsthand the changes in the high latitudes.”


– Herb McCormick 48° NORTH, JULY 2010 PAGE 32


environmental messages these days fall on callused ears. A lot of this is due to people getting tired of constantly complaining without presenting a solution. Although it’s a complicated problem, it was refreshing to hear Captain Schrader present an easy, doable solution to one major problem. “When you see miles and miles of beaches covered with plastic debris,” said Scrader, “you have to wonder where it all comes from. A major source of this toxic garbage comes from ships.


Upon entering port, foreign ships have to pay a fee to take away their toxic garbage. So, what do they do? They bag it all up and throw it into the sea before they get into port. This is a problem that can be solved by prohibiting and enforcing such damaging actions. That would solve that problem. The trick is to get everyone, through education, to accept this.” It all comes back to education. Those


that argue there’s no proof that the ocean is in trouble are being besieged with hard, undeniable evidence that show the glaciers receding and the ocean and its life having to cope with conditions that have never before existed on earth. The kids are more open to learning about their connection to the environment and will be the ones that will grow up with the education, passion and tools to make the oceans healthy again. As was said, the voyage is over


but the mission continues. There will be a book on the expedition written by seagoing scribe Herb McCormick, with dazzling photos by David Thorsen, a true artist. Thorsen also filmed the adventure and the hope is to have a documentary for television ready in about a year. There is an abundance of shared


knowledge and experiences on the websites associated with the Around the Americas project which will fascinate and thrill any sailor, and give you an intimate look into the ocean surrounding our big island.


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