One final wave

Hello readers!

It is our last night aboard the Aleksy Maryshev and, since it is entirely fitting, she is giving us quite the ride. The seas are choppy and I am bouncing back and forth in my chair. Yet there is a lot of energy here and the tempo is high (as always).

Our day began with the most beautiful weather we have had to date. In the morning, after our lecture from polar explorer Marc, we managed to spend some time lying around in the sun. I caught Evanne in the perfect napping position and I think she captures all our feelings.

It was the serenity of the scene that was outstanding. Imagine lying on a boat, surrounded by rippling blue sea below and jagged cliffs above. The only sound is the lapping of waves of the side of the boat. The Arctic, for the moment, seemed to be at peace. That did not last.

We visited an isolated Polish research station, providing them with company and some fresh fruit and vegetables (which they badly needed!). We got to learn about their research, about the retreat of the local glaciers that have been documented since the 1950s (it has retreated around 5km!).

We spent much of the rest of the day cruising through the sea ice in a fjord of Northern Svalbard (I can never remember the names). On the lookout for wildlife, we spotted a bearded seal:

He seemed quite confused by our boat, and was undecided if he should swim away or just be lazy. Luckily his laziness prevailed and we managed to get some nice shots of him. As the day wore on, the weather got colder and windier. We traveled in the smaller zodiac boats through the ice floes for a few hours and after were quite happy to return to the larger boat to warm up. As we set sail for Longyearbyen in the south, the weather began to turn on us. The wind picked up and it soon cooled off, and before we knew it we were being tossed around.

This ability for change seems to be a characteristic of the Arctic. From winter to summer, the Arctic changes from an icy to a wet environment. Plants bloom and animals flourish in regions that seemed completely inhospitable just weeks before. While this is part of its beauty, it should also be a cause for concern. The Arctic is changing. With less ice and higher temperatures, the Arctic that I am seeing will soon fade away.

But no need for doom and gloom. I can tell from the amazing people that I have met on this trip that we have our best and brightest on the case.

I guess the next time I talk to you it will be from dry land. Until then, take care you landlubbers!

Jer

The order of the polar bear

I haven’t had the chance to blog for the past couple days things have been so busy. Even now there are people here who are fighting for the computer.

We have visited several glaciers and traveled to several old whaling/mining settlements. The weather and scenery of the past couples days has been jaw dropping and I don’t think the photographs do the scenery justice. Here is a picture of Jayme and I (team Canada!) standing in front of one the glaciers.

We have also made several other films. I won’t say too much, I will leave the films to speak for themselves (once they are done editing). Yesterday we managed quite the feat that qualifies all of us for the “order of the polar bear”. Take a look at this picture and I will say no more, I think my expression says quite a lot.

I will only say the coldest part were my feet, everything else was fine. I am also told that the order involves some sort of secret handshake, although I have yet to learn it.

In terms of spotting interesting wildlife, we have visited several bird colonies and seen some seals (but only at a distance, they are very shy animals).

That’s all for now, time to sleep!

Much Love,
Jer

Not a moment to spare

Hello everyone,

I am sitting here at breakfast watching everyone drag themselves out of bed. Yesterday was an incredibly busy day, as we were trying to set up a meeting with the Norwegian prime minister. Since he had refused email requests from WWF-Norway (he was too busy), we decided it would be fun to send him a little video. So yesterday we threw something together and posted it on youtube, you can check out the email we sent and the video here:

Check it out, the more views it gets the more effective it will be. Other than that, we went out on the zodiacs to a glacier, getting up nice and close. Here we are with the other commonwealth country (England) doing a commonwealth “C”.

Dear Jens Stoltenberg,

We are the students of WWF’s Voyage for the Future, a 10-day boat voyage in Svalbard, Norway. We represent nine countries with vested interests in the Arctic. We have come together because we are concerned about the many issues regarding the Arctic region, including climate change. On our trip, we have come face to face with these problems and discussed many potential solutions that we would like to share with you.

You take a break for summer. Climate change does not. This summer, Arctic sea ice levels are predicted to be the lowest in history by far. Youth in every corner of the world consider climate change to be the defining issue of our time. Thank you so much for your help so far in tackling the climate crisis, particularly your pledge of 15 billion NOK to end deforestation. We propose a meeting with you to discuss your continued role in a sustainable future on Friday, June 20th, before we return home to our respective countries. Would you prefer a meeting for breakfast or lunch? Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
The WWF Voyage for the Future:

Maria Waag – Norway
Karl Oskar Teien – Norway
Evanne Nowak – Holland
Michiel Jansen – Holland
Greta Hamann – Germany
Johannes Barthelmess – Germany
Emma Bierman – United Kingdom
Casper ter Kuile – United Kingdom
Jeremy Brammer – Canada
Jayme Collins – Canada
Sven Heijbel – Sweden
Nanny-Maja Anderback –Sweden
Ekatarina Levitskaya – Russia
Dmitry Vladimirov – Russia
Yuriko Murakami – Japan
Shunta Takagi – Japan
Ben Wessel – United States
John Monaghan – United States

Bears, bays and bed

Salut tout le monde!

Today has been a very lucky Friday the 13th. We have been fighting through the sea ice since this morning and one of our cameramen happened to spot a polar bear out on the flows. Not only did we get to catch a glimpse of this bear, we were even able to drive right up to within 20 metres of the animal. We all sat there snapping away with our cameras while the bear literally put on a display, first staring and deciding whether we were food or not, then contenting himself with rolling in the snow. It was amazing to see the king of the Arctic in his domain (we believe it was a he). Not only that, he decided to go for a dip and a swim to nearby ice flows, a path we happily followed. What an experience.

This comes as we are learning that the vast majority of the Arctic sea ice is expected to melt in the coming years and the polar bears are going to be reduced to a fraction of their former glory. This was an opportunity to observe a species that could be nearing its end, and this fact was not lost on us. After this experience we managed to explore a local bay containing a large glacier and sea bird colonies. After all this time up and about and no lack of light, I am having difficulty keeping my eyelids open. Time for rest, another big day tomorrow.

All my best,
Jer

International without borders

Hajimemashite everyone!

The pace just keeps picking up here on the Voyage for the Future. Wake up call was at 6:30 am today and after some quick callisthenics on deck (only two takes, I wonder why…), we had a quick breakfast at 7:00 am.

Dr Martin Sommerkorn of Aberdeen University gave our first climate change lecture on the feedback mechanisms of climate change in the Arctic. The Arctic is currently heating up at a rate of twice that of the rest of the world, and this ratio is only expected to increase. This is because of several reasons:

1) Most of the light from the sun is reflected by the white ice and snow in the Arctic. When things heat up and this ice/snow begins to melt, this exposes darker soil and water which absorbs more heat.

2) The way water and air circulate in the Arctic is beginning to draw more southern air northward. This air is hotter and more humid. This greater influx of warmer air is increasing heating and melting in the Great White North, melting more snow and ice and amplifying effect #1.

3) Warming in the Arctic will stimulate the release of carbon stored under the permafrost (frozen soil) and in the ocean sediment (bottom). These two stores of carbon contain twice the amount of C that is already in our atmosphere, and their release will amplify all the above effects (as well as effects all over the world).

This lecture was very informative (I barely stopped writing the entire time) and it highlights how climate changes have been happening much faster than was believed possible. This has been most obvious in the Arctic. Here the summer sea ice has been relatively consistently declining at a rate of 7.7% per year over the past decades. In 2007, the sea ice cover dropped 39% below 2000 levels, falling off the charts. Even the most pessimistic predictions of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) did not predict such a dramatic change.

With this in mind we visited Ny-Alesund, the most northern human settlement on the planet. Of course they come fully equipped with airport and souvenir shop. We explored a long abandoned mining colony and hiked up a local mountain at Blomstrandhaluøya. The view over the fiord was a constant distraction from the task of hiking, and we spent many a breaking simply taking in our surroundings. After we conquered the hill we returned to the boat for dinner.

After dinner we had an Ambassadors (that’s us) meeting, and it was only here where I realised the diverse and enthusiastic group that has been gathered here. While we are from all over the world and have only known each other for four days, it feels like a strong bond of kinship ties us together. Perhaps it is our collective journey, our similar goals and values. Whatever it is, there are no borders here. As I realised this, I also noticed differences in our abilities with English have been holding back out communication. I am reminded of how cooperation requires everyone to be on the same page and for everyone to be aware of difficulties faced by others. I have eyes over my shoulder now so I must wrap this up.

Much love everyone,
Jer

Row, row, row your boat

Hello again!

We are now aboard the Alexsy Maryshev and I am speaking to you from the arctic ocean, off the coast of Svalbard at approximately 78 degrees north. We are steaming our way northward around Prins Karls Forland (an island off the coast) to our destination of Ny-Alesund. In time, we plan to reach 80 degrees north, turning around just a stones throw away from the infamous pole (so close!). I am writing to you via satellite link, and so as a necessity the photo content of these marine posts will be limited.

It is now approaching 12:00 midnight on a beautiful sunny day in the Arctic (there are NO nights) and we are seesawing our way across the ocean. I can look out the porthole beside me and catch a glimpse of our spectacular surroundings. Outside the sun shines brightly and its reflection glints off of the head of each wave of the tossing ocean. The combined cloudy and clear sky allows strong rays of this sunlight to filter through, creating shaded and illuminated regions of the surrounding landscape. Combined, these conditions highlight the jutting edges and snow covered peaks of the immense mountains that flank our starboard side (I am sounding nautical already). In all, it is simply breath taking.

After we boarded what is to be our home for the next week, we spent much of the following hours learning the procedures and protocols of the crew and tour operators on the Alexsy Maryshev. This was not only for safety and the smooth function of daily activities on the trip, but it was also for the protection of the fragile environment in which we find ourselves. When on the boat we are to be extremely careful with our wastes, and out on land we are, as the saying goes, to “take only pictures and leave only footprints”.

These talks, as well as our experiences thus far, have highlighted the fragility of life here on the edge of the earth. Our mere presence is enough to render conditions unsuitable for sea bird reproduction or plant growth. It seems clear that the dramatic climactic changes that have already begun to occur could push this system over the edge and impoverish our planet of some of the most stunning and spectacular wildlife that she possesses.

There is so much more to say and do, but a fella has to have his sleep.

Good night!

Finally Internet!

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posting, but as you might expect the access to internet facilities is rather limited here in Svalbard. In fact once we get on the boat (later today), I don’t think I will be able to post for several days. I know you are all agonizing around this blog, refreshing the page every couple of minutes, but for now you are going to have to be patient.

It is now a sunny Wednesday afternoon in Svalbard and we have just finished a very informative (and profitable!) hike out into the surrounding countryside. But before I get to describing today, let me give you a brief recap of my journey up until this point:

The six hour flight across the Altantic brought me to Amsterdam at 7:00 in the morning. With absolutely no sleep during the flight, I happened to stumble upon a fellow traveler, Keith Stewart, sleeping in the airport. There we waiting together and caught the flight to Oslo together with the two American Ambassadors. We arrived in Oslo with our spirits high:

And being among the first people to have arrived, (around 11:00 in the morning, with no sleep overnight remember), along with the English, we set off together to explore Oslo. After a ten dollar bus ride to and from the hotel and getting a 30$ train ticket (Norway is expensive!), we set off to Oslo. We arrived and were given a quick tour by one of the Voyage organizers.

Following the tour (and ice cream – in Norway the “traditional” foods are hotdogs and ice cream, and they are often sold together), we returned to the hotel to meet up with the other participants. After introductions we enjoyed a nice meal together before watching a little football and heading to bed. Suffice to say our all nighter had hit us at that point and I am sure the North Americans and the Japanese enjoyed their sleep that night. The next morning we gathered in the hotel lobby to embark on the final leg of our journey due north. After about 12 hours flying time, the Svalbard archipelago come into view.  These were quite the sight and I would put up some more photos, but things are getting rather rushed around here (the boat comes in 30 minutes) and everyone is taking up the bandwidth. Still I can provide textual descriptions, which I am sure will be just as good. The Svalbard islands are a very mountaineous and its southern reaches are almost entirely covered in glaciers. As we proceeded northward to the center of the islands, sea ice became apparent along some of the shoreline and sharper mountains began to jut out from the horizon. Little roads criss cross between the mountains like small arteries, connecting the sparse human habitations.

Upon arrival we were able to enjoy a lecture from the vice president of the council of the Saami people, the indigenous peoples of North Western Europe. These people, much like the Inuit in North America, are having their traditional way of life, reindeer herding, threatened by the effects of climate change. Former pastoral lands are being lost to an encroaching treeline or to vicious freeze thaw cycles and river crossings that have been used for generations are no longer saver for a Saami family and their herd. It is clear that on this frontier, as on many others, that it is the individuals on the fringe that are going to suffer most from the effects of climate change. This is of particular interest to myself as one of the Canadian representatives, as in the opinion of this lecturer that the Inuit are in fact more threatened than his people. We Canadians are now confronted with an opportunity to make up for our less than stellar past in treating North American aboriginals. We can now prove that we have learned from our previous mistakes and can be more responsible in our treatment of Canadian native peoples. The threat of climate change, along with the encroachement of resource extraction, will prove to be huge obstacles to the continued existence of the Inuit peoples.

Back to Svalbard: Longyearbysen itself is a small little town situated within a valley, protected from the worst of the Arctic winds. It is on the shore of a fjord, and in every direction (even across the water) we are surrounded by mountaintops. You get the feeling of being in an enormous bowl, with the clouds slowly descending upon you increasing the feeling of isolation. But this is a good feeling. The natural beaty of the location is stunning, and on our hike today we were often awed by the shear scale of the natural geography and the omnipresence of wildlife, either alive or fossilized (We are always on the look out for polar bears, it is necessary for our guide to carry a gun, and we managed to find several fossils). I would say more but people are literally heading out the door.

Take care everyone, I will post some pictures next chance I get. Its back to the cold for me!

T minus 3 days….

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jeremy Brammer, I am a 20 year old student at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. I like to read, play sports, take long walks on the beach etc. etc.

Really its not too important who I am. It is what I am doing and what I represent that is more interesting. I am a young man who, along with many other individuals my age, is seriously concerned about the health of the planet. I see the symptoms all around me. The litter that clutters our streets, the undrinkable water that flows through out waterways, the cars that clog our roads, the species that well, cease to exist! Our world is changing, and it is certainly not for the better.

What concerns me most about these issues is not so much that they are happening, it is instead our collective reaction that is so troubling. When I say “our collective reaction” I mean all of us, the humans, Homo sapiens, those hairless apes that walk on two feet. We are all in this together, yet we do not seem to think that way. Our focus is centred inward: how we look, how we act, how can we be amused, how can we make more money. What concerns me so much about our collective reaction to the “external issues”, like air pollution or species loss, is that there is no reaction! We, quite frankly, do not care. At least not enough to take any serious action on the issue.

This is a matter consciousness. In the global human consciousness, environmental responsibility barely registers on the radar. But this is changing, and is certainly not insurmountable. Over the previous century we have seen many drastic changes in human consciouness. Just think, one hundred years ago women weren’t “persons”, fifty years ago smoking was the norm, twenty years ago the internet was that lining on the inside of your swimsuit. But times have changed and continue to change, and human consciousness changes as well.

That is what this trip is about. It is about changing consciousness. We are going to be seeing and hearing first hand the effects of climate change on the Arctic. We will be learning from those who are on the frontier of the scientific research in the Arctic. It promises to be quite the ride, and you are free to join us through blogs just like this one.

On a final note, consciousness changing is probably best acheived through literature. One of the most influencial authors in my life has been Dr. Seuss. I have been reading his works for longer than any other author and so I would recommend one piece that is particularly informative. It is called “The Lorax” and you can find an online version at: http://curtisvc.tripod.com/lorax/lorax.htm

Enjoy!

Its official, I am now a blogger

Greetings internet wanderer!

By whatever misclick you have arrived at the account of my experiences on the Voyage of the Future.  I am one among eighteen youth who have been lucky enough to get a chance to visit the Arctic with the World Wildlife Fund. We will be flying up to Svalbard:

In the Norwegian Arctic. Here I will be posting an account of my experiences and (hopefully) a WHOLE lot of pictures. We are leaving in only 6 days and I am looking forward to writing more here before I leave. Until then.