In our last blog of the year, we want to focus on a situation that is very upsetting for marine conservationists like us at Planet Protect Sportswear.  In a December 11, 2009 article, it seems that protections for endangered sea turtles of the coast of Hawaii – Obama’s home state – is being lessened for one group of fishermen.

Its infuriating that politics and back room deals permeates our current system of government – at the expense of marine animals that are on the brink of extinction.

Read the NY Times story here.  Read about the story with Sea Turtle Restoration Project here.

 All I can offer is that you help fund the legal defense funds to protect these amazing and beautiful creatures.  I’ve spent enumerable time watching and studying Green Sea Turtles, and I am saddened  by any attempt to negate their existence.  Please help fight for these ancient and majestic friends of the sea.

Visit our web site, www.PlanetProtect.com  – we raise funds to help protect our oceans.

After taking an extremely stressful exam, I needed to waste an hour or so before a job and really couldn’t decide what to do, until I realized I was less than two miles from the beach. There was a time, less than a year ago, where my life revolved around sporadic trips to the beach, surfing no matter the state of the waves, fishing anywhere there was water and just enjoying the fact that the ocean was there. I was in one of those moods, where I was ready to snap.  I was at my nerves end, and that takes a lot for me. The business of life had me so tightly wound I seemed to have forgotten who I was. My schedule had stolen my personality, and held it, teasingly, a few days away on the calendar, only to remove it from my grasp again with another activity or task to complete. As I drove to the beach however, a part of who I was seemed to return.

I love everything about the water, the size of the ocean, the colors, the smell, the wild power it contains, the way it stands constant and unwavering despite encroaching mansions, obnoxious boaters and numerous bathers. The ocean caters to no one, yet holds great pleasure and enjoyment for those who have spent enough time in it to allow it a slight amount of respect. As I pulled into the parking lot, I found my car devoid of baggies, and settled on a slightly used pair of shorts. I ran across the road, and once my feet hit the sand, sank instantly into relief. I felt alive, present, conscious and free. I walked out onto the edge of some rocks and allowed a wave to hit me squarely in the chest, greeting me like an old friend would with a hearty slap on the back. I walked to an uncrowded area, removed my shirt and swam out, allowing the waves to toss me back on shore, receiving a few looks of concern mixed with a mild amusement from passers by.

I think for surfers, fisherman, and boaters, the sea is kind of a second home. It’s a place you have to go to relax, unwind and process life. When it is taken from you, it’s like someone very near to you is lost, and only until you see them again will you really know what it is to live. While I prioritize, plan and schedule my life away, I know that the  sea will always be there for me, never offering anything more or less than it had before. And I think that’s all I need

The Libyan fisherman harnesses the tides
makes things happen.

Soft-buoyed on the swell
his distant lover and he collide.

He names her and she bends
as consonants bow to the vowels that shape their sound.

He cannot help but hold her up to the sun
so that she shines.

He says little of the corpses he has seen
floating beside him

Yet looks the memory in the face most days
with a shock of speech.

Were she religious
his stories would have her in raptures.

As it is, she is near-delirium
new footfall drumming each half breath.

She makes no decision.
Momentum does not heed thought. It is as love –

Neither the end of luck nor the antidote to war
nothing but movement inward to the other.

‘Stay here’, her sisters implore. ‘We’ve just begun.’
‘The view will take your breath away.’

They think eternity forgets their command
and worry she is leaving them behind.

She listens only to the ocean.
It sweeps them closer to communion.

It was me, two tiny icebergs, two scientists and a helicopter. The helicopter was parked on the sea, no problem. One scientist and I were balancing on one of the icebergs when it started to flip over. I managed to keep on top of it while it rolled the scientist off into the water. There were ripples forming everywhere which made it harder and harder to balance. It began to move in much the same way as a jetski does, and I was soon riding it like one. Eventually I came off it and landed in the freezing cold water. I could see the bottom, and at one point I could feel a warm jet of water coming from a vent at the bottom of the sea.

I swam to a nearby crag of rock that had a shelter on it. The other scientists and the helicopter were there too. From the shelter, I watched a huge humpback whale swimming around. On closer inspection, it was a giant black bear that came out of the water and up to the shelter. I was assured that the bear was vegetarian, but even so, it had clamped its jaws around one scientist’s head and was crunching him up. Indeed the bear only ate vegetarians, so I felt safe enough to shoo the bear back into the sea. I wasn’t particularly heroic in doing so.

There was a fairly big tourist town around with a growing number of tourists coming to see the icebergs. Most of the tourists were Asians taking pictures of the midnight sun. I took one and added photoshop effects to both the photos and the actual view I had photographed. There was a setting on my camera that made every picture a sunset one.

I went to the pub there. Inside there was a pub quiz, and the question was “how many #1 UK singles have Pussycat Dolls had?” I answered four, while stabbing an empty, upside down ice cream container four times.

the last two weeks proved to be extremely rock’n'roll and heavy on the emotional side of things:
• operation: impending doom XI (14th of november – w/ cruszt, voice of ruin, dj kéké) turned out to be one hell of a party, with enough stories for ages to come.
• the ocean and unhold delivered the real deal friday night/20th at the kiff in aarau, and saturday night/21st at the nouveau monde in fribourg – with julien fehlmann handling the sound-duties for the ocean, i kind of felt clumsy to do unholds sound, but it turned out rather good.
• sunday/22nd turned out to be a good day for rock’n'roll as well, skyblend took over the ebullition in bulle for a week of residency, and i handled some basic sound-duties. i will be joining the rehearsal on thursday and prepare with them for their upcoming cd release-party on saturday/28th… should be fun.

on the future-side of things, here’s what i’ve been sketching out over the last couple of days:
• dj el muerte – from folk to grind (yours truly, 28th of january), café le xxéme/fribourg
• operation: impending doom XII (6th of february – w/ shadow’s far, calcined, dj tba), café le xxéme/fribourg
• operation: impending doom XIII (20th of march – w/ battalion, support tba), café le xxéme/fribourg
• plus i’ll definitely be mixing attack vertical on the 9th of december as the opening act for arch enemy at the kiff/aarau, zatokrev on the 10th of december at the children of doom-festival in lille/france and again attack vertical on the 12th of december at the l’appel-festival at the hôtel de la ville/romont. good times!

This place is a prison and these people aren’t your friends

Inhaling thrills through $20 bills and the tumblers are drained

And then flooded again and again. – The Postal Service,

Man, there has been something insane going on within the confinement of my brain. I’ve been flat ass broke for a couple months here; with few breaks of money in between, but still. I guess maybe I am irresponsible about money. But honestly, in the bottom on my heart, I don’t think I’m being dealt a fair card in this situation.

To help my mental state a little bit more, I’ve been keeping to myself much more and thinking. Thinking about life; about plans; about how when I wake in the morning, I wish I had fresh squeezed orange juice; about how I wish my friends would help me out a little bit more; about how stupid I am for relying on my father; etc. etc. etc.

The more I sit by my lonesome and ponder everyday mysteries, the more I can feel my sanity being sucked out of my soul and throw into oblivion by an invisible Dementor. Since I’m watching myself type all of this down, I feel as though I may be losing more of my mind than originally thought; seeing as though I just used a noun that exists only in a fantasy-based novel by J.K. Rowling.

A dear friend of mine just recently had a lovely smoke-out early in the morning with my other friend and myself. He was describing how he enjoyed how ‘normal’ we both were to him; and how much he liked us versus the people he had deeming ‘not normal.’ Most people who I’ve told this story to were slightly appalled and thought I would of taken offense to this statement. However, what most people don’t seem to understand is; I’m a tad bit crazy in my head.. I guess I can be the only one who knows this for absolute positive, but then again, if anyone else lived in my head for as long as I’ve lived in mine, they’d believe they were crazy too. Being referred to as ‘normal’ made me feel like other people might not see actually how crazy I really am. Like maybe I’m tricking all these people around me into believing I’m ‘normal,’ whatever that means. I suppose I just felt a little dash of pride, forgive me.

Today I encountered a nice young man who seemed to be moving in an extremely peculiar way. I just assumed he was moving awkwardly to Andrew Gorny’s guitar playing. Awhile went by and I didn’t notice anymore, but he seemed to notice me more. He began speaking very slowly, then very quickly. Once or twice, he moved his head around closer to my ear, like he thought I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Eventually, I learned he had just eaten five mushrooms four hours prior to our meeting. He mentioned that it was his first time tripping and how insanely high he felt. I thought he may be trying to figure out what was reality, when he picked up his bag, said his goodbyes, and traipsed off into the downtown streets of Portland. The only real response I could come up with was to just slightly smile and nod my head knowingly. I imagine I’ve appeared that way to strangers before. I faintly remember several trips in public, feeling nothing but euphoria.

• Ahh, how the days drag on without you, love. I miss you like I miss walking next to the ocean. When I touch your face, look into your eyes; I see the clouds blowing and I can almost hear the waves beating against the barrier between my mind and yours.

Quite personally, forever is unconceivable.

It’s more dangerous when every second could be your last.

November 11, 2009 – 05:01am

I guess this is the end.

Possibly the end of you and me,

Possibly just the end altogether.

Regardless – I’m done with this scene, boy.

Here we come, future.

Here’s a story you won’t EVER see on Fox News – not that they actually do news, reporting, journalism or much anything else but illogical commentary (I guess that’s for another blog).  As a marine conservationist, retailer and designer, the most alarming and under reported change to our ocean environment is acidification.  The more CO2 we dump into the atmosphere, the more our oceans absorb this by-product of our modern age. 

NOAA has put together a great web site that covers in detail this concern.  Our government has been concerned about this for years, even during the Bush Administration.  So for those Republicans out there, this isn’t new.  See Ocean Research Bill – July 2008: http://science.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=2262

Climate change is going to take decades to show conclusive results for even the most ardent non-believers. Here is real data on Ocean Acidification, real facts that are measurable, precise and conclusive – right now.  We will be releasing new shirts this Spring – enlightening our customers about this growing and dangerous concern.  We’ve already written our Senators numerous times, and so should you.  We must reduce our carbon footprint immediately.

Go research this for yourself, don’t dismiss this, start learning, and take action.  http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/OA/background.html

The SEA Education Association “THEME SONG” that was on one of their introduction videos. The song that plays in my head every time I think of anything belonging to that part of my life. *Sigh*
I wish I could find a better video for it, but this is all youtube could offer me.
Enjoy,

We spotted the ocean
At the head of the trail
Where are we goin’
So far away
And somebody told me
That this is the place
Where everything’s better
And everything’s safe

CHORUS:
Walk on the ocean
Step on the stones
Flesh becomes water
Wood becomes bone

Half an hour later
We packed up our things
We said we’d send letters
And all of those little things
And they knew we were lyin’
But they smiled just the same
It seemed they’d already
Forgotten we came

(CHORUS X 2)

Back at the homestead
Where the air makes you choke
And people don’t know you
And trust is a joke
We don’t even have pictures
Just memories to hold
grows sweeter each season
as we slowly grow old

This past weekend has been crazy with school and Halloween and I’m feeling another crazy week up ahead. To tide you over, I have music news! I know, I know, I’m supposed to be talking about film, but I haven’t watched anything new. Watched The Rocky Horror Picture show this weekend, in the name of tradition. Shame on all of you who didn’t integrate Janet & Brad into your Halloween weekends! Here’s a classic song from the movie for anyone missing Halloween already:

So today I went to HMV and spent way too much money. Two of my purchases: the new Tegan &  Sara and Julian Casablancas CDs.

Tegan and Sara, my two favorite Canadian sisters, just came out with Sainthood, which is, as I expected, amazing. Their classic good songwriting at work once again. I can’t wait for their concert in January. The song Ocean is absolutely stunning, I can’t stop listening to it.

When you wake, what is it that you think of most?
When your bed is empty, do you really sleep alone?
If I imagine your
Body next to another

Another CD that came out this week is Julian Casablancas’ solo work, Phrazes for the Young. The Strokes’ singer’s first solo album is pretty good, though I have to admit that as a HUGE The Strokes fan, I expected a bit more. The single 11th Dimension is by far my favorite song off of it. It’s really very good aka worth listening to! As my friend (you know who you are) put it, We love Julian because he sounds like such a dirty little boy. I agree

Drop your guard, you don’t have to be smart all of the time
I got a mind full of blanks
I need to go somewhere new fast

When you wake, what is it that you think of most?

When your bed is empty, do you really sleep alone?

If I imagine you, body next to another

All around me new love and it makes me sad

All around me feeling sure that you’ll be bad

If I imagine you, body next to another

So it’s been so long since you said,

“Well I know what I want, what I want is right here with you.”

On the drive back here, I was worried over nothing

On the drive back there, tears spilling over something

When I imagine you, body next to another

In the door, and you’re there, and you’re still in for the fright

In the door, did I hear saying you don’t wanna fight?

When I imagine you, body next to another

In a flashback to you just brought attention to the mess

In a flash, you don’t talk, begging me to understand

If I imagine you, body next to another

You drop in for a minute

I’m sorry that I didn’t drop in sooner just to see you

And see what you’ve been doing

If I imagine you, body next to another.

Introducing the amazing and talented photographer, Christina, who just happens to be my daughter…

Gloucester, Massachusetts

By the Sea

The Cove

Calm Serenity

Fishing Boats

Lobster Pots

The Light House

Sun Bathing

What a View!

© Photos by Christina Campbell

As the water sweeps over my feet,
sinking me deeper and deeper into the hole
I’ve created
by standing in one spot too long,
I realize that if I want to regain
my equilibrium,
I have to move. ©

i’ve just finished a bunch of projects, which are definitely worth mentionning:
- the audio-installation & live-engineering for the theatre ‘apokalypse’ at the university of fribourg / switzerland (directed by simon helbling)
- the recording/mixing for skyblend’s first ep.
this four-track was recorded live during two days at la fonderie and the mix was done at my homestudio, while mastering-duties were handled by julien fehlmann at studio:mecanique. the ep turned out very groove-oriented, which is a pleasant but not overwhelming surprise – after all, it’s the bands real strenght. plus, i got to work on a bunch of overdubs, which got my creative juices flowing in multiple ways.
skyblend have got the release party scheduled for the 28th of november at the ebull in bulle, i’ll probably be mixing them live, and might even join them for a little live-rendition of one of the recorded tunes… we’ll see.

on the event-side of things, a bunch of shows just got confirmed:
- on the 14th of november, i’ll be hosting the eleventh rendition of my ‘operation: impending doom‘-events with cruszt headlining, voice of ruin supporting, and the mighty dj kéké providing afterparty-tunes. for those of you who ain’t got a clue, he’s the one who’s pretty much responsible for hooking me on to the wonders of modern metal back in the days… metalact, represent!
- on the 21st of november, berlin/tchaux-collective the ocean will be headlining at le nouveau monde, with support coming from nebra and vancouver.
- cideraid will both be playing the bad bonn (26th of december, w/ timor), and the wenk (31st of january, w/tba) as part of the last couple of shows before they start working on their first lp.
- attack vertical just got confirmed as support-act for the mighty arch enemy on the 9th of december at the kiff in aarau, where i’ll most likely will be handling sound-duties.

that’s it for now – as usual, stay tuned… cause i got about 100 other things up the pipeline!

My Life continued….   The Chapter about THE BOAT
 

Part 1 Land – Woods Hole, Massachusetts
January – March 2005

Part 2 Sea – Key West FL – Bermuda – St Croix USVI
March – May 2005

SEA – Woods Hole, MA experience

Before the children, before the diapers, and before the chaos…. I had my OWN journey. Just as unpredictable as the one I live now but on an entirely different scale. My journeys before children lead me to places where I wasn’t sure where I was going to end up the following week. My traveling journey was vast and it set fire to something deep inside me that will always have a hunger to feed. I am a traveler. I need to explore, dream, discover so that I can have a sense of *calm* inside.

“I lived on a sail boat for 6 weeks”

One of the many things I tell people and they just look at me like “HUH? What?”

Well here’s the quick version of that story —-

I was accepted to take part in a 12-week off campus program run through SEA Sea Education Association. The program teaches both oceanography and the operation of a sailing vessel on the open ocean. The students spend six weeks on campus in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and another six weeks aboard one of two vessels the SSV Corwith Cramer, which sails in the Atlantic and the Caribbean, or the SSV Robert C. Seamans, which sails in the Pacific. I was in the Atlantic, aboard the Corwith Cramer. Every time I hear the THEME SONG from the introduction video handed out to new students, I am taken back to a place that no one around me understands but it makes me feel good inside, it makes my heart smile, and it is a part of me that I will never forget.

Their website reads this:
Woods Hole is home to world renowned scientific institutions and other educational establishments. Discover the sea, and more, in new and different ways while you’re here.

I was caught off guard by the phone call one idle Tuesday when someone on the other line was reminding me of an application I sent in almost 8 months ago for a sailing school in Massachusetts. The woman on the phone was attempting to tell me that I was accepted and needed to be there in a few weeks. I was in shock and could not believe my ears. She wanted to know if I was still interested. I had just graduated college and was not actually an ‘undergraduate’ anymore. This particular program required you to be an undergraduate. They let it slide though because I had graduated earlier than I should have so technically I was still in the ‘undergraduate timeline’. So there I was, not sure what to do with my future, not sure about a job or even a place to live, and this was set in my lap as if a gigantic Birthday present sent from someone anonymous. I did not have to think about it, of course I would go! I was thrilled. I could not wait for the adventure to begin.

In February 2005, I packed my things unsure of what to bring and loaded the car. I was headed of for another adventure. OOOOO Goody – my blood was happy. My heart was racing and I was excited! I was ready to go to Woods Hole Massachusetts. Where was that? I don’t think I have ever been there before. I had driven through Massachusetts to get to Appledore Island Maine before, but never ventured southern Mass and was excited to see what it was like. The drive took about 6 hours from my hometown in upstate NY. I was going to spend the next 6 weeks learning how to sail and do research, all the while living in a house with 10 strangers.

The next six weeks went by in a blur. I woke up, grabbed breakfast, went to class 50 feet away, returned for lunch, then back to class and went home for dinner. After Dinner the entire house would study together and learn together the assignments that were given and expected to be done by the next morning. They prepared us for the six weeks that we would spend on an oceanographic-research sailing vessel. There were only 3 classes: Nautical Studies, Oceanography, and Maritime Studies. Nautical Studies taught us the basics of piloting, celestial navigation and sailing terminology so that we could completely understand every aspect of the sailing we were about to get ourselves into. Oceanography helped us prepare an independent research project that we would conduct while at sea. We composed an outline, methods of our madness, and our expected results based on earlier studies. My research topic title was: Abundance and distribution of copepods in the Gulf Stream along Florida………… Maritime Studies taught us history of the oceans, and its influence on cultures throughout the world. We were taught the laws of the ocean, the rules of the game, and what we should or should not do ‘when we get out there’. We were shown mini ships and taught what each rope was called, how to tie knots, what different knots were for, and the different vocabulary we would be expected to use on the ship. Aft, starboard, windward, leeward, below, head, galley, bunk, and jib etc. Those six weeks on land gave us an important chance to learn how to live and work together as a team. We needed to practice that as well, so we might better be able to handle living in such small living spaces once on board the ship. We lived together in several small houses on the campus and had to stick to a budget, shop together, and prepare all of our own meals.

The few times we did get a break we managed to have some fun.
At one point someone thought it would be a good idea to create a club for those a little more daring. It was February and it was ice covered ocean coasts. We decided only the bravest would run half naked into the ocean and run back to the cars. I did this, only to find out I will never do it again and give much credit to those polar bear clubs who do this insane ritual annually. My body froze up instantly and my joints refused, downright REFUSED to work. I could not BEND to pick up the warm towel in the car to dry myself off. I could not bend to get the ice cold fridged clothing off of my overly shivering body. I ended up just wrapping myself in the towel and begging the driver to hurry up and get us back to our house so we could change. I don’t think I’ve ever been that cold in my entire life as I was that night. Would I do it again though? SURE. In a heart beat. How often do you get the opportunity to run with two dozen other crazy young adults into the ocean when the outside temperature is below zero? Insane yes, enjoyable definitely.

We also made our way to Pie in the Sky. MMMMM all I think about even when I type those words, are the good smelly bakery type treats that we would all devour once we walked inside that place. It was no bigger than my kitchen is now. Big enough for maybe 15 people to sit and another 10 to stand in line patiently impatiently waiting for their order to be taken. The menu was up above the cashiers head and they had a huge display case all lit up for you to see the goodies you were about to agree upon. Their prices were high, but were as expected for a bakery with an ocean view and the best food in 80 miles. I will forever hold a special place in my heart for Pie in the Sky.

There were dozens of snowball fights, movie nights, and meetings of friends in the off hours as well. I actually rallied up a group of 10 or so to dread my hair one night. For over 10 hours, my laboring friends took pride in destroying my beautiful straight hair and creating even more beautiful dreads. I sure do miss those dreads, and would get them back in a heartbeat if only I could find another group of 10 friends to have that much patience with me again.

Before & After the pretty pretty dreads….. {sniffle… sniffle}

There were great trails to walk/run on and the ocean was only minutes away. Everywhere you turned, there was beauty to see and that *ah* *sigh* moment was felt daily for me while I was there. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to that beauty??

We got a little vacation between the land and sea components and I headed back home to my ever so dull tiny upstate NY town. Nothing could compare the beauty I just experienced and the magnitude of information that was bulgeing from my brain. I just had to hang on long enough to get to Key West to see our sailing ship and all that information would be put to the test of actually utilizing it.

SEA – The Corwith Cramer, Ocean experience

In March 2005, I sailed out of Key West aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, a 134 ft sailing school ship belonging to the Sea Education Association. The Corwith Cramer looks like it sailed out of a painting from the 1800’s. The Crowith Cramer was manned for research. It had bathymetric equipment, hydrographic winches, biological sampling equipment, CTDs, microscopes, computers, sediment scoops, and rock dredges. My former career in science was not nearly as hands on as this trip ended up being. Even my trip to Belize, living on South Water Caye Island for a week and scuba diving the reefs could not even near comparison to what this trip had in store for me.

Here is a picture of the surface water temperature along our trip. It also shows the path that we took aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer.

Daily life aboard ship was kept as organized and routine as possible. The twenty crew member students were divided into three watch groups. These watches were our main companions throughout most of the trip. We had to work well with them and communicate even better.

A mate and an assistant scientist, members of the ship’s professional crew, led each of these watch groups, and one of the watches was on duty at all times for the remainder of the voyage. Being awakened at odd hours of the night became commonplace. When on watch, we experienced every aspect of shipboard operations, including working in the lab or on the deck crew, helping the engineer, or cooking in the galley. We also were responsible for keeping the ship clean. Scrubbing became second nature

There were three different groups “squads” of 8 on the boat which were soon to be my only companions due to the rigorous hours of sleeping, working, and eating allowed for the schedule. Each squad while on their eight hour duty “watch” was 100% responsible for, reading charts, navigating the route, knowing the research stations and making sure we were in location when and where we should be. We were crew members as soon as we stepped on that ship. We manned the lookout, helped out in the lab, checked the weather, hoisted the sails, jibbing, putting out and retrieving the neuston net tow, washing deck, checking the engine room, cooking meals, and scrubbing the ‘floors’ after every watch was over to maintain safety and cleanliness.

My berth was in the aft of the ship (back end), near the doorway to the engine room. I am a very light sleeper so the 4 hours we were given to sleep was always interrupted on the hour every hour by the people doing their ‘rounds’ to check the engine room. The door would slam shut, I would sit up (hitting my head, realizing I was in a berth), and then lay back down in attempts to fall back asleep. It used to take me at least a half hour to fall back asleep and so I would be lucky to steal a total of 2 hours sleep in one day’s journey. I would awake to a bearded man (shipmate Adam) crew member telling me that the winds have been hard for the past 3 hours, we are on a NE path and the rain has stopped but I would be smart to put on my foulies (foul weather gear… the big yellow suit). I would roll over, bathed in sweat and grown that I had to get up so soon after only getting to sleep minutes before.

The entire experience was overwhelmingly breathtaking, bewildering, educational, and exhausting experience. It was an experience which affected my life and attitude toward research because I never really understood before the profoundly exhilarating and unsettling nature of life on a ship packed full with people all with their own research projects and all dealing with the same amount of sleep deprivation. It gave me a new found respect for earlier researchers and even travelers on larger ships, with smaller bunks, less food with no refrigeration and dirtier living quarters. I was truly blessed when we reached land in Bermuda after 3 weeks of slowly rotting fruit, when the delivery came and all the new produce was laid out for us to admire, I was in heaven and clearly understood then that life in civilized upscale America really isn’t that bad at all. We’ve got it pretty good compared to others out there. I would not trade it for anything and I would go back and do it all again in a heart beat. The entire voyage offered me inspiration. I will be forever grateful.

The most valuable education the SEA Semester provided, however, was learning how to live with 30 other people on a 134-foot vessel for six weeks. It was not always easy. If two crew members do not get along, they really can’t get away from one another now can they? When one crew member is sea sick, almost the entire ship feels compassion for that person and offers to help in any way they can. We were also challenged when we were required to lead the real crew. The last weeks of the sailing trip we were given title of Junior Watch Officer (JWO). One person at each watch is in command of the other members of their watch. That one person is to have contact with the captain, to make the decisions for the watch, to direct the other members and tell them when to jib and when to change course. Having control of a 280-ton vessel in the middle of the ocean is one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had.

HERES A STORY:

The wake up calls were usually the same. I was awakened by the sound of a friendly voice saying: “Amanda…. Amanda….” “Yep, I’m up” I would reply although my brain was still half asleep. The voice would continue “It is 2:40; you have watch in 20 minutes. It is cold and still sprinkling and even though the winds have let up, they have been steady for the past 3 hours, I would put on my foulies if I were you” “Ugh, OK… I’m up” I reply again a little more awake this time. What this person is trying to tell me is that the seas are rough; the wind has been blowing for most of their watch so the ocean will be rough on our tall ship. I’m in for an interesting watch to say the least
I roll over, rub my eyes and flick on the clock light. 2:45. I Know I only have 15 minutes to get dressed, use the head, grab and devour a snack, read the reports, and be on deck with my crew to hear the off-going watch give a report of the things we need to know. I huff my feet over the ledge and search around in the dark for my rain paints at the foot of my bunk.
The entire watch is spent at the helm, descending oceanographic equipment to depths of 3000 meters, watching dolphins jump next to our ship, and watching the bio-luminescence of the zooplankton light up like our own private firework show right there 10 feet away from our faces. My research was part of those little bio-luminating critters so I was especially excited about the latter part.
NOTE: This story is altered when Mr. Adam were the one doing the wake up calls. In that instance I would have a big hairy man face inches from mine whispering the words “PAAAAANNDDAAAA….. PPPAAAAANNNDAAAA…… *giggle* WAKE UP… Time for watch, It’s ridiculously cold out there and you will need your foulies. Good luck with the rain, we got it all night…. No pause for answer… PANDA, are you awake?”  Adam would wake me up with a smile every time. I always hoped it was him coming to wake me up. “AAADAAAMMMM, *smile* Yes –  I’m awake, Give me a hug” and after a quick embrace and a ruffle of his big hairy beard we would be on our separate ways.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was when Adam, Danny, and I went ‘aloft’ …we went to climb. I tried it once and the fear sunk in. I did not make it. However with Adam and Danny up ahead, I had the persistence, the extra push, and probably the embarrassment of not completing a task for me to finish it up. I climbed to the top and marveled at what I saw. Thankful that I had successfully made it to my destination, I took it all in and was in my glory. I was filled with exhilaration for doing something I had never done before, something that scared me but that I conquered. Sure I was strapped in and held on so tight that my knuckles turned white, but again… *sigh* I’ll never forget the sights, the feelings, and the connection I had with nature and the earth at that moment.

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as i ride waves of you,
i am supple & full
wet & hungry
fuller of you with each sway
my hips
give rise to the ocean
crashing against a jetty
water swells &
currents
lap shoreline silhouettes gently
the whisper of water tickles curves slowly
& all that remains
is seafoam.

*sparkle sucks as a poet & is more of an essayist or storyteller, but will keep writing poems until the rest of you submit!

It’s like a big underwater booger.

Put It Up has found it’s identity being a blog about the arts and monsters, and I’m comfortable with that. This post falls into the latter category. They carry e-coli and are up to 124 MILES long.  LINK

“When you hit the ground
Its hard to speak
But its who you are
A shining star
Go
Tell the millions begin!”

FUCK YES. Now with Twitter and Facebook, telling a million to begin just got easier.

Into the Sea by heinali

In my mind and hoping …

I’m stepping onto the sand barefooted and it’s hot but not unbearable. I can feel the pebbles between my toes and feel the smaller ones sliding underneath my weight causing me to fall deeper into the depth of the beach.

The sun rays are gracing my back and the air is a comforting mixture of warm and cool from the water. Closing my eyes I concentrate on the  smell of the salt … almost like one could taste it when you breathe in but it’s not at all like table salt … I think it’s different this time. The coolness isn’t like winter it’s like … a breeze with water on top of it.

Looking down I see bubbles from the waves splashing onto the banks of the earth … like foam … I want to put my feet in.

So I do … and it’s a cold shock since the warmth of the sun contrasts it but it’s welcoming.

The waves lap against my legs and I slowly become used to it and I’ll stay there for a long time smelling the air and feeling the sun.

At least this is what I imagine … and hope.