Five Explorers For The Future

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Jon Bowermaster's writing. He regularly posts interesting and thoughtful pieces on his own website, as well as TakePart.com. We both just happen to be contributors at Gadling as well, and today Jon has posted a great piece that looks at five up and coming explorers for the future.

Jon starts the article out by defining just what exploration will mean in the 21st century. As he notes, there really aren't any new lands to explore and our quest for precious metals and other rare commodities has morphed into a search for alternative energy sources and cures for diseases. He argues that the new area of exploration is more science based and involves as much time in the lab as it does in the field.

With that in mind, Jon does offer us five emerging explorers to keep our eyes on in the future. Those include: Hayat Sindi, who is developing new ways to monitor health and medical needs in developing parts of the world. She is joined by Ashley Murray, who is tackling wastewater issues, and Kevin Hand, a rocket scientist charged with designing a propulsion system to take a probe to Europa. Juan Martinez, who works to inspire youth to get outside, and Tuy Sereivathana, a conservationist who is protecting elephants in Cambodia, round out the list.

If some of those names sound familiar, it is because they are all on National Geographic's Emerging Explorers list for 2011, which I wrote about back in May. They also represent the changing face of exploration in the new millennium – an era that is also shifting our thoughts on what is important in this field. The days of the stalwart explorer in a pith helmet carving his way through the unknown regions of the jungle are mostly over, and these are the explorers that are going to lead us into the future.

Adventurers And Scientists For Conservation

Yesterday I received an excellent link in my e-mail that I thought might be of interest to a number of readers as well. It is for an organization called Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, which promises to bring both communities together in a cooperative way.

The goals for the ASC are fairly straight forward and simple. The group looks to provide scientists with a way to attain unique and inexpensive datasets from a variety of places from around the globe by mobilizing a group of like-minded people from across the planet. They also hope to give adventure athletes a set of tools to help conserve the wild spaces that we all love so much, and dditionally, they hope inspire the general public to use those same wild spaces wisely and to protect them from harm.

The organization is the brainchild of Gregg Treinish, who falls into both the adventurer and scientist categories. He has worked as a wildlife biologist, backcountry guide, and more. He has also completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail as well as an epic 7800 mile (12,552 km) trek across the Andes that took 22 months to complete. That earned him the honor of being named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year back in 2008.

Treinish is joined by some real heavy hitters in the science and adventure field. The ASC board has folks like Conrad Anker, Roz Savage, and Jon Bowermaster on it. Additionally, Their Mentors section has even more amazing folks that can be contacted for advice on how to launch your own expedition or contribute to the conservation cause.

Although this is a relatively new organization, Treinish says he didn't formulate the idea until late 2010, the website has already become quite a resource for adventurers and scientists alike. You'll find links to allow you to request datasets, lists of proposed projects, and ways to get in contact with men and women who are active in both the science and adventure communities.

Personally, I think this looks like a great organization. I've found that these two groups have more in common than it would seem on the surface, but both tend to have a deep respect and love for the natural environment and a desire to protect it for the future. It seems like a natural pairing and I have high hopes that the ASC will be helping to accomplish and promote great things in the future.

Is It Time To Put An End To "Adventures" On The Indian Ocean?

Jon Bowermaster has posted a really thoughtful and interesting piece on Gadling today that declares that it is time to end Indian Ocean adventures. That's a very bold statement from a man who has spent plenty of time on the world's oceans, including the Indian, but Jon's message makes sense, and should serve as a warning for those sailing those treacherous waters.

What spurred Jon to write this piece is the recent high profile pirate attacks in that region. We've all been well aware of the pirate activity off the coast of Somalia for a number of years now, but the recent taking, and subsequent killing, of four Americans a month ago, has brought the subject back to the forefront. Just days later, a Danish ship, with three children aboard, was captured, making worldwide headlines as well.

According to the article, there are now more than 800 hostages being held by the pirates, who are conducting weekly raids on ships in the Northern Indian Ocean. They have mostly preyed upon shipping and oil vessels, but have begun to attack private yachts with increasing frequency of late, which has many wondering why anyone would sail through those waters to begin with.

Jon notes that he is someone who encourages what he calls "an adventurous life," but reminds us that we need to take caution and think things through when we set out on our adventures. There is a fine line between being adventurous and being foolish, and sailing into those dangerous waters is probably falls more on the foolish end of the spectrum.

So what do you think? Do you agree with Jon when he says that is perhaps best if we avoid a significant portion of the Indian Ocean for now? Should sailing, and maybe rowing, adventures in that area of the world be postponed or even cancelled? There is little doubt that there is significant risk attached to sailing the ocean in general, but adding the real threat of pirates to the mix is just asking for trouble.

Personally, I'm not one to tell someone they shouldn't go on an adventure, but I have to agree with Jon. It is  important that you be smart when embarking on what ever adventure you choose, and while some inherent risks are involved, why invite more trouble than you have to?

Ocean Advocates Weigh In At TakePart.com

Yesterday was World Ocean Day, and I shared my own thoughts about the topic in this post. Personally, I think the threats to our oceans are one of the biggest dangers to the planet and our continued existence on it, and World Ocean Day was meant to spotlight some of those concerns, especially as events in the Gulf of Mexico continue to unfold.

I wasn't the only one talking about the plight of our oceans yesterday however, as a number of far more qualified people that me weighed on the subject over at TakePart.com. Topics ranged from global climate change, oil in the Gulf, and more.

Contributors included the likes of Philippe Cousteau, who said that he felt that increased levels of carbon are the biggest threat to the oceans today. Roz Savage shared her thoughts as well, pointing to the high levels of plastic that are now found in our waters. And our friend Jon Bowermaster, who has been filming along the Louisiana coast, discusses the chemical run off that has created a dead zone in the water at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Each of the articles also includes some ideas on how we can "get our hands wet", or in other words, how we can all pitch in and help on an individual or grassroots level. I may be pointing these suggestions out a day after World Ocean Day, but it's never too late to start helping out.

While you're over reading the various essays, be sure to checkout TakePart.com more fully as well. The site is dedicated to tackling the biggest environmental issues today, and finding ways that we can all "take part" in making the world better place. Think of it as social networking with an eco-friendly slant.

Book Review: Oceans: The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do to Turn the Tide

Last week, in celebration of Earth Day, Disney and National Geographic released a ground breaking new film called Oceans. Directed by Jacques Perrin, the visionary filmmaker who brought us the acclaimed nature films Microcosmos and Winged Migration. Oceans has been years in planning and production, and by all accounts, it is stunning to behold on the big screen. I say this, because as of this writing, I have yet to see the film, due to the fact that I couldn't find a cineplex in Kathmandu.

On the other hand, while traveling abroad I did have the opportunity to read Oceans: The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do to Turn the Tide. The book, which is edited by Jon Bowermaster, is meant to serve as a companion of sorts to the film. It is a compilation of 31 different essays from as many authors, on a number of different topics centered around our seas, and the threats to their health, which will have wide ranging consequences for the future of the entire planet.

Some of the essays are sentimental in nature, such as Carl Safina's "Caught in the Same Net" and "Remembering the Ocean" by Celine Cousteau. Others offer up warnings about the Oceans' future, such as "Coral Reefs in Crisis", written by Abigail Alling or Richard Ellis' "The Bluefin's Uncertain Future". All of the stories are informative, insightful, and fascinating, especially if you have any level of awareness about the impact of global climate change. Other authors contributing to the book include ocean explorer Sylvia Earle, circumnavigator Liz Clarke, Captain of the Plastiki David de Rothchild, and Adventure Blog favorite Roz Savage. Even actor Leonardo DiCaprio submitted a short piece on how important, yet finite, a resource our water supply is. Bowermaster's own contribution, an essay on the changing state of the ice around Antarctica is also a sobering story about what is happening now, and how it could impact the future.

Whether you've seen the new film or not, Oceans makes for engrossing reading. But if you have seen the film, the book opens with an interview with director Perrin, who discusses what it was like to get this film made. It was a huge undertaking, involving camera crews visiting 54 locations around the globe, and on one particular day there were 26 location managers and 19 cameras in the field. A host of new technology was also created for the movie, including specially modified underwater cameras, a remotely controlled helicopter camera, and even a torpedo cam. Fascinating stuff to be sure, and something that will no doubt be on my mind when I get a chance to watch the movie itself.

So, whether you've seen the movie or not, be sure to grab a copy of this book. It is a great compilation of insights and thoughts on our oceans from some of the foremost experts on the topic.

Jon Bowermaster Celebrates 30 Days of OCEANS

It's no secret that Jon Bowermaster loves oceans. He's pretty much explored everyone of them in some fashion, and more often then not, it has been in the seat of a kayak no less. He has also taken ever opportunity possible to spread the word about the importance of the Earth's oceans for our environment, and the effects that global climate change are having on the health of these incredibly important bodies of water.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that he has kicked off a special series entitled 30 Days of OCEANS on his website to create awareness of the threats to our seas and as part of a celebration of Earth Day, which falls on April 22nd, an event that is now in its 40th year, and that Jon admits to lobbying to be renamed Oceans Day for 2010.

The 30 Days of OCEANS event centers around excerpts from a new book that Jon has served as the editor on. The book is entitled OCEANS, Threats to the Sea and What You Can Do To Turn the Tide, and consists of essays from 30 of the top experts on oceans. People who are out in the field studying the changes that are having a profound effect on those waters, and as a result, the rest of our planet as well. Some of the contributors include David de Rothschild, Roz Savage, Carl Safina, and many more.

Over the next few weeks, Jon will be posting excerpts from the book on his website, running up to, and through Earth Day. The first of those excerpts is already online, and is written by ocean exploration legend Sylvia Earle, a woman with more than 70 years of experience studying our oceans. You can read that excerpt by clicking here.

The Life Antarctic: Saying Goodbye For Another Year

Writer, filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Jon Bowermaster has spent the past few weeks exploring the Antarctic, as he is prone to doing this time of year. Jon first visited the continent two decades ago, and he has been back many times since, include each of the past ten years.

Over the course of his most recent journey, we've been able to travel along, thanks to regular updates posted to his blog. In his most recent dispatch, Jon arrives in Dallum Bay, his last stop before turning north across the Drake Passage, towards Cape Horn, which signals an end to his Antarctic exploration for this season. One of the things that Jon loves about traveling that far south this time of year is that it is daylight nearly 24 hours. At midnight, the sky remains lit like dusk, and by 2:20 AM, sunrise is already creeping over the horizon.

In this interesting and informative post, Jon talks about tourism in the Antarctic, which hit an all time high a two years back, but has been stymied a bit the past couple of seasons due to the global economic down turn. Right now, you can get rather inexpensive, at least by Antarctic standards, cruises to the region. While they remain pricey for many, they are a relative bargain for visiting one of the most remote places on the planet.

Soon, he'll be turning for home, and that brings feelings of both joy and regret for Jon. He says he loves the fact that he gets the opportunity to return to Antarctica each year, but always regrets having to leave it behind. From his writing about the place, it's clear that he has a real love affair with the frozen continent.

The Life Antarctic: Crossing the Continent

Jon Bowermaster continues his journey through Antarctica, sending back dispatches to his blog, sharing his thoughts on the place that has become quite important to him on a personal level.

A few days back, Jon posted a story about his first journey to Antarctica, 20 years ago as part of an assignment for National Geographic. Jon joined Polar legend Will Steger and Jean-Louis Etienne, as they completed an epic 3741 mile journey across the frozen continent by dog sled. It would become the first successful journey of its kind and the last by dog sled.

Of great interest are a couple of journal entries from Will from the last week of 1989, exactly 20 years ago, in which he discusses some day-to-day issues with the expedition, including his flagging dog team and thoughts on acclimatizing to the conditions. His December 25th entry marked the team's 152nd day out on the ice, a true testament to the endurance necessary to complete such an amazing journey.

Jon notes that they are preparing a book on the expedition to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the crossing. It sounds like it'll be quite the interesting read, so keep your eyes open for it in the near future.

Also, a big thanks to Jon for reposting one of my Antarctic expedition updates from a few days back. It is much appreciated! :)

The Life Antarctic: Baby Penguins!!

While we're on the subject of Antarctica, Jon Bowermaster is continuing his journey at the bottom of the world as well, and sent back another dispatch via his blog.

Jon has now made his way to Petermann Island, where they have spotted their first penguin chicks of the season. The island is home to a unique place, where Gentoos and Adelies and blue-eyed shags all live together and hatch their young together. But Bowermaster says that the number of Adelies on Petermann is dropping by roughly 10 percent each year. This year, they number around 300 mated pairs, but just a few years ago, that was more than 500. The birds love cold weather, and the island just isn't cold enough for them any more, but where exactly they are going, remains a bit of a mystery, even amongst the scientists that study penguins.

Petermann Island is just another location in the Antarctic that is feeling the direct impact of global climate change. The birds that are a hallmark of the place have begun to abandon it, and in large numbers. There are still plenty of tiny penguin chicks there again this season, but those numbers are dropping quickly, and it won't be long before the Adelies are no longer spotted on the shores of this special and unique place.

This most recent dispatch from Jon came on the 23rd of December. Expect more from the frozen continent soon, with great insights on how climate change is directly effecting the place, from a man who has watched it change every year over the past decade.

The Life Antarctic: Thoughts On Copenhagen

I'm sure many of you followed the events that took place in Copenhagen recently, when the U.N. convened the largest ever conference on global climate change, with some 190 nations attending. The 11-day event met with very mixed results and ended up being about compromise and posturing rather than making any real commitment to improving the environment.

Jon Bowermaster has sent another dispatch from the Antarctic, where he weighs in with his thoughts on the Copenhagen Conference, while sitting aboard a ship passing through the icy waters off the coast of the continent that is probably seeing the most dramatic changes.

Jon was getting updates via the Internet, and like many of us, was dismayed by the end results. But to throw an even darker shadow over the proceedings, he attempted to discover the "carbon footprint" of the conference, and came to this conclusion:

1,200 limousines, 140 private jets, 15,000 delegates, 10,000 environmental activists and lobbyists, over 100 world leaders and 5,000 journalists. According to summit organizers the 11-day conference, including the participants’ travel, created a total of 41,000 tons of “carbon dioxide equivalent,” equal to the amount produced over the same period by a U.S. city, population 225,000.

For a meeting on the environment, it sure seems like they didn't think about their impact on it while organizing the event.

I know that there were a lot of politics involved in what went on in Copenhagen. China and India led a walkout of the developing countries at one point, as those nations feel that remaining environmentally conscious will stunt their economic growth and prevent them from making strides at industrializing their countries. This ended up leading to a series of compromises that took much of the bite out of the final documents.

Meanwhile, Jon reads about the results of the conference and wonders why more couldn't have been accomplished, as he sits in a place that is ruled by a treaty signed by many nations, and is a symbol of how countries can work together.

The Life Antarctic: Into Neko Harbour

Continuing his journey along the Antarctic Peninsula, Jon Bowermaster sent another dispatch yesterday, detailing his arrival at Neko Harbour, a place that he calls "one of the most beautiful along the Peninsula", although he quickly admits that he says that about a lot of places along the peninsula.

This beautifully written blog update gives us an excellent idea of what it is like on the frozen continent. Jon talks about how it is both very quiet and yet filled with ambient noises, such as penguins chattering with their newborn or the sounds of humpback whales just below the surface. For a place that is so remote, it is still filled with a lot of life.

Speaking of remote, Jon also notes that if you hike more than 100 feet from the shore, you're likely to become the first person to ever walk in that area. There are still a relatively small number of visitors to Antarctica each year, and most that do some, seldom venture away from shore at all.

After spending several hours in the area, it was time for the team to move on, but not before witnessing a large chunk of ice breaking free from the 200 foot tall glacier with a resounding crack that would be heard for miles. Just another example of life in the Antarctic.

The Life Antarctic: Jon Bowermaster Continues His Journey

I mentioned last week that Jon Bowermaster had returned to the Antarctic for the tenth straight year, and that he was blogging his journey, which began with his crossing of the Drake Passage. Since then, we've had a couple of more updates, including his arrival on the continent itself.

Unlike most of the visitors to the Antarctic that I write about, Jon makes the journey by ship, and generally explores the coastline, often in a Zodiac or kayak. On Day 2 of his latest journey, he arrived on Barrientos, a tiny island that is part of the South Shetlands, where he was greeted by penguins protecting their nests. Later, on Deception Island, Jon estimates that there were somewhere between 120,00-160,000 of the tuxedoed, flightless birds, who are expecting their chicks to arrive in the next few weeks.

On Day 3, the expedition traveled into the Weddell Sea, where we get some great photos of the giant, tabular icebergs. These huge patches of ice, usually a mile or more in length and 150-200 feet in height, float out into the Southern Sea, and drift ever so slowly into the surrounding waters. Jon says it'll take a "decade or so" for these behemoths to melt, but in the meantime, they make for a stunning display floating just off the Antarctic coast.

Watch for more updates, including great photos, on Jon's blog soon, and swing by Gadling, where he is also posting stories from the Antarctic, like this one that ran yesterday.

Back To Antarctica: Jon Bowmermaster Reports From The Drake Passage!

A quick glance at the calendar tells you that it is December, which means that a number of things happen this time of year. Of course we all worry about holiday shopping, while we dust off or snowboards, and prepare for the start of winter. But for National Geographic Explorer in Residence Jon Bowermaster, it can mean only one thing - it's time to go back to Antarctica!

Over the past two decades, Jon has made this journey a number of times, including every year for the past ten. So it should come as no surprise that his latest dispatch on his blog comes to us from The Drake Passage, a windy, tumultuous stretch of water off of Cape Horn, at the southernmost tip of South America. This is the first day of his 2009 Antarctic adventure, and at least for now, the seas remain calm. If all goes as planned, tomorrow Jon and his crew, will be setting foot on the Antarctic Peninsula for the first time this year.

Over the past few years, Jon has journeyed to the frozen continent to study the effects of climate change on the environment there. He has witnessed some dramatic changes throughout the region, and chronicled them in his film Terra Antarctica. This year, we can once again expect interesting and thought provoking dispatches from the bottom of the world, as Jon gets the opportunity to return to that amazing place. Over the next few weeks, expect frequent updates as he travels throughout the region, sharing his travels through blog posts, photos and video. For us poor, desk-bound souls, it is the closest we'll get to the place, at least for this year.

Trailer For 3-D IMAX Surfing Film

Last week I mentioned that Jon Bowermaster was in Tahiti working on a 3-D IMAX surfing film with Stephen Low and Kelly Slater. Today we get the first look at what they've been working on in the form of a great trailer, and it gives us a taste of what we can expect in February of 2010 when the film is released.

And after you've enjoyed the video, head over to Jon's Blog to read the latest post on "Shark City", in which a local guide takes them out to a spot in the sea where he summons up hundreds of sharks for their viewing pleasure. Good stuff, as always!

Update: I just wanted to make a small correction to this post. Jon is in Tahiti and is writing about this new film but he isn't involved in actually making it. His story will appear in the December issue of National Geographic Adventure and will cover the making of the movie ahead of its release.

Jon Bowermaster on BBC's The World

Our favorite ocean explorer Jon Bowermaster is off once again on another aquatic adventure, this time to French Polynesia, where he is filming a new IMAX film with Stephen Low and Kelly Slater. Jon was interviewed by the BBC on the new film and you can listen to what he's up to by clicking here.

In the interview, Jon reveals that they are in the process of making the biggest surfing film of all time off the coast of Tahiti. The film is not only being made for IMAX, but it is also in 3D as well. The team has mounted cameras on the end of the boards to catch the action up close and personal. The film should be finished up over the next couple of months, and we can look forward to it coming to an IMAX Theater down the line.

And be sure to check out Jon's dispatches from French Polynesia, where he's been posting his thoughts on a variety of topics including the impact of warming oceans on weather patterns and his travels through the Cook Islands.

The blog post that I personally found the most interesting however, was this one on Ocean Warming in which Jon talks about how scary it is to be swimming in the ocean, more than 12,000 feet deep at that point, without fins on. He ponders how long he could last out there under those conditions. Those thought mirrored my own when I dropped into the Pacific off the coast of Australia earlier this year, when I was snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. To protect the Reef you aren't allowed to use fins either, and when I jumped into the water, I was well off shore. There was a certain amount of panic that ran through me as I realized there was nothing below me, for hundreds of meters, and it was hard work to stay afloat without fins on. I eventually adjusted and swam into the Reef, where I proceeded to have a great time watching thousands of colorful fish, but those brief moments of panic certainly stuck with me.

As always, great stuff from Jon with very insightful commentary on the health of the oceans and the cultures that depend on them.