Issue 39 - July 2018

Book Release: The Flagrant Joys of Solo Travel

We are happy to announce the release of “The Flagrant Joys of Solo Travel” by SEVENSEAS Media contributor Laura Marjorie Miller. The book is available online here.

I discovered through my solo journeys on land and in the water, that the keys to healing our relationship with Earth are the same keys to healing ourselves. As I was breaking free of a toxic relationship in which I had entangled myself, I took to travel. The personal relationship with Earth that I re-established through the direct experience of my senses as a solo traveler was crucial to finding my own self value. When I travel by myself, I am able to concentrate without any distractions or the pulls or influences of any other human needs and emotions. I am able to truly know myself and communicate clearly and directly with the glorious environment around me, to perceive Earth, and to experience myself as continuous with it. When we have a personal relationship with Earth, and joined to it through our senses, we are much more effective advocates for it. And, knowing the strength of that powerful relationship is behind us, more effective advocates for ourselves.

Look below for some excerpts from her book.

Photo by Atmo Kubesa in Bimini

***Excerpt from the chapter* “TRANSITION: *Mermaids and Manatees”***

I tend to get frustrated when people tell you a big leap they made but leave out the catalytic moment when it happened. Sometimes there is a quantum leap where things are completely different one moment than they were the moment before, and you can’t really explain it, but I will give you as much information as I can. There were a lot of turning points along the way toward my becoming an expert solo traveler, a gradual evolution, but I will mark one that confirms it, because it was a bit of a breaking point where non-negotiables had built up so much that there was a lot of pressure, and a bit of subterfuge, because I had discovered something that I suddenly realized I wanted to protect. It was as big as the difference between breathing water and breathing air.

Approaching the end of my relationship, I had something I wanted to do. I’d had an offer from one of my ocean advocate friends that he could give me a discount on a manatee eco retreat, to snorkel with manatees in the crystal springs on the Gulf side of Florida, if I could pitch an article to a magazine and write about it. And then I started imagining: Three Sisters Spring, which was where we would be swimming, is close to Weeki Wachee Spring where I had friends among the legendary mermaids who had been my teachers at mermaid camp—I would have a chance to go to the park and see them again, and go visit my old friend BrightFeather who also lived nearby in Homosassa, and go on a manatee boat trip with her…. And I wanted to drive Alligator Alley, I-75 between Naples and Fort Lauderdale through the Everglades—Seminole territory—and once in Fort Lauderdale, to attend the porthole bar mermaid show of Medusirena, yet another mermaid I knew. I had so much coming together in my mind, so much I wanted to do.

It was a perfect trip: manatees and mermaids, sirens and sirenians, full of friendship, beauty, and love. And that was when I knew: I didn’t want Jeff at it. For the first time truly, I knew I didn’t want him to come.

I wanted to be with the manatees, talk about wildlife conservation with people who were serious and committed to it, hang out with my mermaid friends without his slimily going, “Oh hey, Miss Mermaid,” and trying to make me jealous—these were my friends, and this was my domain, I had gotten this offer on my merits as a writer—and that was when I really knew it was over.

I broke up with Jeff, pitched the article to a dive magazine, got the assignment, and went alone.

It was late winter, so the manatees were congregating up at the head of the spring where the warm water flowed out of the earth. Despite their round appearance, manatees don’t have blubber—their barrel shape is a result of their skeletal structure—so they seek out warm vents, even thermal plants (!), when the water gets chilly. We would take our boat in and moor it outside the conservation zone, and snorkel in, coated in our neoprene wetsuits.

Many of the manatees were in calf. Under the water, sometimes you could hear the squeak of a manatee calling to her calf, or a calf calling to their mother. Manatees also move faster than you would ever imagine—they can truly book it with their huge rudder tails! And when they are not cruising or grazing, sometimes they snooze under the water, float up to take a breath while sleeping, then sink back down—which is why you should never swim over a manatee as they might in that moment need to breathe. They have amazing innate inner control over their buoyancy. Under and within this crystal blue water was a whole manatee universe of customs and behaviors and I was rocked with discovery and delight.

I was swimming clear, around the borders of the protected zone where the manatees get to rest, when a video journalist in our group, Stefano, hailed me. “Go under,” he said, “So I can get some footage of you and maybe a manatee passing by.”

There was a baby manatee close by, a purple sweet potato of a being. Breathing through my snorkel, I kept my arms out to my sides like wings, out of respect for him, to not molest him with my monkey hands or an agenda, simply to behold him.

And he swam up to me, right in front of me, looked me in the eye like a little angel, and kissed my mask.

And that was where it changed, and where I was truly, with no backsliding, set free.

From the chapter “INTERLUDE: Man and Dolphin”

The next moment this compromise and attendant loss of what can happen when you travel with somebody else truly hit home for me was when I was in Bimini snorkeling with wild dolphins, doing research for my personal project on communication with nature. I was staying at a retreat center called WildQuest, and over the week and many hours each day on the catamaran scanning the surface for tail smacks, spins, and dorsal fins, I had ample opportunity to talk to my “podmates,” the other members of my retreat group.

In my group, there was a couple from Germany. They had met on a WildQuest retreat after many years of having just missed each other, coming there always on during different weeks and never on the same. Then by a synchronous event of re-scheduling, they ended up on the same retreat, and fell in love. She owns her own mermaid tail and he is a skilled freediver and hydrotherapist. They came together through their love of dolphins and of the ocean. To see them interact with one another under water, swimming around each other in the deep blue, arouses your heart and is everything that you have ever dreamed of in a couplehood.

“You know,” one day Traudel said to me wistfully, as we were heading from a dive back to the marina, “when I first came here, it was all about the dolphins. And now it is more about Markus. We swim together now. Now I enjoy seeing other people have their first experiences. And that is okay because I had all the time with the dolphins before, when that was all it was about.”

Maybe that is the case. My inclination does not make Traudel wrong, but her saying that helped me to clarify my If I was with a waterman who loved dolphins, I would definitely want to experience dolphins with him, to lean forward together into the Universe united in our purpose, passion, happiness and love. But knowing myself: I wouldn’t want to be close to him underwater, when the dolphins came. Not a man, no. I wouldn’t want anything in my awareness to be competing with the dolphins, because nothing can compete with them, their silver, perfect forms in that crystalline sapphire blue. I wonder if I would even want talk about it afterwards, to share what had happened under the water. And then I would want my own week to myself!

We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

The mission of SEVENSEAS Media is to connect individuals and resources inside and outside of the conservation community to further the shared goal of preventing habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Since our creation, we’ve been achieving this mission through:

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future

Find the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here.

Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by Giacomo Abrusci.

Issue 39 - July 2018

Mote Science Education Aquarium

aquarium rendering

Mote Marine Laboratory leadership is pleased to announce the selection of a partnership between a local construction management company and an international firm for the construction of Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA): Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc., and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.

Mote’s President & CEO announced the selection Thursday, May 16, surrounded by Trustees, major donors, supporters and community leaders at the Finish Tower at Nathan Benderson Park, overlooking the future home of Mote SEA. This major milestone results from many months of careful assessment by a committee of Mote Trustees and senior staff. The committee scored three incredibly competitive candidate finalists on numerous criteria, including the qualifications and experience of their respective staff members assigned to the project, the companies’ success with similar projects, detailed proposals and projected costs, metrics related to safety, insurance applicability and financial health, and more.

The decision was extremely challenging to make. Ultimately, Mote’s committee recognized the immense value of Whiting-Turner’s significant experience constructing large, scientific and public-aquarium facilities nationwide, paired with Willis Smith’s demonstrated proficiency with major projects in southwest Florida, including eco-friendly construction.

“This is a significant step in our journey to create Mote SEA and realize its economic and societal benefits for the southwest Florida region and the State of Florida,” said Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby. “Our Trustees, staff, supporters, and communities should be proud of all they’ve done to help us reach this point and excited that we will now be able to focus increasingly on the concrete details of creating this important and lasting cultural asset.”

“Willis Smith Construction is a 47-year, local, construction management firm specifically known for building Sarasota and Manatee landmarks,” said John LaCivita, Executive Vice President of Willis Smith. The new Mote Science Education Aquarium will become a landmark destination, not only for our local region, but also for the State of Florida, and it will be recognized worldwide once completed. We have teamed with the prestigious firm of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., an industry leader in specialty entertainment construction and aquariums. During the construction phase, this project will be an economic driver to all of Southwest Florida, and it will have tremendous, annual economic impact to both counties, once open. Our team is ready to get started!”

Now, Mote leaders are working with Willis Smith and Whiting-Turner to move forward during the preconstruction phase in close collaboration with project architect CambridgeSeven and Mote staff.

Fundraising for the project shows similar momentum. The $130-million campaign to create Mote SEA, Oceans for All: Improving Access to Marine Science & Technology, has already attained $34 million in commitments from philanthropic donors, including $2 million in just the past 31 days. The campaign focuses on a resilient combination of public, philanthropic and corporate giving. Learn more and check for future Mote SEA milestones at: moteoceansforall.org

Background on Mote Science Education Aquarium:

Mote SEA will be an iconic, 110,000-square-foot hub of marine science education and outreach located in Nathan Benderson Park, a nexus site for Sarasota and Manatee counties and the southwest Florida region. It will feature more than 1 million gallons of exhibits with marine life and scientific displays from around the world and is projected to double the attendance of the current Mote Aquarium, with 700,000 visitors in opening year. Its projected economic impacts include $280 million from construction alone and $28 million per year from operations. Mote SEA will have three state-of-the-art STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teaching labs and will offer educational programming to some 68,000 students from Sarasota, Manatee and surrounding counties free of charge. This education component represents an annual STEM-education-service value of more than $3 million to all schools in the region, and will add priceless value to the region’s quality of life. With the nearly 40-year-old, existing Mote Aquarium reborn as the Mote SEA at Nathan Benderson Park, Mote Marine Laboratory will be poised to launch the distinct transformation of its City Island campus into an International Marine Science, Technology & Innovation Park that will ultimately catalyze the development of a “Silicon Valley” for marine science and technology in Southwest Florida that will fuel the growth of a diverse “blue economy.”

—

Mote Marine Lab logo

About Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is an independent, nonprofit, 501(c)3 research institution founded in 1955. Mote began and flourished through the passion of a single researcher, Dr. Eugenie Clark, her partnership with the community and philanthropic support, first of the Vanderbilt family and later of the William R. Mote family. Today, Mote is based in Sarasota, Florida, with five campuses stretching from Sarasota to the Florida Keys. Mote has more than 20 world-class research programs studying oceans locally to internationally, with an emphasis on conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. Mote’s vision includes positively impacting public policy through science-based outreach and education. Showcasing the Lab’s research is Mote Aquarium, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 365 days a year. mote.org

About Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc.
Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. is a privately held construction management firm based in Sarasota, Florida, providing expert commercial builder services. The company has provided quality construction services in Southwest Florida since 1972, and its full-service capabilities are customized to meet each owner’s specific project needs at all phases of the assignment. Willis Smith’s mission is to promote excellence and integrity in the construction industry while contributing to the betterment of their clients and the communities they serve.willissmith.construction

About The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Whiting-Turner provides construction management, general contracting, design-build and integrated project delivery services on projects small and large for a diverse group of customers. They constantly strive to exceed each client’s expectations through innovation, collaboration and best practices. With more than 30 offices nationwide, Whiting-Turner has a strong presence throughout the country while recognizing the value in community involvement and the benefits of strong local subcontractor relationships. Whiting-Turner’s core values of integrity, excellence, experience and leadership were established more than a century ago and continue to drive the company’s success today. whiting-turner.com

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Issue 39 - July 2018

Marine Conservation Society’s Sea Kayak Challenge with Nick and Phillipa Arding

The grass roots efforts of people who advocate for marine conservation through adventuring are helping to raise awareness to create change all over the world.

By Kevin Majoros

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) will kick off the first of two Sea Kayak Challenges this month in Salcombe, Devon in south west England.

MCS drives political, cultural and social change for healthy seas and coasts that support abundant marine wildlife and sustainable livelihoods.

The Sea Kayak Challenge is in its fifth year and the kayakers are usually beginners. They are treated to five days of sea kayaking along the coast with nightly camping.

The challenge is a fundraiser for MCS and each night the kayakers participate in a beach cleanup. It will overlap another MCS campaign, the Great British Beach Clean 2018.

Leading the Sea Kayak Challenge since its inception are Nick and Phillipa Arding.

A Life of Adventuring

Phillipa Arding had a long career as a point-to-point steeplechase jockey. In 1988, she cycled from Alaska to Rio de Janeiro for 11 months, working on World Wildlife Fund projects along the way. After meeting and marrying Nick, she took up climbing and became an International Mountain Leader.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Arding served with the Royal Marines for over 20 years which included a stint instructing skiing and mountaineering in the Army Mountain Training Centre in Germany. He has summited both Mount Everest and Denali.

After his service with the Royal Marines he has worked as a mountain instructor, sea kayaking instructor and motivational speaker specializing in helping teams and team leaders realize and achieve their maximum potential.

An Accident Creates a New Path

In 2007, Phillipa was involved in an accident at her deer farm in Dartmoor. She was trapped under a silage bale for five hours and spent six weeks in the hospital. With no climbing in the near future, Nick and Phillipa purchased two sea kayaks.

Nick became obsessed with sea kayaking and even though Phillipa was climbing again within a year, he continued his kayaking journey.

In 2013, Nick and his colleague Lee Pooley decided to paddle around the United Kingdom. Phillipa contacted MCS and arranged a two pronged challenge. In conjunction with Nick and Lee’s paddling there would be organized cleanups on 16 beaches that hadn’t been cleaned by MCS before. The campaign was called Around Britain 4 Britain.

Nick’s partner Lee dropped out after four weeks and Phillipa joined him to paddle for the remaining 800 miles.

“It was the best six weeks of my life – filled with kayaking, camping and nature,” says Phillipa. “The lasting impression was the rubbish everywhere ranging from microplastics to polystyrene to fishing floats to plastic bottles.”

Another Accident Changes the Course of the Journey

In 2015, Phillipa suffered a serious brain injury when another skier hit her on the slopes in Norway. She was in an induced coma for four weeks in Oslo followed by five weeks in the hospital and four weeks in rehab.

She discharged herself to take on the 2015 Sea Kayak Challenge and wore a pink helmet to raise awareness for people with brain injuries.

Her work as a life coach, leadership coach and climbing instructor has been put on hold as Phillipa continues her recovery.

“I know what I want to say but speech and words can be elusive,” Phillipa says. “I am happily still paddling and biking, and it’s brilliant.”

Before her brain injury, Phillipa was a coach with the Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Centre. They help in the recovery of wounded and injured service men and women.

“We are working together on the project now which is helping Phillipa with her recovery,” says Nick. “It was sea kayaking though that gave Phillipa back her independence and sense of competence.”

The Adventures Continue for the Ardings

As Phillipa eases her way back into climbing, the Ardings are still sharing adventures in sea kayaking and biking. Coming up is a documentary on Phillipa’s journey filmed by Greg Dennis.

Also, with her speech limited, Phillipa has put together a Facebook page to promote people’s awareness for the environment and people’s wellbeing.

The Sea Kayak Challenge this month will put both Nick and Phillipa back in the sea where Nick says he likes the challenge of an open crossing in the water. Phillipa is more interested in paddling and thinking.

“It is amazing to be on the sea. I love the views, birds and marine wildlife,” says Phillipa. “This is a wonderful environment to be involved in marine conservation.”

Visit Phillipa at Pa’s Inspiration: Wellbeing and the Environment

Marine Conservation Society

Check out some more photos here:

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We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future

Find the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here.

Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by Giacomo Abrusci.

Feature Destination

Vang Vieng Adventure Vacation is Waiting

Ask anyone who has explored Southeast Asia and they will tell you Laos is chill, laid back, and full of love. It is also delicious, packed with natural wonders and adventures, and maintains a still spirituality most of the world has forgotten. Vang Vieng is a magnificently stunning destination that most will overlook but the perfect place to relax and explore.

For most people Laos is not on the radar as a go-to dream destination. In large part because 1. It is land-locked so lacks the pristine beaches everyone is searching for. 2. Historically it was poorer than other countries in the region 3. The nation has become overshadowed by the generations of tourism in Thailand and emerging markets in Vietnam. 4. Much of it was physically unsafe for many years dealing with mitigation from the aftermath of America’s secret war. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you should stop everything and watch this five minute video from COPE Laos.

Chances are a Laos vacation is an add-on to a trip to Thailand and the two big hits will be Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Do not let it end there. Both cities are absolute dreams but there is so much more to see. Vang Vieng offers the mountains, rivers, hiking, biking, biking, and zen getaways that everyone always wanted.

You can book a luxury spa resort and get a massage while looking at the backdrop of mountains over rice paddies. You can pile into the river with tubes, friends, and Beer Lao. You can hike the limestone cliffs for mesmerizing sights. And you can hang out in a dozen different natural spring lagoons that dot the countryside.

Because of the adventure sports and carefree mentality, the region can attract a younger party crowd. Everyone does tend to stay wherever bars are serving liquor so if that is not your thing keep on walking. If it is or if it used to be, follow the music and let your hair down for a night.

Go to Laos and plan your trip well. You will not be disappointed. Three full days are ideal in Vang Vieng. One day on the river, one hiking in the mountains, and another lagoon hopping. You can stretch that out to a welcomed week with some day trips and off-roading but any less is rushing it. There is so much to explore, so much untouched wilderness, so many people to meet and friends to make. Above all it is open and free and caring, and when you go back home you’ll realize you left a small part of your heart behind.

This is a great opportunity to be the first of your flock to discover a corner of paradise. Plan sustainably and act responsibly.

We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future