Cape Farewell Northern Islands Expedition 2013

Text-ure

St Magnus, the forgotten cathedral, the cathedral built by public subscription – is lined with text. The precise economy of words that sums up life -a blessed resurrection, mother, sister, child. Here death is woven in context. The letters are not inscribed, the method of cutting letters out of the stone leaving a shadow, a... Read more ›

By Teresa Elwes
2 September 2013, 12:14pm

Fifteen folk on a wooden boat from a century ago

Fifteen folk on a wooden boat from a century ago. We share stories and experiences, speak our minds, and listen. At the end of long days we sleep like corpses in coffin-sized bunks. Cabin space is in short supply so we must share it and look out for each other. Orkney is a small group... Read more ›

By Charlotte Main
2 September 2013, 6:04am
Tags: Fair Isle, ocean, Orkney

Day 3, Blog 2: Weather and Climate, Cities and Seas

Our ship The Swan is stuck in harbour, victim of passing gale-force winds. Winds that are a regular ol’ weather event, not a mind-bending indicator of climactic events to come. But enough to change course. Weather has always been more important outside cities, than in. Camping, canoeing, sailing or even putting up your laundry; everyday... Read more ›

By Tom Rand
1 September 2013, 5:41pm

A leave before

“Gorm you should come on the Expedition!” Those were Cape Farewell Director, David Buckland’s words to me as I shot photographs of Michèle Noach’s The Flower At The Top Of The World event at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre. That was back in mid May.This was a once in a life time opportunity to go... Read more ›

By Gorm Ashurst
31 August 2013, 9:13am

Changing Crews

As the first crew leaves, the new crew arrives and waits. They pass over with some music, wine and food.

By Gorm Ashurst
29 August 2013, 11:04pm

Day 1: Sea change forthcoming?

In Scalloway, on the Shetland Islands. The boat upon which I am to be embedded with a crew of artists, sailors, scientists – The Swan – arrives as I type. Why am I here – a venture capitalist obsessed by carbon? My last night in Aberdeen was a night spent out with oil workers, engineers... Read more ›

By Tom Rand
29 August 2013, 4:07pm

Last day on land

I’m in Scalloway, on the west side of the island of Shetland. I’ve never been to Shetland before, and what I hoped for is true. The landscape is mystical and there are Shetland pony’s. The last one I was REALLY looking forward to. Horses with small legs, few things in life are cuter than that.... Read more ›

By Yasmine Ostendorf
29 August 2013, 11:28am
Tags: fitzcarraldo, land, Scalloway, Seasickness

Exhaust

To get to the beginning of my trip upon The Swan, I feel acutely aware of my energy footprints. No more so than upon the Aberdeen – Lerwick ferry.

By Gorm Ashurst
29 August 2013, 9:25am
Tags: energy, fuel

Farewell to the Swan as she sails past my window

Farewell to the Swan as she sails past my window Well, I am all unpacked and the washing machine is on… I’ve looked at my photos on the computer. But inside my head I still have plenty of thoughts, ideas and images to process. Who would have thought that four days in the company... Read more ›

By Caroline Wickham-Jones
28 August 2013, 10:51am
Tags: ancestors, archaeology, lifeways, resources

Bonxie and I (an encounter with Stercorarius Skua)

Unedited field recording. Equipment: Tascam DR-07, Sennheiser K6/ME66, Røde WS6 On this misty, late morning the cloud was low, the atmosphere thick, drizzly and heavy with moisture. Alone, I took a walk from the pier at North Haven (East side of the island), past the Bird Observatory, and up across to the boggy, windswept... Read more ›

By James Brady
27 August 2013, 5:12pm
Tags: Anthropocene, Audio, Bonxie, Fair Isle, field recording, food chain, Great Skua, habitat, moorland, Natural Selection, pirate, predator, sea bird, seasons, sound, territory

enclosure:http://www.capefarewell.com/2013expedition/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Bonxie-and-I.mp3 5334330 audio/mpeg

Stone Cut Runes…

Thurso about 4pm Monday 19 August – a retrospective diary entry I found the museum. I found two standing stones. Stone cut runes. And I found this… to watch the dawn sweep over a flat grey horizon that is a stone cut rune to put your mark on the morning’s silence that is a stone cut... Read more ›

By James Brady
27 August 2013, 10:26am
Tags: Celt, journey, pilgrim, poetry, Runes, Viking

By Ruth Little
26 August 2013, 10:33am

About

The Crew

Read posts by

Exploring

Video