Cape Farewell Youth Expedition 2007

Hey everyone,
we have been aloud in the local school to chill until our bus comes at 12.30, i found out that we have the internet here and thought i’d blog you guys! Mum/s, Dad/s and boys I’m great, don’t worry about me, all i have to do i fly home, i’ll be fine! Jess & the team have been fab! They’ve looked after me well!  Tell everyone i said hello and tell them i’ve got access to loads of pictures if they want them. It’s been fantastic here i love it! It’s been such an awesome experience and i don’t want it to end. I’ve been inspired by so many people to do so much and that I really want to make that difference to our planet!
Okay guys well hopefully see most of you tomorrow!
Lots of love BIG hugs and kisses!
(Grandad everyone is saying “eyy i could crush a grape” &  “eh by gum!”)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

        After everything that has happened it is finally comming to an end. We are all tearful and sad even at the thought of saying gooodbye. The thank yous were said and the tears shed but it still doesnt feel like its the end. This whole experience has been beyond what I had ever expected. It has changed me emotionally, mentally and even physically. No words can describe how this place and these people have made me feel. Life back home seems so distant and disconnected to what I have just experienced and the thought of returning to it seems impossible. This land is so magnificant and beautiful it will be difficult to separate myself from it. I have lived, breathed and thought only of it for the last week, it has become part of me. A part that wil be difficult to leave but will stay with me forever. I am fighting back the tears and the thought of leaving, but as we say all good things must come to an end. But in reality this is only the beginning of this whole experience and its a snap shot at what life has to offer. And if its only a snap shot I cant wait to see the whole picture.

Lots of Love and Miss you all,

 Shona x (a very teary, emotional Shona)

Today is going to be our last day here in Svalbard and we are all going to miss one another as we have got to know each other so much in the last few weeks and have had so much fun since we have been here.

During the whole expedition we have had alot to do from working on our art and science projects to writing blogs.

 We have also seen many Arctic animals since we have been here from polar bears to beared seals and even a reindeer which was dead.

This whole expedition has just be great and it will be an experince that will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.

Love   Peace   Happiness

 Akash

It’s been a fantastic trip with all the students, the way they have worked together as a team and individually! Not easy saying goodbye, lots of tears from all. It’s a pity that there is not more time for them to meet and talk through their experiences with the next crew who fly in this afternoon.  They’ll meet briefly at the airport as they fly out on the plain the others fly in on. Think that we will stop one night across the bay from Longyearbyen then leave tomorrow for Greenland, it’s going to be some crossing, hope that the technology works and that we can keep updating this site.

Hey ppl,
The adventure is coming to an end but the story will go on. The memories I’m bringing back will inspire many to the reality we are living in. Through this expedition I’ve experienced so much. My plankton research was really interesting, and I will continue to analyze my data once I get home, so that I can complete my conclusions. Planktons are fascinating creatures and like I mentioned before, I will be using their shapes and colors to create my mural.

I managed to get some really beautiful pics of planktons that are really bright, colorful, and vibrant. These photos were taken by a scientist that worked in The Kings Bay MarineBiology Lab in Ny Elesund. Dan the scientist who was aboard with us taught us so much about all aspects of features that the team and I have a more open minds about our surroundings.

I will forever remember.

We were there to learn, we were there to research, we were there to experiment and in the end we did conquer!

I will keep blogging to resume the whole expedition.

Keep blogging.
Peace, ¤Amelie¤ TTYL (talk to you later)

Tears on the ice!!

It’s our last day and we are currently in Longyearbyen Skole, one of the teachers -Hilde- has kindly let us in!! We are waiting to be picked up and taken to the airport and our flight leaves at 2 ish. I have had the best time ever!!! I have learned so much and had so many amazing experiences that it’s going to take months to write it all down and create all the art that I have been inspired to make! The students have been totally awesome, from getting great Amy love to learning about Canada from Shona, Amelie and B. They worked so hard on all their projects, group and individual, science and art, they were fantastic!!!!!!! As were the crew and the education team, I feel priviliged to have worked with all these fantastic people!! Yesterday T4 filmed us coming into port at Longyearbyen after a long night sailing down here from Ny Alesund it was a very rocky sail and no-one got much sleep!!! My watch (team 3 superstars Shona, Jethro and Franzi) contemplated mutiny and sailing off into the sunset so we never had to come home, our plans included cabin boys and sirens on deck and night raids on Longyearbyen for food and supplies!!!

We have left the ship and said our goodbyes but are currently all still together, I know there are going to be lots of tears when we all split up at Heathrow! I am REALLY going to miss all these wonderful people and this wonderful land, Svalbard is a fantastic place, really beautiful – the reality of what we are doing to the planet and how fragile it really is, we are damaging it so badly and have lost our respect for the balance of nature, we all need a wake up call before its too late!!!

Will post lots of photos on my return, have loads  and loads!!!!

See ya, Jess xxxxx

This is goodbye to Svalbard.

Speeding up and down the River Thames seems like years ago, I remember meeting everyone for the first time in London and nobody knew anything about anyone else on the trip. Now it’s completely different, it seems like everyone has known everyone for ages, it’s so relaxed. All of the wildlfe here has been amazing, we’ve been lucky to see a polar bear and we’ve seen seals, a puffin some walrus’ and reindeer.

It’s going to be strange going back to Frome, life is so different, I want to stay here for a little longer so I can try to see everything but unfortunately I can’t so goodbe to Svalbard, I’ll see everyone soon.

Jethro

This will be my final post since we are leaving today for London. It has been an incredible adventure so far. We have learnt so much…and I have enjoyed every minute of this amazing journey (even the cold nights). Our trip from Ny Alesund was quite rocky….someone left the bar fridge open and all of the pop cans rolled around the ship for hours on end….i thought the entire kitchen fell apart.

After hours of rocking back and forth….the ship settled and we rolled into Longyearbyen just after breakfast. We had one last night in Longyearbyen with the school kids…we played football for a few hours and had a blast.

The crew of the Noorderlicht arranged a really nice dinner for us…and we danced until the wee hours of the night.

We will shortly head for the airport and then we are off to London…this is the end of our climate change adventure….until next year.

Big thanks to everyone who followed the Youth Expedition and sent messages of support. The expedition may be back from the Arctic, but it doesn’t stop there… Use the menu alongside or calendar below to read the latest posts added since the expedition returned. 
Read all the latest posts > 

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Sunset in Ny-Alesund as the Youth Crew head back to Longyearbyen.