Disc World or Planet Ocean?
www.Lets-go-Sailing.co.uk
When you are at sea, and standing in the cockpit of, say, a 36' yacht, you can see an area which is about 20 square miles of the earth's surface. You are NOTHING in the middle of NOWHERE! But let's put that into context. The surface area of the planet is some 197 000 000 square miles so that means you are NOTHING in the middle of just about 1% of the earth's surface. Does that make you sound insignificant?
Yes? So how come that WE and OUR kind are responsible for the extinction of so many water-bound species, and, ultimately,
the balance of OUR worlds ecological system?
The 'Gaelle Bo Page' for ALL who sail the seas
Sometime in 2011 I sailed with Gaelle Bo, a French 'child' who, at the age of 21, had done more to save the planet than I had in countless decades. She humbled me. She taught me. She influenced me. I was going to call this page 'Planet Ocean', for we live on a planet which is two thirds water. Then, a chance remark whilst recently sailing from Sicily to Sardinia made me think of 'Disc World' as a suitable title. Disc World is a Sir Terry Pratchett creation where we live on a disc shaped world which consists consists of a large disc resting on the backs of four huge elephants which are in turn standing on the back of an enormous turtle, named Great A'Tuin. The Disc World idea title came after spending forty-five hours out of sight of land and out of sight of all other humans on a sea which was like a millpond. We, (my crew and I) were at peace with our world, yet the species we saw, dolphins, flying fish and turtles were not at peace with their share of our world. They were fighting for survival! Welcome to the 'Gaelle Bo' page. Read it and be prepared to shed tears for our planet, or simply click 'BACK' now if you couldn't give two hoots about what our children or grandchildren will inherit. The choice is yours!
FACT! There are many groups concerned about the oceans and seas we take for granted. Here are a few links to people who are ACTIVELY prepared to do something to save OUR planet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRMvmStq1Rk&feature=share
But you will also find anti-Sea Shepherd links to confuse you. What YOU decide is up to YOU!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klSkgfXqIqA&NR=1
An email from Gaille which said 'A whale caught in a net. Nets are just so dangerous for every creatures. I saw a cormoran the other day in Cornwall caught in a net, trying to fly away, desperate for his life, it was sad. In the end he made it!'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVsCmNDjDVs&feature=share
Or check out
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/humpback-whale-video_n_898859.html
Gaelle, after doing a seasn with SeaShepherd.org is now working for Black Fish.
http://www.theblackfish.org/campaigns.html
Yet her links continue to arrive,
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/cove/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/sharkwater/
You know me, and Jack. We sail the 'surface' of the Mediterranean in a modest yacht. The Mediterranean is that same sea where the Romans complained 2,000 years ago that it was fished out. The Mediterranean is that same sea that only winds and currents are the concern of sailors. The Mediterranean is that same sea where the Monk Seal is is virtually extinct. The Mediterranean is that same sea where Tuna will become extinct in the next decade if 'laws' passed by EU countries are not enforced!
In the past 5 years I have seen dolphine (but not as many as I used to see back in the 80's) I have see whales, yet only three times in almost 30,000 miles. I have seen turtles, but only once in those same 30,000 miles.
So what can we do?
Perhaps you should check back to this page in the future to find out. But, let me tell you this, if you are not moved by the videos from the links above, then you do not deserve the right (in my humble opinion) to sail these seas, and you are no friend of mine!
Tim Carrington