Plastic Paradise: A Call for Change

I think it goes without saying that those of us who live on boats, or spend any significant time on the water, are involved in a unique relationship with the ocean.  She inspires us, enlightens us, refreshes us, bathes us, terrifies us, buoys us and (for those who are better fisher-folk than Scott and I) sustains us.  In addition to these things, she also reminds us, unfortunately, of the ever-growing impact we have on her.  A simple walk to the windward side of any island will show a glimpse of the mark we have made, and continue to make.  Scott and I have seen everything from giant spare tires to full-sized refrigerators washed up ashore, not to mention all the old standbys: flip flops, shoe soles, lighters, plastic bottles and bags, fishing nets, and nylon line to name a few.  Though the size, shape and former use of all this junk is different; there is one thing that it has in common:  it is made out of plastic.

Did you know that:

EVERY single piece of plastic that has ever been created since the 19th century is still SOMEWHERE on our planet. 

So if it never goes away, where does it go? - Plastic Paradise

How's that for a sobering thought?

Scott and I were invited to a special screening of "Plastic Paradise", a documentary that sheds light on our overuse and irresponsible disposal of plastic and the effects of this on our oceans.   SPOILER ALERT:  It is not insignificant.

I knew the film's focus was on the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" but upon researching the documentary before viewing it I embarrassingly realized I had no idea exactly what that was.  I'd heard the "patch" was actually a giant island of trash that collected in the middle of the ocean due to currents and wind patterns.  I'd also heard it was a conglomeration of microscopic plastic molecules broken down by the sun's rays that was floating around like a giant blob.  It was the size of Texas.  Or maybe the size of Europe?  The rumors of what, exactly, it was ran the gamut.

The Great Pacific Garbage patch is not actually a blob of broken down plastic molecules and it is much more complicated than an "island of garbage".   The exact size, unfortunately, is unknown, though experts agree that it is massive.  According to this great article, "it's like a galaxy of garbage, populated by billions of smaller trash islands that may be hidden underwater or spread out over many miles...there's not consistency in our idea of its size.  It's these 'hot spots', not one big mass. Maybe if you added them all up it's the size of Texas, but we still don't know. It could be bigger than Texas."  One thing that is certain?  Just about all of the "garbage" that populates this illusive patch is made from plastic.

But wait, there's more.  The film's synopsis says this:

"Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. And yet its become ground zero for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, syphoning plastics from three distant continents. In this independent documentary film, journalist/filmmaker Angela Sun travels on a personal journey of discovery to uncover this mysterious phenomenon. Along the way she meets scientists, researchers, influencers, and volunteers who shed light on the effects of our rabid plastic consumption and learns the problem is more insidious than we could have ever imagined" - Plastic Paradise.

While investigating the Garbage Patch, Angela learns that plastic and associated chemicals are not only leeching into our environment, but our bodies as well.  Through water bottles, food containers, thermal receipt paper and even in fish we consume, chemicals from plastic (Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, is the big one) are finding their way into our systems.  No matter how healthy we "think" we are; harmful, toxic chemicals are in our bodies and having unknown effects on our health. As one researcher so eloquently points out, "It's like we're all in the midst of a giant, uncontrolled experiment" which begs the question: "Without your permission, you are being polluted.  Is that okay with you?"

Don't get me wrong, I love plastic. I use it all the time. Hundreds of times a day even.  Plastic, itself, is not the enemy - and the film says as much. It's the amount we use and how we dispose of it that is real the crux of this problem.  Our lives are so inundated by plastic that to tell people to stop using it would be impossible for most. But there are little things that, when done en masse, can help. We have the choice and (more importantly) the power to become conscious consumers.  I have a long way to go myself, but I've made a commitment to improve.

So what can we do?  Here are some very simple tips that can have an impact:

• LIMIT YOUR USE OF SINGLE USE PLASTIC ITEMS.  Stop using things like plastic cups, plastic silverware, and plastic water bottles.  Bring your own bottle to refill and skip the take-out silverware.
• STOP USING PLASTIC BAGS.  BYOB: Bring your own bag.  It's simple and can make a big difference.  If you go to the convenient store and buy a soda and a granola bar, think twice about that bag - do you really need it?  
• BUY IN BULK.  This will reduce unnecessary packaging from buying things multiple times.  Also focus on products that are re-usable and offer "refill" pouches.
• CHOSE WISELY.  If you can, select products that are packaged in recycled materials.
• USE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS.  I know this is easier said than done, as often the "green" cleaner is more expensive - but go green when you can.  And don't be afraid to make your own cleaners, I started using essential oils for cleaning a while back and while I've been slacking on them recently, they were great.
• REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE.  For real.  An oldie, but goodie.
• STAY INFORMED.  Knowledge is power, and if are aware of the negative impact our choices have, we might think twice before we make them.  A few Facebook Groups that will keep your consumer conscience in check:  The Algalita Marine Research Institute, Clean Our Oceans Rescue Coalition (COORC), and of course, Plastic Paradise.

In July, under the leadership of Captain Charles Moore, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation will be sending a research vessel to the largest and most polluted of the five gyres for a month long study beginning this July.  If you are interested in supporting this effort, please do.  I did:

Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Trailer from Angela Sun on Vimeo.

What steps have you taken to help our environment?  What other tips can you share that will have positive effects on our oceans? Share in the comments so we all can benefit!

Essential Oils for the Cruiser

Being "greener" is something I am constantly working on.  While I strive to be eco-conscious and environmentally friendly, I have a long way to go before I can say my ecological footprint is as small as it could or should be.  Like many folks, I am "green" where it's easy and convenient:  I recycle glass, cans and plastic where there are facilities, but sometimes recyclables end up in the trash.  I strive to consume and waste less, but still end up throwing out food and have been known to make unnecessary purchases.  I try to buy "local" and "green", but regularly purchase blueberries from Chile and have a cupboard full of toxic cleaning agents...I might be a nice shade of teal, but I am certainly not green.

When we were on our first boat, my inner hippy got happy and I placed an order for a small kit of essential oils.  I had big plans to use them during pregnancy to create an aromatic and healthy environment for me and baby and start my path toward being a "green" mama.  Alas, they collected dust in the back of a locker for six months.  When I discovered them again, I vowed not to let them go to waste.  Now, I use these oils daily for cleaning, deodorizing, moisturizing and fragrance.  Turns out, they are pefect for a boat and have an endless number of uses.  They pack small,  a little goes a long way and - the best part - they are totally "green".  I bought a few aluminum spray bottles and started mixing.  Now, our boat smells naturally fresh and clean, and being someone who is very scent-oriented, I think they help create a nice aromatic environment.

Here are some ways I use my oils, and some recipes from friends, that I think make a lot of sense aboard:

• For a natural bug repellant:  Mix 1 ounce of water with 1 ounce of witch hazel and add 1 teaspoon of citronella oil and 1/2 teaspoon of lavender oil, mix in a 4 oz spray bottle. Spray on skin as necessary.
• To eliminate odors:  A few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton ball placed in garbage bins really eliminates the odor (especially for boaters who do not flush toilet paper).  Similarly, Peppermint oil mixed in a spray bottle with water eliminates bathroom odor (from my friend  Cindy).
• To prevent and remove mildew:  20 drops of tea tree oil mixed with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, spray liberally and wipe down.
• For cleaning and disinfecting:  Equal parts water and vinegar mixed with a few drops of essential oil (lemon, orange, tea tree).
• To remove sticker residue:  A few drops of lemon oil (or other citrus based essential oil; lime or orange) will act as a natural "goo gone".
• For a natural relief of sunburn:  Fill a 4 oz spray bottle with distilled water and add 10 drops of lavender essential oil.
• For insect bites:  Mix 2-3 drops of lavender oil with 1 tablespoon of carrier oil and apply to surface.
• For cuts and scrapes:  Mix 2-3 drops of tea tree oil with 1 tablespoon of carrier oil and apply.
• For a cooling body spray:  Mix 6-8 drops of eucalyptus oil with 4 ounces of water and spray liberally.
• To de-stink a nasty dishcloth:  Soak it overnight in a bowl of water mixed with 4-6 drops of lemon oil to disinfect and remove the odor.
• To dispel boat odors (from cooking fish or varnish):  Add a 4-6 drops of cinnamon oil or any citrus-based essential oil to 1 cup of water, simmer over stove.
• Cinnamon is a natural ant repellant:  6-8 drops of cinnamon essential oil mixed with equal parts water and vinegar will help keep your boat ant-free.  Or, even simpler, a few drops of cinnamon oil where you have a problem can keep them at bay (from my friend Behan).
• To clean and increase the shelf life of fruit:  Fill a bowl with water and add 2-3 drops of lemon oil.  Dip fruit into water and make sure every surface makes contact with lemon oil.
• For kitchen sink scrub:  Mix 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/8 cup vinegar, 5 drops bergamot oil, 5 drops of lemon oil and scrub.  Rinse.
• To keep flies away:  Mix 10 drops of peppermint essential oil to a 4 ounce spray bottle.  Shake well before each use and spray liberally to windows and counters.

I could go on and on...There are endless ways to use essential oils for home, health and body, but these are simple enough to give you a healthy (and green!) start.  While essential oils are GREAT on a boat, they work just as well for the home too...so sailors and landlubbers alike can reap the benefits.

Do you use essential oils?  Please share your favorite recipes in the comments so we can all learn.

Many of my recipes came directly from Eden's Garden, there are a ton of great resources here if you are interested.

Shark Sighting

Seeing a shark in the water really gets your blood pumping.  We've seen plenty of nurse sharks and a couple of lemon sharks before but those aren't the kind of sharks I'm talking about.  I'm talking about scary sharks.  The kind that can take a nice sized bite out of a limb.

We were in the stunningly beautiful Rudder Cay, the neighboring island to David Copperfield's Musha Cay, when a fellow cruiser dinghied over to say hello and tell us about a piano that the king of illusions himself had allegedly sunk not to far from where we were.  It made for a pretty neat snorkel excursion he told us, because not only was there a piano down there - but a mermaid as well.  So off we went to see for ourselves.

Because we have a baby, snorkeling looks a little different for us.  The three of us pile into the dinghy and head to our destination where Scott and I snorkel one at a time while the other stays back with Isla.  It's worked well thus far.  Snorkeling alone is better than not snorkeling at all.

Scott went first, and I followed about ten minutes later with our awesome Olympus underwater digital camera in tow.  The piano and musical mermaid were in about fifteen feet of water, with nothing around them but soft white sand.  It made a beautiful contrast in what would have otherwise been a very boring snorkel spot.  As I was free diving to get pics, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was watching me.  I kept looking back into the dusky blue water at my back, but saw nothing.  I shook it off and attributed the feeling to a bonafide shark paranoia brought on by a childhood of watching JAWS I, II and III on repeat.  I swam back to the boat and no sooner had I hopped in the dink and removed my fins and snorkel when Scott's eyes went wide.  He looked at the water behind me and said very calmly, "Shark".

"No way.  No way.  No way" I kept repeating as it's black silhouette slipped directly under our dinghy with a slow and meandering side to side swagger.  This was no nurse shark.  "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." I said over and over as we watched it swim toward the rocky shore.  This thing had definitely been watching me.  Not only that, but it had followed me back to the dinghy.  I know they are a curious species and I'm sure I was in no real danger, but still - putting two and two together was unnerving to say the least.  Scott grabbed the camera, put his hand underwater and started snapping pics.

We're not sure what type of shark this is, but he was at least five feet long.  The photos we were able to get were when we followed him into the shallows where he leisurely swam before heading back out to wherever it was he came from.  Suffice it to say, we didn't go swimming the rest of the day.  While I know it's more likely to get struck by lightening than attacked by a shark, I have zero interest in playing those odds while swimming with one.

From now on, I think I'll stick to snorkeling the coral reefs and leave the piano-playing mermaids to Mr. Copperfield...unless the shark was all part of the illusion?

Thar she Blows!

The above photo doesn't look like much, but I assure you...if you were to happen upon it unsuspectingly, it could potentially scare - or pressure wash - the pants right off of you.  This, my friends, is a blowhole.

A blowhole is a rare geologic feature that occurs when water from the ocean bursts up like a geiser through an opening in the land.  This particular hole had about a three foot diameter and when the ocean swell crashed up against the shore, the powerful surge of water would travel through the cavernous limestone, bubble up into a natural funnel and shoot up through the land with tremendous - and startling - pressure. Very cool to see in person.  Isla was mesmerized.

As you can see from the pictures, all sorts of flotsam and jetsam make their way though the hole as well.  The perimeter of this one was littered with random bits plastic, line, mis-matched shoes, natural sponges, shells, sea grass, beach glass and more.  Luckily we didn't see any evidence of anything living coming through the hole...that would be one wild ride, one I'm not sure too many creatures would survive!  

This is essentially what is going on here.  Image from wikipedia 

First, the water starts spraying up slowly...

Then it gets faster and more powerful, with LOTS more water. 

Then the water recedes and waits for the next wave to blast through.

Oh yeah, we're walking now!

Freedive

"Humans are suspended in this interesting place between man-made and organic. We have an almost instinctive impulse to revisit nature, to return to water, to seek balance with the world"

- Chelsea Stephen & Uto Iha

Freediving is a form of diving whence the diver attempts to achieve great depths on a single breath. There are no snorkels, no dive tanks and no breathing apparati to assist; just the power of the swimmer's lungs and stamina of their body.  My sister, Chelsea, who's passion for the ocean runs deeper than anyone I know, developed a love of freediving when she lived in the Bahamas.  Some of you who follow this blog and our Facebook Page closely might even know that she is also an artist...

This week in Portland, Oregon her artistic installation Freedive has opened and it is amazing.  An adamant subscriber of the mantra "reduce, reuse, recycle" her labor of love is a true vision created by 751 plastic bottles, 674 glass bottles, and 31 gallons of water.  Her talent as a visionary and artist is incredible to me.  If any of you are in the Portland area this month, check it out at Good: A Gallery at 4325 N. Mississippi Ave.  If not, check out the pictures below and be sure to visit her Tumblr page to see her brilliance on a regular basis.

"Freedive is a mystifying underwater snapshot that will take your breath away. The immediate message is simple: with some attention our trash can be transformed into beautiful resources. Upon diving deeper, it's less about trash-to-treasure and more about the desire to return to a more natural order."

 Chelsea, I love you. You never cease to amaze and inspire me.

Love,
Brittany, Scott & Isla

Turtles of Bequia

If you ever find yourself on the delightful little Caribbean island of Bequia, you must make the side trip to the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary.  Founded in 1995 by skin diving fisherman Orton King - the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary has but one goal:  to conserve the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle.

Under threat from hunting for it's meat, eggs and exquisite shell - hawksbill turtle populations worldwide are dwindling at an alarming rate.  Enter Orton "Brother" King.  Mr. King's journey to conservation began modestly by collecting a few small hatchlings and attempting to rear them in a plastic tub.  Since those successful humble beginnings, he has released over 2,000 turtles back into the ocean.

The turtle sanctuary now has it's own free-standing building with about fifteen salt water ponds inside.  "Brother" King collects and rears the sea turtles during the most vulnerable years of their live (0-3) and for the first six months, feeds them a diet of canned tuna fish before graduating to small fish.  When the turtles mature to about three years of age, he marks them by drilling a small hole in the back of their shell, and releases them back into the wild.  Divers and snorkelers throughout the Grenadines have spotted King's turtles, proof positive his efforts are not in vain.

Orton King (pictured in Red) explaining his efforts to a couple turtle enthusiasts.

Some facts about the Hawksbill Turtle:

• Hawksbill turtles are "smaller" than most sea turtles.  Their shells reach 45 inches and their maximum weight is about 150 pounds.
• They are found in tropical waters throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans.
• They are normally found near healthy reefs as opposed to deep, vast ocean stretches.
• Hawksbill's are omnivorous and feed on sponges, small fish, marine algea, mollusks, jellyfish and crustaceans.
• While their hard shells protect them from most predators, they still fall prey to large fish, sharks, octopus and humans.  Human impact is currently their greatest threat.
• Like other turtles, Hawksbills make incredible oceanic migrations travelling thousands of miles each year.  It is believed they use the earth's magnetic pull to navigate the world's oceans.
• While they breathe air, they can spend hours underwater at a time.
• Adult females return to land to lay their eggs, most of the time they return to the very same beach they were hatched from.
• The average life span of the hawksbill sea turtle is 30-50 years.

A 'salt pond' which is housing a few dozen baby hawksbill's.

A nearly mature Hawksbill, this one liked her neck rubbed.

Sea turtles are magnificent creatures and, like their friends the dolphin, they bring instant joy to anyone who is able to see them in the wild.  If you find yourself in Bequia, be sure to make a quick stop a the Old Hegg Turtle sanctuary and help support these incredible creature's survival in the world's oceans. 

Love,

Brittany & Scott

Whaling in the Caribbean

This is the Bequia whaling station that is still in use today

There's lots of "hot" topics when it comes to the ocean these days...over-fishing, pollution, the decimation of our coral reefs, global warming, rising ocean temperatures, polar ice caps melting and so much more.  Few issues, however, really push people's "hot buttons" like whaling.

Many, many moons ago I wrote a post highlighting a movie Scott and I watched called The Cove.  This movie was incredibly eye-opening, very powerful and EXTREMELY disturbing (consider yourself warned, if you have a soul - you will cry).  While it is not about whaling, perse, it is about the mass murder of dolphins (yes, "flipper") for consumption in Japan and has a lot to say about the ocean, it's many life-forms and how to protect them.

Let me start this post by saying I am definitely not "pro" whaling.  I'll root for the Sea Shepard on Whale Wars just like everyone else.  I will picket the Japanese and their treatment of our oceans with the next guy.  However, I am "pro" culture and keeping cultural traditions alive (I once witnessed a Masai circumcision in Tanzania - another polarizing cultural tradition - you can read about it here).  While I benefit from the metaphorical "shrinking" of this world just like everyone else, I think it's sad that the price we pay is increased homogenization in the name of "keeping up".

Believe it or not, there is still a tradition of hunting whales in the Caribbean.  Known as "aboriginal whaling" this form of hunting is not done for commercial purposes, but for sustenance.  Traditional whale hunters only take a small number of whales a year (if any), hunt from small open boats with hand-thrown harpoons and the island communities use and distribute every last bit of the whale from the meat to bones to the oil.

In Bequia, whaling has commenced annually for over a hundred and thirty years and is still a huge part of the culture of this little island.   While the International Whaling Commission allows locals to hunt two or three humpback whales a year (in the traditional way), due to world condemnation of the trade and the fact that the tradition is being lost on new generations there is currently only one boat and crew that still know how to hunt aboriginally: in small, open boats armed with hand-thrown harpoons.  Apparently - on the rare occasion that a whale is caught, it causes tremendous excitement among locals and visitors alike.  I can definitely say I never want to see a live whale hunt, but I can appreciate (from a safe distance) a tradition steeped in culture, sustenance and respect.

If you get the chance to visit this beautiful little island (one of our personal favorites), it's definitely worth a visit to the local whaling museum and pulling up a whale vertebrae bar stool fashioned at the Whale Boner restaurant and sipping on a cold Carib.

The local fishery where the whaling boat is launched.

Love, 

Brittany & Scott

The Wave

“They move across a faint horizon, the rush of love and the surge of grief, the respite of peace and then fear again, the heart that beats and then lies still, the rise and fall and rise and fall of all of it, the incoming and the outgoing, the infinite procession of life. And the ocean wraps the earth, a reminder. The mysteries come forward in waves.” - Susan Casey, The Wave

I read a lot.  In fact, I've probably read at least 40-50 books since we left on this trip...I love to read, and if I've got a decent book in my hand - I'm good to go. 

Not all the books I've read are good, and not all the books I've read are nautical in nature - but this last book was both excellent and (semi) nautical so I thought I'd share my thoughts on it...

Susan Casey's "The Wave" is, quite simply, a book about waves.  Specifically (as her sub-title explains), it's about the  "rogues, freaks and giants" of the ocean.  Some sailors might not want to read about waves that have swallowed entire container ships and may feel better not knowing the figures of exactly how many boats are "lost at sea" (most likely due to rogues), but for some reason these sorts of books don't bother me.  Knowledge is power people.

First of all, Casey takes what could have been a dry and dull science book and creates a vivid and "gnarly" page-turner by looking to the people who know these waves best: mariners, oceanographers, and big-wave surfers (Laird Hamilton, in fact, could be considered a "main character" in this narrative).  In between her interviews with these experts she hops back and forth in time, weaving seamlessly between modern day knowledge and ancient lore.  Haunting stories of ships being snapped in half by waves as big as office buildings, unbelievable stories of entire mountainsides cleared of trees by 100 foot freaks and harrowing accounts of tow-surfers who paid the ultimate price for the "ultimate wave" pepper the pages of this book.  These tales of survival and tragedy at the slippery hands of the sea are all equally gripping and incredibly humbling.  Casey writes in such a way that not only can you adequately grasp the science behind the maelstrom, but you can almost feel the power and magnificence of these walls of water as if you were surfing right alongside her.  Not an easy feat.

Her research takes her from Hawaii, to London, from Tahiti to South Africa, from San Francisco to Baja and all of it points to one, definitive conclusion:  big waves (and I mean of the 80-120 foot variety) DO exist, and - if climate change and global warming continue at the current pace - they're only going to get bigger, uglier, and deadlier.  It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.

If you love the ocean, if you are passionate about the environment or mystified by the sea - read this book.  Whether you observe them from the beach or choose to ride them on a boat or a board "The Wave" will enchant you.  It is as powerful and gripping as the monsters it seeks...Hang ten, my friends.

“That rush! . . . When you blow down the side of a wave and the thing’s growling at you and snorting and all that power and fury and you don’t know whether you’re gonna be alive 10 seconds from now or not, it’s as heavy an experience as sex!” - Greg Noll, big-wave surfing legend

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Taking out the Trash

Think twice about plastic.  It stays around for a very long time.

Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.

- Jacques Cousteau

A lot of you have inquired what we do with garbage aboard Rasmus.  First of all, it's important to note that we have never been away from land, and therefore a garbage facility, for more than 5 days.  While 5 days is by no means a "long time" when it comes to traveling by boat - it is long enough to accumulate some trash that can get downright nasty if left to it's own devices.

We have a very small garbage bin aboard Rasmus - it's about the size of one that you'd find in a bathroom.  We have a miniature garbage for a few reasons: 1) small grocery store bags fit perfectly as garbage bags 2) the bin takes up precious little space and 3) the smaller the bin, the less 'garbage' can accumulate and therefore stink.

The first challenge is to make our little bin go a long way.  That means only throwing away what we must throw away.  If something can be re-used, we re-use it or find out if someone else can (that peanut butter jar makes a great storage container for screws, rubber bands, clips, and other small things, fyi).  In addition,  when we are at sea, anything that is a natural food product (like tomato ends, cucumber peels, egg shells,  fruit rinds, moldy leftovers...etc) gets minced into little pieces and tossed overboard as soon as we are a two miles outside an anchorage.  This helps greatly to eliminate a lot of the nastiness of garbage and saves space as well.

The bulk of our trash consists of paper towels, tin cans, glass bottles and the occasional plastic jar or bag.  In order to keep the garbage "clean" - we rinse all cans/jars/bottles thoroughly and then crush the aluminum ones to take up as little space as possible.  While recycling facilities are not everywhere, many islands and cays do have them so we try to keep the glass separate in order to recycle them later.  But what to do with them in the interim?

When we were in the Exumas Land and Sea Park in the Bahamas (where it is prohibited to dispose of any garbage), we accumulated three small bags of garbage over the course of a week.  When full, we secured them tightly and either kept them in the forward chain locker or in the dinghy.  This eliminated any bugs or nasty odors in our boat and we tossed the bags when we went ashore where we could dispense our trash.  Almost every destination has some form of waste removal - most are free - and they are usually in the form of a dumpster near the dinghy dock or right in town so finding a place to dispose of your trash is not difficult, at least in the Caribbean.

But what about when you cross an ocean?

This is another beast all together because you might not reach landfall for 20-40 days (or more) depending on your boat.  Regardless of how lightly you tread and how little waste you generate, 20 days will garner some garbage.  Obviously Scott and I have yet to do this, but some research brought forth the following information...

Believe it or not, according to the US Coast Guard, it is legal to throw almost anything overboard once you get far enough offshore (past 25 miles).  Tin cans?  Not a problem.  Simply use your trusty can opener and remove the bottom (so it sinks and doesn't wash ashore somewhere) and toss it.  Aluminum is a naturally occurring element and will eventually turn into rust and dissolve into nothing (granted, it will take a long time).  Glass bottles?  Break the bottom off those as well (again, so they sink and do not wash ashore) and toss them.  They, too, will not harm the environment and perhaps in 1,000 years some child will pick up the remnants of your wine bottle as beach glass.  How about paper products?  Shred them and toss 'em over.  They too, will dissolve and leave no trace in less than 2 weeks.  And of course, any biodegradable food stuff can be thrown into the sea as well.  Yes - a lot of these items can take a very long time to biodegrade, but as long as you are in the middle of the Ocean and they sink, you should not be doing any environmental harm.  In fact, you might help build a little ecosystem (fish and coral love "stuff" which is why wrecks are often the best dive sites).

So what shouldn't you throw overboard?

Plastic and chemicals (such as your engine oil - so make sure you carry a few spare gallon jugs in which to store it) are HUGE no no's.  Those are two of the biggest culprits of marine degradation and if you don't believe me just do a little research about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  Other things like cigarette butts, batteries, styrofoam and fishing line should stay in the boat as well.  Many people double bag their garbage and stow it, like we did, in a locker until they make landfill landfall.

Living aboard and having to dispose your own waste makes you very mindful of not only what you throw away, but what you purchase and bring aboard as well.   How you dispose of your waste is up to you - but be sure to be responsible and always remember to keep the environment around you in mind.

What tips do you have for stowing garbage while underway?

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Top 10 Tuesdays: 10 Easy Ways to Conserve Water

Water conservation is not something cruisers take lightly...  

Many of us have a very limited supply of water (our tank holds 60 gallons) and wasting water (yes, even if you have a watermaker) is frowned upon out here.  Gone are the days of the thirty minute shower (though, truth be told, I never understood what people were doing in there that long anyway...) and baths (oh, how I did love a bath!) are a thing of the past.  We don't begrudge it though - in fact, being more aware of the resources we use is bringing us closer to nature.  Did you know that there is a world-wide water crisis?  That over 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water and even more have no access to proper sanitation?  It's mind boggling what those of us in the "first world" take for granted.

"There is a water crisis today. But the crisis is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs. It is a crisis of managing water so badly that billions of people - and the environment - suffer badly." World Water Vision Report

In other words, we "haves" are very wasteful.

This is no bueno.

Top 10 Ways To Conserve Water On A Boat:

1. Use foot or hand pump when possible - every sink in our boat is equipped with a manual hand pump.  Hand/foot pumps use significantly less water than pressurized pumps (foot pumps are ideal and preferred, as you are "hands free").  BONUS TIP:  Outfitting your boat with at least one manual pump that brings in seawater is ideal - especially in the galley - as you can use it to wash the dishes (this is a 'future' Rasmus project), brining me to #2...
2. Use salt water to do dishes - we do all our dishes in salt water (no, none of our pots have rusted).  We plug up the sink, fill a bucket from the sea and fill the sink with saltwater.  Non-ultra Joy dish soap works great in salt water and we save ourselves gallons of fresh water over time. BONUS TIP:  On the rare occasions you wash with fresh water and use regular dish soap, like Dawn, mix the soap in a small dispenser with 1/2 soap, 1/2 water - that way it takes much less water to wash and rinse!
3. Use a spray bottle to rinse dishes - a tiny bit of water actually goes a very long way and after washing in salt water, have a spray bottle of fresh water available to rinse.  A few squirts and voila - dishes are salt-free and clean!
4. Bathe in salt water, rinse in fresh - don't knock it till you try it!  There is nothing like a bath in the ocean!  Jump in the water - scrub and suds up with soap and shampoo - jump back in the water - get out of the water - rinse with fresh.  I promise you, after you are all dry it feels no different or less clean than a "real" shower and again, you have saved a ton of fresh water.  We have an aft deck shower to rinse, but if you don't - consider getting  a Sun Shower, they work great and again, use very little water.
5. Collect rain water and/or wash the boat in a squall - while we haven't developed a great rain catchment solution on Rasmus, we do leave our buckets on deck to collect rain water.  This water is great for plants, for rinsing dishes, and for filling your tanks when you are far enough offshore to be free from pollutants.  Washing your boat during a squall is great as well.  Put on your bikini, get the deck brush and some soap and get to work! I do it all the time!
6. Outfit all faucets with a hands free instant off device - While we don't have this product, we have seen it before and almost bought it but didn't because we weren't sure it would work.  After seeing how pleased our friends on s/v Sarabande are with theirs, we plan to get some ASAP.  Can save you a tremendous amount of water over time!
7. Save cooking water to do dishes after - when you boil a pot of pasta, don't throw out that water!! Save it for later to wash dishes with!
8. Use a whistling tea kettle - this way, you'll know right away when the water is boiling and you won't waste water by way of evaporation.  BONUS TIP: In addition - cook with less water.  More often than not the directions tell us we need more water than we do!
9. Use a half-gallon garden sprayer for on-deck rinsing - you can get these from any hardware store and they are great at making a little water go a long way.  Great for an anchor wash down (or, if you have a salt water rinse up on deck - even better!), or a quick deck rinse and more.  Doing a light rinse with freshwater will do a salty boat good!
10. Flush toilets with salt water - flushing toilets with fresh water, especially on a boat, is incredibly wasteful.  Salt water works just as well and there are many very easy ways to avoid the calcification that occurs when urine and salt water meet, such as doing weekly flushes with vinegar.  What comes from the sea shall return to the sea anyway, right?

So there you have it!  While most of these apply to living on a boat, I challenge you landlubbers to be a little more thoughtful about your water consumption as well!  In fact, here are 100 Tips, just for you!

Anyone else have any great water conservation tips that I missed?

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Under the Sea

"Darling it's better down where it's wetter take it from me."

- Sebastian the Crab in The Little Mermaid

I got an underwater housing unit for my new Canon G12 Camera.  Despite the fact that it is (obviously) very "heavy duty" and proven to keep the water out - I was super nervous when I splashed this baby for the first time.  Bringing your brand new, very nice camera into salt water of all things feels about as wrong as flinging yourself off a cliff with nothing but a band of elastic between you and the bottom...but I did it - and I am proud to say she survived with nary a droplet of water on her.

Visibility, unfortunately, was not so good due to river runoff from South America (yeah, crazy right?) but we had a great time and saw some beautiful sea life nonetheless!  It never ceases to amaze me that there is this exotic, beautiful, strange and incredible world that exists right under the surface and all you need is a mask and some fins to experience it...what a gift.

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Turtles, Saltfish and Liming - Oh my!

We weren't so lucky with the turtle sighting, but NatGeo is!

The other night as Scott and I were walking back from customs, Danny, the marketing director here at Port Louis Marina (our latest sponsor and home for the next few months) walked up to us and said, "My friends and I are going to the beach to see the turtles?  Want to join?"

The answer, obviously, was an unequivocal, resounding "yes!!".

We hopped in his open Land Rover (affectionately renamed JahRover - my kind of car!) and off we went.  Unfortunately, we didn't get very far as his beautiful beast wasn't running up to speed.  Luckily for us - his wise friends had seen this coming and brought a bigger car (we should have known when they yelled, "You're taking that?  Has it ever gone more than five miles?").  It was fun while it lasted.

The drive was magnificent and took us through lush, green hills, past sheer rock faces, along the coves of the coast and through vibrant little villages.  The contour of the land here is spectacular and the road dips, winds and hair-pin turns along the earth like roller coaster.

Apparently it's turtle season here and, if you are lucky, you will arrive at the beach where you will see the magnificent, ancient leatherbacks on shore quietly laying eggs or slowly retreating back to the water.  If you are really lucky you might even see baby hatchlings scooting down the beach as they follow their incredible, lunar-lead instincts to the ocean.  While males spend their lives at sea, the female returns to the beach where she was born to reproduce. The female's nesting ritual is arduous - after travelling over 7,000 miles during their "migration" period (the time it takes for them to reach sexual maturity), they mate at sea and journey back to the beach where they come ashore to lay their eighty or so eggs.   The nighttime ritual involves the females excavating a hole in the sand to lay their eggs in, leaving a large, disturbed patch of beach in their wake.

We arrived at the beach at 7:45pm under a waxing gibbous moon.  The six of us started walking along the shore, looking for signs of turtles.  While we did not see any turtles - we did see evidence of hatchlings everywhere.  Gaping holes in the sand peppered with the shell remains of baby leatherbacks were every hundred yards or so.  It was incredible to know that out of this nest, tiny turtles fought their way out of their paper-thin shells to begin their journey to the sea.  While didn't see the turtles themselves, we knew they were there.  This alone was beautiful.

We laid on the beach, listening to the waves lap up on shore, digging in the warm sand with our toes as we relaxed under the moonlit night.  The clouds zipped by under the moon's glow and the stars began to dot the sky around us.  After thirty minutes or so we all decided, "Lets eat!".

Back in the car we zipped along the windy road, again passing village after village.  It was Friday night and people were out en-masse having a good time.  Music playing, people liming (local term for "hanging out"), and vendors selling their catch in little stalls along the road.

Not my photo, but this is bake and saltfish

We eventually made it to "Fish Friday" in the town of Gouyave where, every Friday, they close off the main road and vendors set up stalls to sell everything fish.  It's incredible. Saltfish, mahi mahi, fish roti, fried fish, fish pizza...you name it, they sell it.  Delicious aromas fill the air, music is pumping, and food is everywhere.  For less than $10 US you can get a meal for two.  I finally had 'saltfish and bake' which is a local dish that involves fried bread stuffed with a tuna-fish type filling.  It is delicious.

With full bellies and sleepy eyes, we made our way back to the boat.

We had heard that Grenada - or "spice island" as it is known - was 'special'.  So many cruisers, when they heard of our plans to remain here for hurricane season, told us that we would love it.  That is it different than the other islands.  That it is one of those places.

I think we agree.

Love,
Brittany & Scott

Incredible, Beautiful Dolphin Video

I told you all earlier on Facebook that we got the most amazing dolphin footage when we were off the coast of St. Lucia, right off the Pitons.  At first, we thought it was some sort of fish feeding frenzy - and you'll see by the video my excitement when I realize it's dolphins.  It was truly magical.  The sun was setting, the light was phenomenal, and they surrounded our boat with happiness.  I wrote a post about the magic of the dolphin when we first entered the ocean way back when in November.  Since then, we have met with countless dolphins and still they make our hearts sing every time they visit.  They truly are magic.  I can't even really describe it - but I 100% believe they are 'elevated' beings.  Maybe this video will give you the idea.  While I am by no means a videographer (and please excuse the excited squeals and babble) I think I captured them pretty well.  And the scenery?  Amazing.  Enjoy!



Love,

Brittany & Scott

The Power of Sail

A beautiful shot of Rasmus under sail by our friend and artist, Lara Neece from s/v Illusion.

There is truly nothing more magnificent that catching the wind in your sails, kicking your feet up and sailing off to a new horizon, a new place, a new adventure...

Traveling by sailboat is different than any other form of travel I have experienced.  First of all, you are traveling in your home.  Anything you need is there, usually within an arms reach.  Secondly, you are almost entirely self sufficient.  We make our own energy with our solar panels and make our own water from the sea.  We use so little energy and know so specifically what what we need and when.  It's amazing to be able to measure your own carbon footprint.  In addition, you have to work to get where you want to go - really work.  You must trim sails, crank winches and steer your ship through waters calm and rough.  The reward of finally getting to a destination by catching wind is truly something to relish.  Finally, the world opens up to you in a such a way that it never did before.  You become in tune with the rhythm of nature - the ebbing of tides, the clocking of winds, the direction of waves.  Mother Nature is number one out here and to be surrounded by her, with her, know her and depend on her is a truly beautiful gift to experience.

I will be the gladdest thing under the sun, I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one. 

- Edna St. Vincent Millay

Love, 

Brittany & Scott

If I could have a moment on a soap box...

Scott, my sister Chelsea and I watched the movie "The Cove" last night.  It was incredibly powerful and devastatingly sad.  There is a mass slaughter of dolphins (yes, "Flipper") happening yearly off the coast of Japan and it is wrong on so many levels.  If you are passionate about the ocean, keeping its ecosystems intact, and these magical, magical creatures - you need to watch this film and support this cause.  The synopsis says it best:

This riveting documentary (winner of the Audience Award at Sundance) follows a group of animal activists to a scenic cove in Taijii, Japan, where they use surveillance equipment to capture footage of a secretive and heavily guarded operation run by the world's largest supplier of dolphins. As the daring group risks their lives to expose the horrifying truths behind the capture of dolphins for the lucrative tourist industry, they also uncover an environmental catastrophe.