Expedition Around North America contre le réchauffement climatique

Around North America Newsletter

Newsletter 14/ JANVIER 2009

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January 31, 2009

Members of the expedition arrived, safe and sound, on the island of Roatan four days ago. This stopover marks the end of the “Southern Star” ’s passage through Central America, as the next leg of the journey will end in Miami, Florida. The log reads 15,245 nautical miles (28,233 km) since Tromsø. The total traveled distance will therefore be more than the 18,000 nautical miles indicated initially. The boat and its crew are in good shape.

Stopovers :
A quick update on the Acapulco stopover. Following the passage of the expedition, a group of professors and students from the university of marine ecology and environmental sciences there have decided to join together institutions and social organizations, so as to present to the federal government of the state of Guerrero a plan of intervention in favor of the environment. This initiative to form a social base in order to secure undertaken actions is unprecedented in Mexico.

During the last month, members of the expedition have passed through the Panama Canal and paid a visit to the Kuna Indians on the San Blas Islands. This archipelago, which sits just on the water’s surface, is greatly affected by the rise of the water level. The Kunas are already considering leaving several of the islands, before a complete and final exodus to the continent.
Exchanges with the main figures of the Kuna community were rich. We learned a lot, namely that this community of aboriginal people, who are convinced animists, keeps up close contact with the international community on matters concerning the protection of the environment. Their cacique (tribal chief) was present iu Poznan, in Poland, at the conference in preparation of the 2009 Copenhagen summit on climate change.

Interviews in Roatan, especially with the administrators of the marine park, had us know a little more on the current condition of the coral in this region of the world. This material will be at the heart of the fourth documentary of the series “Southern Star’s climactic odyssey”.

The program for the stopovers in Miami, New York, Newport and Halifax are at the fine-tuning stage and promise to be as busy as on the West Coast. The French consulates in Miami and New York have brought their support to the expedition.

Films :
Filmmaker Thierry Robert will finish the second documentary of the series in mid-February. This episode covers the entirety of the passage of the Northwest.

The arrival seminar in Tromsø :
The home-run arrival of the expedition is getting close: A two-day seminar will take place for the occasion. Photo exhibits, projection of videos, a conference on the entire expedition, a scientific panel to react to the crew’s field observations… are slated.
The seminar will be held on May 16 and 17, 2009.Expect the arrival of “Southern Star” in Tromsø on May 16, in the morning instead of the 17.

More details about the seminar