Year: 2018

Life As It Happens

“A Life in the Depths!” Presentation

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“Overture, curtain, lights. This is it, the night of nights. No more rehearsing and nursing a part. We know every part by heart.” ~ This Is It (Bugs Bunny, Overture).

Tess Hedderich over at Vancouver Diving Locker has invited Kathryn and I to give an evening presentation at the shop on Friday, January 25th, 2019. Actually, one of the first dive store presentations I ever made was at the Diving Locker way back in early 2008. Clearly, we’re being brought back by popular demand. And hey, what better way to start your weekend? Anyway, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel. Be there or be square. ?

Life As It Happens

Kathryn Britnell: Elected Fellow to Royal Canadian Geographical Society

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Nothing is given. Eveyrthing is earned.

Yesterday, Kathryn, was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Fellowship in the RCGS College of Fellows has, since its inception in 1929, represented the very best of Canada, including distinguished individuals from many different fields, united in their commitment to the Society’s mission to celebrate the country, its geography and peoples. All RCGS Fellows are considered to be exceptional talents and leaders in their respective fields and their ranks include many of Canada’s most intrepid explorers, geographers, astronauts, actors, and even some former Prime Ministers. Fellows are elected for life and are entitled to use post-nominal letters FRCGS (Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society) after their surname. There are only about 1,000, or so, RCGS Fellows in this magnificent nation of just over 36.5 million people.

Life As It Happens

Adams River Salmon Expedition

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Adams River Salmon Expedition

It’s been a successful few days for us here at Adams River. I feel, Kathryn deserves a shout-out of sorts for all her efforts over the past couple of days. From hauling snorkeling and camera gear down a steep forest canyon to the river, jumping in for several hours to photograph salmon, then hauling everything back uphill… only this time it feels so much heavier than when you arrived because everything is now wet. The next day carefully sliding down a vertical river bank in her drysuit, and then fording across the shallowest point in the stream to reach a gravel island, but given her shorter stature she was already thigh deep in a stiff forceful current where it took everything she had not to get knocked over (Hell, it was no cake walk for me either). Then she goes splashing around in cold river water pursuing sockeye salmon.

Indeed, the water feels colder with each passing hour. Then at the end of the day, reversing course only to feel like the stream has picked up speed since the morning crossing… and then one must carefully climb back up that vertical river bank which provides very little firm footing. Of course, there is also the long walk back to the parking lot…. carrying everything you brought with you to the river. Never a complaint, never a “I can’t do this,” never not carrying her own weight. She absolutely loved every minute of it which says a lot for someone who describes herself as being a girly girl. The force is strong with this one.

In The Press

Unknown Titanic of the Pacific

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Our latest Third Age Expeditions column for Luxe Beat Media is alive and kicking online. Unknown Titanic of the Pacific details Alaska’s worst maritime disaster occurred 100 years ago on October 24, 1918 when Canadian Pacific Railway’s steel-built coastal steamer, SS Princess Sophia, ran aground at dawn on Vanderbilt Reef during stormy seas and a blinding winter blizzard. When she slipped beneath the frigid waves on October 25th, she took all 366 souls onboard with her. https://lnkd.in/gdw2_kE

ExplorationLife As It Happens

Congratulations Kathryn!

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Kathryn Britnell is an RGS Fellow

So very proud and happy for my wife, Kathryn, as she received confirmation today that she has been named a Fellow of London’s prestigious Royal Geographical Society (RGS) with the Institute of British Geographers. Fellowship is reserved for those who can demonstrate their academic publications in the field of geography and closely related subjects such as climate change. Fellows in the Royal Geographical Society may use the post-nominal designation FRGS after their names.

UK’s Learned Society and Professional Body for Geography

Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences, the Royal Geographical Society is the UK’s learned society and professional body for geography. The RGS has a storied history of supporting many famous British explorers and expeditions, including those of, Sir Charles Darwin, legendary African explorer Dr. David Livingstone, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir Robert Scott, Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, and mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary to name a few. Among many other notable explorers and geographers, current fellows also include Michael Palin who was the president of the RGS from 2009 to 2012. Since 1912, the RGS and historical archives have been headquartered at Lowther Lodge, a Victorian Queen Anne style house built from 1872 and 1875 that faces Hyde Park in South Kensington, London, England.

Conservation

YEAR OF THE REEF 2018

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IYORImageBank Horizontal Reef

With great pleasure I can confirm that I am among some of the world’s leading underwater photographers who have generously donated imagery to The Ocean Agency, an international non-profit organization dedicated to marine conservation. The Ocean Agency’s collection of media-quality imagery and resources, are made available FREE (for non-commercial purposes) to support the global mission to save coral reefs and to help generate investment for coral reef conservation. The International Year of the Reef is a global campaign designed by The Ocean Agency, for a multi government and NGO initiative led by the International Coral Reef Initiative in collaboration with UN Environment Program.

Year of the Reef Image Bank

International Year of the Reef Campaign

The prime objective of the International Year of the Reef campaign is to focus attention to the crisis facing coral reefs and to secure the support necessary from governments, NGOs, businesses and the public. It aims to build on a new level of support for coral reef conservation and science, prompted by the recent global die-off, and help ensure 2018 becomes a turning point for coral reef conservation. It is intended to be a catalyst for action at a scale that has never been achieved before bringing together all sectors to work as a global community to find solutions to a global problem.

Pivotal Time for Coral Reefs

On February 14, 2018, HRH The Prince of Wales announced a global call to action to save coral reefs from complete global collapse. At a gathering of some of the world’s leading coral reef experts and advocates in London, organized by The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit, His Royal Highness said:

“There can be no doubt that we are at a critical tipping point, where we will either ensure or fatally compromise our ability to safeguard the world’s coral reefs and the species that will support future generations of humans and countless other species.”

The Prince’s announcement came at a pivotal time for coral reefs as the last three years brought the longest and most extensive coral die-off ever recorded and this impact from global climate change is predicted to deteriorate for at least the next two to three decades, threatening further destruction to reefs that are already suffering damage from overfishing and pollution.

https://theocean.agency

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