0

0

The ocean is our biggest ally in maintaining a stable global climate, but our actions are harming it and reducing its ability to protect us. Ocean Rights offer a path forward, providing legal protections for the ocean which in turn protects us because we depend on the ocean and its biodiversity to feed the clouds, regulate temperatures, provide food, and so much more. I am very excited to be joining The Ocean Rights Coalition and spreading the word about the importance of Ocean Rights. You can get involved too by checking out their website here: https://oceanrights.org.uk/ #oceanlaw #oceanrights #sailing #climate #climatechange #oneocean #oceanjustice #TORC #theoceanrightscoalition #rightsofnature #oceanpolicy #ecofriendly #oceanloversunite #oceanlover #savetheseas #wearenature

0

0

the produce order for the Atlantic crossing arrived and I slightly panicked because I've never planned meals for a month before, and there are so many things to consider while sailing!

We were so excited to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean! We worked so hard on the boat and planned our provisioning and storage and THEN... 1 hour into our test sail to Cabo Verde, we had to turn back. Three new issues came up. Thanks again to my husband, Brett Pierce, for the outro music. Later, everyone we spoke to said we made the best choice-not just to turn back that day but also to wait for next season. Apparently it's pretty common as people discover issues with their boat, especially if the boat is new to them. Someone asked me, Did we chicken out? Like was crossing the ocean too scary? I laughed a bit because crossing the ocean felt fine, it felt right, I was excited-but waiting until next season is actually a bit more scary because all my plan are gone. I'm entering the unknown; our financial plans must change, our career plans are askew, seeing our loved ones has to be rescheduled? literally everything about our lives has to be reworked. And I guess this is as good a time as any to remind you that if you want to support this channel, please select a paid subscription to my Substack, link in a pinned comment. I keep all my content free across platforms, so your help ensures that everyone has access, from this channel to my blog to my podcast. The one thing I know for sure is I'm not going to stop sailing for sustainability. I don't know where we'll go before next season, but the Canary Islands are ecologically amazing and several of them are recognised Bio Reserves! We'll of course take advantage of being in the best place in the world to work on the boat, completing some needed projects and maybe some fun ones too. Another friend asked me if I was sad about not crossing the Atlantic and not being in the Caribbean this year. I guess I am a little, but I really can't complain. I'm excited to be here and engage in some remote work with my Earth Law colleagues and produce meaningful content. This is just a huge change to adapt to and there are so many unknowns I'm still wrapping my head around it. But that's a good sailing life lesson. We will be confronted with change, with all our plans going to shit, with a huge amount of unknowns, with things outside of our control. All we can do is work with what we have to make the best of it. We must be patient with the situation and gentle with ourselves.

0

0

You can support this channel and enjoy more marine life writings on my substack: https://substack.com/@taraapierce Thank you, Brett Pierce, for the outro music. Sailors, being world travellers, picked up superstitions from all over the world. One of my favourite superstitions is paying off Poseidon. The idea is, before a voyage sailors give an offering to Poseidon as they leave the harbour in exchange for a safe passage. It's been common practice to throw a few coins off the stern. My plan is to transform this tradition into an honouring of the sea by offering sea shells. Collecting sea shells from the beach or buying them from shops is quite harmful to marine ecosystems. Sea shells are exactly where they belong: in the sea or on the beach. Leaving shells where you find them is an easy way to protect the ocean. I first learned about the harms of shell collection as it relates to the climate crisis. Shell formation requires calcium and carbonate ions. Not to get too technical, but when old seashells break down, they release calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can become available for new shell formation. This process happens in a few ways: Physical and Chemical Breakdown - Waves, sand, and acidic water gradually break shells into smaller pieces, eventually dissolving them into calcium and carbonate ions in seawater. Biological Recycling - Some marine organisms, like certain bacteria and fungi, help break down shells, releasing calcium carbonate back into the water. Sedimentation and Reuse - Dissolved calcium and carbonate ions can be reabsorbed by marine organisms like mollusks, corals, and plankton to build new shells and skeletons. However, ocean acidification can disrupt this cycle. As the ocean absorbs more CO2, the pH becomes more acidic, reducing the availability of carbonate ions and making it harder for organisms to form new shells. Collecting shells from the beach or while diving further removes the amount of calcium carbonate available for new shell formation. Plus, there's the immediate ecological purposes for empty shells: animals, like hermit crabs, use them as homes while other animals, like octopuses, use them as protection. Some sea birds use them to build nests. Sea shells also contribute to the composition and stability of the sea bed, being part of the sedimentary process. Of course, there's always the question: what if I just take one shell? Our individual actions don't matter much, right? Well, this is why individual actions do matter: when a billion people do it, it has an impact. A protected beach, were it's forbidden to collect sea shells, is notably different from unprotected beaches! Protected beaches are COVERED in shells and coral pieces. I hope to visit such a beach one day, where I'll follow the camping slogan: Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Unfortunately, buying sea shell souvenirs isn't any better. All those pretty polished shells in tourist shops are in such great shape because they were harvested while the animal living in them was still alive! This is often an illegal practice but it continues. With all this in mind, I'm offering Poseidon shells. Maybe I don't believe there's a merman with a long white beard and a trident ruling the Ocean and creating waves and currents and watching sailors' behaviour. But I do believe in honouring life on this planet and doing my best by it. When I lived in the Netherlands, I found a jar of shells in a thrift shop. They were obviously collected while on holiday and used as home decor until the person decided they no longer cared for them. I bought them with the intention of one day returning them to the sea. Mostly tropical-looking shells, I've been waiting to be closer to a similar ecosystem from which they were taken. Whether or not there is some cosmic form of "luck," I know I'll be giving something back to the sea; and if we are Nature, then taking care of Nature is taking care of ourselves. #sailinglife #superstitions #sailingsuperstitions #seashells #educational #marineecosystems #learnsomethingnew #protecttheocean #videoart #videoartistry #shells #savetheoceans

leaving shells on the beach is a great way to protect the ocean. but you can collect sea glass instead! #seashells #seaglass #protecttheocean #sailinglife #beach #beachlife #beachlifevibes

I've been thinking a lot about what is a necessity and what is a luxury. On my boat, something that feels really luxurious is the little 3-pot hanging herb garden I installed in the galley up against the port window. Having fresh herbs in the middle of the ocean is brings flavor to any meal!

0

0

0

0

what do you really need to live a sustainable life? living eco-friendly is not that radical. emergencies can show you what your priorities are. we gave up a lot of physical luxuries on land but gained intangible joys from a life at sea. sustainability, tiny-living, boatlife, sailinglife

contaminated fuel caused our engine to die at sea. We drained the tanks, are scrubbing the tanks, and need to drill more windows to scrub the other side. We are learning everything as we go!

When our generator and engine both die at sea, we contemplate what is a necessity and what is a luxury, and the life we left back on land. So much of our lives in apartments are luxurious but not necessary--we just think we need all these things and comforts because we are used to them. But what about more sustainable, community-based lifestyles? All these thoughts swirl around my head as I painstakingly stir the boat to catch as much of the low wind as possible. We sailed for 4 days only checking our navigation apps once or twice to make sure we were still hitting all our waypoints. It was secondary to the wind shifting, telling us we were in fact where we planned to be. It was exhausting, but we learned a lot about the boat and ourselves. The rough seas and rainbows are all part of the highs and lows of sailing. Finally, near the harbour, we turned on our electricity, which we saved for our VHF call for a tow. Very grateful to the rescue team. If you want to support this channel or read more about my thoughts on emergency and luxury, you can check out my substack here: https://substack.com/@taraapierce