When Shackleton tried to reach Antarctica, the world had to wait for years
before they heard his amazing tale.... now we can follow expeditions as
they happen, complete with logs, photos, and video....
But the more things change, the more they stay the same. If you had to
rely on US news sources, you might have to wait years to learn that
a group of Israelis and Palestinians set off on New Year's Day on an
expedition to Antarctica.
"Breaking the Ice" is dedicated to reaching the to of a previously
unclimbed mountain and naming it. It is a peace initiative rich with
symbolism "we won't survive if we don't work together"... "in this
hostile
environment we have to depend on ourselves".... "once we start, there is
no
going back...." It is also an experiment to see how former enemies work
together in extreme cir***stances.
They are not under any illusions about the impact of their efforts on the
age old conflict at home, but as one member of the team put it, "I think
we
are setting a very good example on how different people can live and
cooperate together."
The expedition has gotten a lot of coverage in the UK, Australia, Israel,
and other countries... The Guardian (UK) has put together a stunning flash
presentation of their route including satellite photos... you realize
just
how far across the Drake Passage they have to go when you compare it to
South America.... You also realize how dramatic this really is when you
see
some of the photos...Here is the link to the Guardian's presentation:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,5860,1080359,00.html
You can check out the groups web site at:
http://www.breaking-the-ice.DE
They have a host of links to media coverage here:
http://www.breaking-the-ice.de/media.htm
You can also lend sup****t by visiting:
http://www.justgiving.com/PFP/pages/?id=CGG/1637
If you want to suggest a name for the new Mountain, join the forum
http://www.breaking-the-ice.de/phpBB2/index.php
If you want to see some stunning images check out the Gallery
http://www.breaking-the-ice.de/t_gallery.htm
If you are interested in following the exploits of this group, you can
read
the logs online:
http://www.breaking-the-ice.de/WebLog/b2/index.php
Here is the log entry from this morning:
01/06/04
Among the things we've discovered is that the sea has a rhythm of its own.
In an age of air travel, where it's difficult to imagine a journey of more
than 24 hours, sailing forces us to re-evaluate the meaning of time. Five
days at sea, progressing slowly toward Antarctica compels us to adjust our
expectations concerning the pace of events and opens us to new
enlightenment. It's an experience not unlike those that people have had in
the deserts of the Holy Land, from the time of the ancient Jewish Essenes,
who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean Wilderness and Jesus, who
resisted the temptations of Satan there for forty days, to our own times,
when campers trek the Negev Desert and populate the beaches of Sinai,
seeking and finding a deeper level of serenity. This is what has begun to
happen to most of us as we sail further and further from the constant
turmoil of the Middle East. All of us suddenly have the time to sit and
talk, to observe and contemplate.
Some of the team's time is spent in friendly conversation and some of it
in
heated debate, dealing with the basic questions that have fueled more than
a century of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Who is right and
who is wrong? Who does the land really belong to? If they can get along so
well with one another on a boat or on a mountain, why has it been so
difficult to strike a compromise that will enable their two peoples to
live
in peace? Can they learn to trust one another? Can they learn to forgive?
How can they heal the wounds of the bereaved and solve the problems of the
dispossessed? The same questions arise time after time in these
discussions. The same opinions emerge, the same stalemates. But, while
there may be disagreement here there is little apparent anger. That, too,
may have something to do with the calming effect of the sea.
Just as Doron, Ziad, Olfat, Yarden, Suleiman, Avihu, Heskel and Nasser
slip
into this newfound tranquility, they are startled awake and gripped by
excitement. It begins when they catch sight of a duo of humpback whales
breaking the surface in the still waters of the Gerlache Strait. Pelagic
Australis cuts its engines, news of the whale sighting is shouted through
the boat and, in the quiet moment that follow only three sounds are heard
-
- the deep whoosh of the whales blowing out air, the 'oohs' and 'aahs' of
the expedition team members and the constant clicking of cameras. And then
Yarden Fanta's voice, tinged with her Ethiopian accent, is heard above all
the others: Look, look! There's a third one! It's a baby!?
We continue watching the humpbacks for almost an hour, slowly coming to
understand their cycle of breathing and diving, and catching the pungent
scent of their steamy, fish-scented exhalations. As we watch, the sun
comes
out from behind the clouds, breaking the monotony of grey skies that have
accompanied us since we set sail from Chile. The moment is almost too
perfect. Yet another is about to follow.
A tiny iceberg comes into view, riding low in the water -- one of dozens
we've seen in the last two days. But, as we come closer we detect
movement:
a small flock of Chinstrap penguins are using this ice island as a
floating
perch, diving off it to search for fish in the surrounding sea, then
climbing back up again to rest. When we pull alongside, we discover a
small
pond of crystal clear water in the middle of the iceberg, with several
more
penguins bathing in it. They've got their own private luxury liner,
complete with swimming pool.
We are so caught up in the excitement of this utterly beautiful morning
that we almost fail to notice: just ahead and off to the left, the coast
of
Antarctica has come into view. We see the bases of black mountains, their
slopes covered in snow and their peaks shrouded by low-lying clouds. We
are
almost at our destination.
Ahead of us lay days of exploration and challenge ? of coping with the
elements and learning how to work together in a way that Israelis and
Palestinians rarely do, anywhere on earth.
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