«	2002 March	»
«	22nd	»
	Friday

Related Images

Friday March 22nd, 2002

1600hrs: The wind has backed and dropped slightly, but Seamaster continues to make good progress towards Grenada. If we continue as we are we should be there in two days.

We’re still maintaining an effortless 9-10 knots, assisted greatly by the South Eastern Equatorial Current. It’s a far cry from the trip southwards to Belem, when pushing current and inclement weather made our progress sometimes painful.

So, we’re relishing the wind, the rolling swell and now the sunshine. There’s not much to report by way of sea life so far, save for a lone pod of dolphins, a couple of schools of tuna and miniature flying fish. However, we’re travelling on the edge of an undersea shelf that drops from 80-to-3000 metres, so are ever hopeful of seeing more! (Where are they all?)

The stop at Grenada is planned to be short. From there we’ll island hop through the Caribbean to a port on the east coast of the United States, where Seamaster will have a well deserved refit, ready for the next blakexpeditions voyage.

It was in Grenada that we met three of the current volunteer crew, two Kiwis - Adam and Mandy - as well as Clare from London. Our paths crossed when they found themselves shipwrecked on Glovers Island off the south coast of Grenada, leaving them with little more than what they wearing.

All three share a spirit for adventure and passion for the environment that has to be admired. So we welcomed them aboard to help recover from their ordeal, marking the occasion with one of Ollie’s famous roast chickens.

The timing turned out to be opportune, as they helped us prepare and sail Seamaster back to the Amazon

As this was her first trip to the region, we invited Mandy, who’s 24 and from Auckland, to share her thoughts on seeing the Amazon with her own eyes.

Amazon Reflection - by Mandy Fitchett

In all that I have read, the Amazon is an expedition for adventurers of the highest order. To discover that I would join this order was a small miracle. Seamaster arrived in Belem, the largest city on the Amazon, to the Samba sounds of a yacht club party. I was dumbstruck by the skyline scraped with buildings. When did the Amazon become a bustling metropolis, I asked? Where were the wild animals and circling birds to greet me at the mouth? The Amazon I encountered was teaming with life, human life that is, and, of course, human impact.

Our excursion further into the river system from Belem brought more of the Amazon of my dreams, though my desperate thirst to experience the bio-diversity I had read about was never quenched. Much of the wildlife has retreated from the river edge and deforested areas. I have been told that you must leave the river, follow its tributaries, wander its dark alleys to discover the wonder of the forest, the local people, and their co-existence.

There was more than enough evidence of the destruction of the rainforest by logging. Once off the main river system every bend in the river produced more milling, more open space, more people. 

It wasn’t until the 20th century that large-scale logging was required as naturally felled logs were floated downstream by the change from dry to wet season. The forest really did provide all!

The local and global impact of the scale of today’s far-from-naturally-felled timber of this is therefore still being assessed and appreciated, as each year a reduction in the number of species inhabiting the forest becomes increasingly evident.

To the outsider, such as me, this destruction seems senseless. However, poverty is a reality in this area of the world and many of the population in the Amazon are from other regions of Brazil. These groups were resettled in the 60s and 70s and are not jungle people. They need money in the short term. The destruction that generates that money is, however, long term.

The Amazon floodplains flanking the main river and its tributaries is a highly threatened area. The future economic force driving the destruction of floodplain habitats has become cattle and buffalo ranching. Logging and plantations could become minimal threats in comparison to the potential growth of livestock operations. As cattle populations increase so do their destructive influences Forest is cleared to make room for the ranches and animals are let loose to graze the floating meadows which are a vital habitat for spawning fish. The Buffalo trample the fragile ecosystem that exists on the forest floor and the river edges.

With these exotic species come exotic diseases, pests, and problems from other areas of the world which are now infiltrating the fragile Amazon ecosystem with irreversible damage.

There are many ways to support the current human population in the Amazon that do not require large-scale destruction of its surrounding environment forever. Sustainable methods of development would utilise the gifts of the species endemic to the area while maintaining the forest as a habitat for the millions of species that share it. Aqua-culture, or fish farming, is an example of this, promoting the growth of floating meadows and fish forests for the Amazon fruit eating fish.

At present, very little is known about the diversity of land uses that have evolved along the Amazon by Indian tribes and more recent settlers. Vegetable growing, for example, has actually led to more intensive but less extensive habitat alterations - benefiting both conservation and development.

There are many native plants and animals that could be farmed which would put far less pressure on the environment. I personally believe there is always more than one way to do something, if not many ways.

Development within the Amazon eco-system is inevitable if Brazil is to feed its growing population but that development does not necessarily have to mean the destruction of the ecosystem itself.

Mandy

Sir Peter Blake

"Having vision is not enough. Change comes through realising the vision and turning it into a reality. It is easy to espouse worthy goals, values and policies; the hard part is implementation."

• › About Sir Peter Blake
• › The Early Years
• › Ocean Racing
• › America's Cup

Learn about Sir Peter Blake and his journeys around the globe