Los Angeles
18th - 26th November 2003

The Heraclitus crew sneaked away for a short sojourn in the Channel Islands, diving with seals in the kelp forests off Santa Cruz and exploring the emptiness compared to the recent hub-bub of the Bay Area.  Some of the ship’s officers jumped off, heading to the nearest thing to the ocean on land - the desert of New Mexico - to attend the Institute of Ecotechnics annual conference, this year held in Santa Fe.  The theme of the conference, the cybersphere, fueled current aims and inspired future projects for the ship and for the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation.

The Heraclitus arrived in Los Angeles on the 18th of November on a brilliant sunny day, flanked on its passage into Marina del Rey harbor by two ocean beauties, the Twin Brigatines, Exy Johnson and Irving Johnson, tall ships that fired their canons to welcome the Heraclitus, a fellow tall ship, to the City of Angels, courtesy of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute. James Cameron, director of Titanic and other Hollywood mega-movies, sailed in with us to help promote our message on the state of the world’s coral reefs.

 

Tall Ships Exy and Irving Johnson Escort RV Heraclitus into LA

It was a delight to arrive to the smiling faces of several hundred school children, who cheered alongside educational and environmental groups coming out to welcome us and share their important work with all the kids at a Save Coral Reefs Festival on the slopes of Burton Chace Park.  We were touched by the enthusiasm and support of all these groups:

California Science Center
Clark Magnet High School
Eco-Station
Everybody's Fundraising and Edutainment Guide
4-H Chapter Gnosis
Heal the Bay
Long Beach Aquarium
Los Angeles Maritime Institute
Reef Check
Rubbersidewalks
Sea Laboratory
Surfrider Foundation
TreePeople
The Willows Community School Second Grade - who inspired all with their brochures, “How Kids Can Save the Coral Reefs” and their Walk-A-Thon to benefit PCRF scheduled for May 13, 2004.

Willows Community School Students Display Coral Reef Artwork

Performers also welcomed the Heraclitus and added to the fun, as kids rocked to the upbeat music of environmental singers Dave Kinnoin and Lou Stratten joined the improvisational drumming circles of Rhythm Child and interacted with puppeteer Leslie Carrera.

Rhythm Child Drumming Circle

Tom Arnold, the actor, emceed the Welcome Program, introducing the Heraclitus and her crew with his wonderful spirit and humor.  The crowd listened eagerly to the speeches delivered by James Cameron and PCRF officers about the global coral reef crisis and the steps people everywhere can take to make a difference in saving coral reefs.  Jim spoke passionately and eloquently about his concerns about the future of the ocean and voiced his strong support for PCRF’s global mission.

James Cameron, Tom Arnold, RVH Crew and PCRF Officers

Filmmaker James Cameron and Actor Tom Arnold

Stacey Marble, an aide to L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge, officially welcomed us on behalf the City of Los Angeles and presented Gaie with a beautiful resolution adopted by the Council, proclaiming November 18, 2003 as a Day for RV Heraclitus and Coral Reef Stewardship in the City of Los Angeles.

The ship was packed for the entire afternoon, with visitors and school children from all over Los Angeles County touring and getting a glimpse of our life on board.  More schools and many more Angelenos came on board throughout our stay. The reactions were hilarious, from shocked at the cramped sleeping quarters to enthralled by our descriptions of life at sea.

We were moved when students from the Children’s Enrichment Program shared their work on coral reefs and presented each of us with a Certificate of Appreciation for “practicing the habit of heart” in our efforts to preserve and protect coral reefs.

Children’s Enrichment Program Students Aboard RV Heraclitus

Many of the students visiting from the Margaret Duff School in Rosemead California wrote heartfelt letters to thank us for their field-trip to the ship.   Here is what eleven year old Shelly Nghiem had to say, “I learned about how coral reefs are dying. Pollution is killing the coral reef and the fish. I found out that planting a tree, turning off the water when it’s not needed, and not littering helps the coral reefs."

6th Grade students from New Roads School in Santa Monica, also wrote in detail about the many different kinds of things they learned during on-board programs, ranging from coral reef stewardship to knot-tying and what it is like to be a member of the Heraclitus crew, “During the tour we learned a lot… We liked how Orla and Heather taught us how the coral reefs eat...how coral reefs are living creatures.  Also how important it is to save coral reefs…."

We brought what we could of the ship to The Willows Community School so that we could speak to all 500 students and faculty at once. The Second Grade is studying the ocean all year long and their classrooms are brilliantly decorated with coral reef artwork hanging on the walls and from the ceiling too - imagine going to school in a room surrounded by coral reefs!  They performed a beautiful drumming welcome for us, then we danced for them a pirate’s ballad and our ocean sail dance.  We showed them footage from the reefs and our voyages around the planet, gave them a clue of what we have seen in our travels and encouraged them to continue with the great work that they have begun in raising awareness and funds for the future of coral reefs with their Beach Walk-a-Thon to Help Save Coral Reefs.

The ship was filled to its gills just a few nights after our arrival when we held a cocktail party on board for friends and sponsors, again speaking of our aims and our dreams to launch the Coral Reef Satellite Mission.   The Heraclitus is a magical hostess, and all who joined us under our illuminated sails left elated - with some sense of the spirit of our mission and our determination.

The lights became even brighter and more spangly on Saturday night when James Cameron hosted a massively successful Voyage to Save the Reefs fund-raising dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey.   There were unfathomable numbers of courses, and the tables were crowded with wine glasses for each flavor to be tasted with each course.  It was a truly lavish affair, generating over $200,000 in support of our mission to preserve and protect coral reefs worldwide, with $50,000 raised in an auction, matching a $25,000 fund generously donated by one of our chief supporters in LA - Cameron himself.  Tom Arnold returned to emcee the live auction, along with KTLA morning news presenter, Gail Anderson.  Their wit and charm combined to keep the audience laughing, and the bidding great fun. Jim again spoke passionately and eloquently about the coral reef crisis and PCRF.  Phil Dustan, our Principal Investigator from the College of Charleston, and Bob Goeke, Chief Engineer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Space Research, spearheading the design of the space sensor for the Coral Reef Satellite Mission, flew in from the east coast to inspire the crowd with their vision, dedication and commitment to this effort.

With the funds secured, the ship headed out to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico to undergo a routine but intense dry-dock - with masts to be inspected after the North Pacific crossing, a main engine in need of an overhaul and the list goes on......

END