written by Aya Anholt, 15, Canada

It’s the final countdown! A mere 3 days until the expedition begins. Time has gone by rapidly, and now is the time to be gearing up for the ultimate adventure. Lately my life, similar to all the other Young Explorers, has been hectic. Day to night, my schedule jam is packed with expedition preparations, school, volleyball, and more school.

My last few weekends consisted of an open water scuba diving certification course, which is required before going on this expedition. I dove at Whyte Cliff Park and Porteau Cove. Both of these diving sports are in close proximity to where I live. The temperature of the water was freezing, the visibility was surprisingly good, and I was lucky enough to encounter huge sea cucumbers, different species of fish, crabs, and lots of star fish.  I find that there’s something truly captivating about the ocean, and when I took my first breath underwater, I realized that this is just my beginning of discovering the incredible world of H2O.

Relevant to the expedition, during science class at school, we have been doing a biology unit in which we learned about how humans influence ecosystems. Subsequently, we discussed wetlands and their ability to filter out wastes.  My science teacher briefly talked about the significance of this ecosystem, and as an example, she brought up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and its effects on the marshes in that region. I then explained that I will be seeing this first hand, and hopefully that gained some interest amongst my classmates.

Naturally, I am beyond enthused about the expedition! I am thrilled to be meeting Mike Horn once again, and seeing all the wonderful people I met in Chateau-d’Oex! I can’t help but smile when I think about my Pangaea family!

Blog written by Dan Cullum, 19, New Zealand

In a large crowd of people, whether that be at a sports event or New Year’s Eve, the ‘countdown’ only ever really begins at ‘10’, and thus with my fellow Young Explorers around the world, our 10 day countdown begins today! To be completely honest, everything this still such a whirlwind experience and I’m just soaking it all in, from hearing that we’ll be going on an eight day kayaking journey, to receiving all the Quechua Expedition Gear, to following on Google Maps the distance we’ll be covering from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans, it is overwhelming in the best possible way.

Last night, I was invited to speak at the Lions Club of my community. They have been so supportive of me over the past 2 years and it was an absolute privilege to be able to return there to share with them about Mike Horn’s Dream, the Young Explorers Program, and what we will be doing in the Everglades and Gulf of Mexico. Telling to an audience about the adventure to come made it all the more real that it is happening so soon!

At the moment I’m also in the middle of Final Exams at University. It is no easy feat trying to study mathematics with the knowledge that I’ll be on Pangaea soon with Mike and the Young Explorers, but I am very thankful that my exams are finishing before the Expedition so I can give my all to it when I’m there.

So right now it is back to the books for me, with my mind almost all the time floating off to the Expedition to come. What an opportunity, what a journey to experience, I love being a Young Explorer!

Blog written by Ann-Kathrin Geiger, 19, Germany

The time is running so fast. It seems like yesterday that we got back from the camp, filled with new experiences and thoughts. Already missing the amazing time we had together.

Now, only two weeks before the expedition, caught somewhere between exams, preparations, school and duties, I sometimes have to clear my mind of all those thoughts, to realize again: “Wow,(breathe) I'm joining the next Expedition!”. This unbelievable truth is able to push my excitement rapidly to super excitement.

Waking up everyday starting with the thought “Here we go” the day is less exhausting, less normal.

Since I received details about my gear yesterday, I can't wait to begin the Expedition. With every mail a part of our journey seems more real, right now it still has more of a dream, looming on the horizon, than a reality I am living in. But I know as soon as I have my gear by Wednesday everything will be more real than before.

Tomorrow I will have my third and last interview with a regional Newspaper. And as always this is going to be the image of me talking, a huge grin on the face, the voice filled overflowing with excitement. Every time I remember the camp it fills me with a new wave of joy. And I know that the time in Chateau-D'Oex was just the beginning of the real adventure, awaiting in the pure nature of the Everglades National Park and the Gulf of Mexico.

I am still amazed by the fact that I'm actually going to be part of this amazing trip and that I get the chance to experience such an intense enrichment for my life.

written by Dan Cullum, 19, New Zealand

In a large crowd of people, whether that be at a sports event or New Year’s Eve, the ‘countdown’ only ever really begins at ‘10’, and thus with my fellow Young Explorers around the world, our 10 day countdown begins today! To be completely honest, everything this still such a whirlwind experience and I’m just soaking it all in, from hearing that we’ll be going on an eight day kayaking journey, to receiving all the Quechua Expedition Gear, to following on Google Maps the distance we’ll be covering from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans, it is overwhelming in the best possible way.

Last night, I was invited to speak at the Lions Club of my community. They have been so supportive of me over the past 2 years and it was an absolute privilege to be able to return there to share with them about Mike Horn’s Dream, the Young Explorers Program, and what we will be doing in the Everglades and Gulf of Mexico. Telling to an audience about the adventure to come made it all the more real that it is happening so soon!

At the moment I’m also in the middle of Final Exams at University. It is no easy feat trying to study mathematics with the knowledge that I’ll be on Pangaea soon with Mike and the Young Explorers, but I am very thankful that my exams are finishing before the Expedition so I can give my all to it when I’m there.

So right now it is back to the books for me, with my mind almost all the time floating off to the Expedition to come. What an opportunity, what a journey to experience, I love being a Young Explorer!

written by Jul Holland, 17, Germany

Today we can start the countdown: In 10 days we will all head off to Lauderdale in Florida where we will meet Mike Horn and the famous Pangaea!

It is the first time for me to see this legendary boat and I am incredibly happy about getting the chance to take part in the USA expedition! I took some time until I actually realized what “being selected” means: An awesome, unique possibility which I am so thankful to get.

Since the end of the Selection Camp time flew by organizing everything at home and at school, doing physical exercising, buying some last items for the expedition gear and so on. I think I had to explain over 100 times what I am doing in the next three weeks and why. I know this explanation by heart now J.

Today I started spreading all my gear on the floor in my bedroom to see what I already have and what I still need to organize which made me feel even more excited!

Thank you for this amazing chance, I am looking forward to the Expedition so much!

YEPs Mikayla and Henko are interviewed on the acclaimed environmental television show 50|50, on Monday October 31, 2011

Nunavut Young Explorers , Henko Roukema and Mikayla Bader featured on South African national TV when they were studio guests on the very popular SABC2 environmental program, 50/50, on Monday evening, 31 October 2011.

50|50 is a television programme that has, for 28 years and counting, presented the successes and disasters of conservation to South Africa’s people. 50|50 has influenced environmental policy, stirred the public against environmental injustices, promoted the work of our dedicated conservationists, and helped to create a stronger awareness of conservation and environmental issues in South Africa.

50/50 is the longest ongoing environmental television programme in the world, with a multi award-winning history! It is also the programme that has been on the top 10 list for family viewing most often, and for the longest period in South African television history. It is an extremely strong, important brand and as ambassadors for the Mike Horn Young Explorers Program Henko and Mikayla shared their expedition experiences with the show’s viewers!

Some of the topics that were discussed were the Young Explorers impressions while in the Arctic with Mike Horn, the effects of human pollution on this fragile landscape and how we can learn from the Inuit ( who have lived “from the land” in a sustainable way for 1000’s of years !) .

The show’s viewer competition question at the end of the programme was : “Who lead the Young Explorers Project Expedition to Nunavut?” Henko said it was a fantastic opportunity to give exposure for Mike Horn , his passion for the environment & the Young Explorers Program!

We started the day off with a presentation at the Severn School which is Laurens high school. We shared with the students our story and passion through a series of pictures from selection camps, expeditions and act projects. We took a tour of the school and connected with some of the students who had many questions to ask.

Our afternoon was filled with various activities. First we went shopping and then we had fun driving on the Severn River with the Morells’ boat.

In the evening we joined the Breakup Party at the Yacht Club, where we had a presentation again and enjoyed a delicious dinner.

We hope Mike had a good day at Under Amour.

We woke up aboard Pangaea which was docked outside the Baltimore Aquarium, had a quick breakfast and headed out the door.

We were off to Carriage Hills which is a waterfront community on the Severn River, our goal was to unite a group of local youths and group of international youths to work together, planting a native trees throughout the Carriage Hills community to ‘’restore’’ the waterfront.

We were very fortunate to have the Severn Riverkeeper with us. He explained the important role trees play in Severn eco-system in order to keep the river clean. This is because every time it rains when there are no trees, the valley that runs into the River washes all sediments and creates turbidity in the water, making the river look all brown and muddy. The trees act as filters to slow down the and prevent some sediments from entering the river.

I believe we took a big leap today in making a difference in this community and we hope that other youths will continue to follow through with it and show initiative and leadership just as Lauren Morrell did, in order to make this project happen.

With a good morning of hard-work behind us, we decided to give ourselves some time for a bit of fun so we took out the boat and went tubing and water-skiing. After many great falls and laughs, it was then the realisation hits you that these people sitting across from you in the boat, were brought into your life through this unique organisation called ‘Pangaea’ that connects the world through people just as it connected the world geographically 250 million years ago.

Early morning on the 7th of October the Young Explorers met with the marine biologist Pierre Henkardt for the Severn Riverkeeper to learn about the quality of the Severn River’s water. We practiced using the monitoring devices and taking measurements of pH, salinity, bacteria, dissolved oxygen and other substances that affect the health of this waterway. It was very interesting, and though the quality is bad right now, it is good enough that there can be hope for the restoration of this ecosystem.

Pangaea arrived in Baltimore yesterday afternoon and was greeted by members from the National Aquarium, which is where the boat is docked. Free passes into the aquarium were given out to each of the Young Explorers to look around the exhibits.

Today, the Young Explorers welcomed people onboard to have a look around Pangaea and hear about the Young Explorers program. A large crowd showed up to hear about the program and was interested in learning how a boat as large as the Pangaea could still be environmentally sustainable.

After tours ended at 4:00, the Young Explorers set out on stand-up paddle boards to take a tour of the Baltimore Harbor. A competition began when one person got knocked off their board. Soon, many of the Young Explorers found themselves either in the water, or being chased and pushed in.

The game turned into a clean-up when Saraya and Christen began picking up trash under bridges and near restaurants on the water. “That was one of the most effective clean-up because many were watching and stopped to ask questions about why we were cleaning-up the harbor,” Saraya says. “We didn’t pick up much trash, but the effects were longer-lasting. We set an example,” Says Christen. When Saraya and Christen had found every piece of trash they headed back for the boat and recycled the plastic bottles.

After a big grocery shopping trip, we finally set sails at around lunchtime and maneuvered our way out of the New York Harbor. On our way out, we passed the Statue of Liberty and had a great view of the New York skyline.

For some of us, it was the first time on board Pangaea, and you can only imagine the excitement that brought. Luckily, we had great weather and a calm sea so we could sail down the Atlantic coast at a speed of 13 knots. We were all still jetlagged, and the watch during the night didn’t help. It was hard to stay awake at times.

We sailed into the Annapolis harbor in the Chesapeake Bay by midday, we were given a warm welcome by Lauren’s family and the Severn Riverkeeper who were waiting for us on their motor boat. Pangaea immediately attracted a lot of attention at the boat show in Annapolis, and people were cruising around curiously in small dinghies and taking pictures.

We then set off to explore the city of Annapolis, which has a very colonial feel to it. After we finished walking and eating, the group set off to Lauren’s house by boat, where Mike raced us in his dinghy on the Severn River. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming as we celebrated Saraya’s 16th birthday with good food, crazy dancing, and swimming in the hot tub. There was a big feast with a lot of people, as Lauren had invited all of her neighbors, as well as delicious food – this was another great day and hopefully an unforgettable birthday for Saraya.

Mike, Pangaea and her crew receive a warm welcome as she sails into the port of Annapolis. Here she will stay a few days as YEPs and Mike do presentations and ACT by planting trees along the Severn River.