Day 17 YEP in Borneo

With those inspiring words Mike said goodbye to Pangaea’s newest Young Explorers as a successful Borneo programme came to a close in Miri, Sarawak. The YEPs have now returned to their homes around the world, where they’ll hopefully spread Pangaea’s important message by starting their own environmental projects.

There were plenty of hugs and a tear or two as the YEPs said goodbye to each other, as well Mike, Cathy, Martin and the ship’s crew, who have all bonded into a kind of Earth-saving family aboard the beautiful Pangaea over the past three weeks.

“It’s not the end of the adventure,” said Eugénie Guillaume, 18, of France. “It’s the start of a whole new one.” And it’s been an incredible adventure: releasing baby turtles and building a reef on Lankayan Island, diving some of the most beautiful reefs in the world, including Sipadan Island, falling in love with baby orang-utans at Sepilok, cleaning up a variety of beaches and remote paradise islands, and overcoming fears in the tight passages of the Mulu Caves.

It’s now over to the YEPs to use this range of experiences to fulfil Pangaea’s aim – to become ambassadors of the world and unite the continents in the fight for nature. Saying goodbye to the other YEPs, Michelle Nay, 19, of Switzerland commented: “I really hope we meet again, and get together to do projects all over the world. That would be a dream for me. We don’t live in one country, we live in the world.”

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Carrying Pangaea’s message across the globe is one of the most important roles the YEPs can play. Said Mike: “Don’t ever lose your passion to conserve Mother Earth, who takes care of all of us. Today is today; life is now, so think about doing things now – tomorrow is already too late.”

With the Borneo YEPs now at home and hopefully planning their own projects, Mike and Pangaea are sailing towards new horizons – the Sultanate of Brunei and soon on to India, in preparation for the next Young Explorers Programme early next year.

Here’s wishing safe seas and fair winds for Pangaea, support and bright ideas for the YEPs and their projects, and good luck for the new YEPs attending the training camp in November. – There’s exciting stuff ahead !