Glen Wakefield - Sailing Master

John Ridgway Save the Albatross Voyage 2003-4

When the email arrived from John Ridgway on the morning of April 23, it said he would very much like me to join the Save the Albatross voyage as sail master “from start to finish, through thick and thin.” As the thought of spending the next year on board English Rose VI with John and Marie Christine, involved in an adventure that only comes along once in a lifetime sunk in, a thousand thoughts came to mind.

My first thought was about my father who taught me a great deal about the sea. He had learned as a young boy in Portsmouth and once he settled in Canada was drawn again to the ocean on the west coast. Together, we spent our summers fishing in a small, open plywood boat we had built. One of the most important things he taught me was how to remain calm and focused in the face of adversity. At those times when we found ourselves in difficult circumstances, I remember studying his face and listening carefully to the tone of his voice. Through it all, I was struck by his ability to keep his composure and never falter. There have been many times in my adventures at sea when I have relied on his wisdom.

Perhaps it is a reflection of my character, that I find myself drawn to the extremes of nature – and to moments of adversity – putting myself, and at times others, in situations that challenge ability and test resolve – sailing single-handed in 1997 in a 26 foot sailboat from Tonga to New Zealand in the path of Cyclone Lucy for 3 days. Kayaking alone offshore at night making a surf landing on a desolate beach in front of a summer gale. Sailing 5000 miles single-handed from Victoria to the Marquesas Islands in 42 days. Making a difficult crossing from Bora Bora to the Cook Islands in an El Nino tropical storm with my wife and two young daughters. And in each instance, setting out without hesitation.

From the time our children were infants, and for 10 years after that my wife Marylou and I felt compelled to involve our 2 daughters Claire and Nicola in ocean adventures and instill in them a respect and appreciation for nature we both share. We spent many summers ocean kayaking and wilderness camping on remote islands off our west coast. We’re very fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Some of the most challenging ocean experiences I have ever faced have been in the waters around Vancouver Island and they have prepared me well for my offshore adventures.

It’s difficult to know for sure when and how this passion for adventure and for being at sea first began. So many experiences come to mind – all of which have left an indelible impression. Perhaps it was the summer of 1970 I spent in Greece aboard The Blue Leopard, a magnificent 100-foot ketch skippered by my Uncle Bill. Or the times I skippered my 36 foot sloop in the rugged RNSA sponsored West Coast Race with crew who were never daunted by the ominous forces of the North Pacific. It could have been the times I’ve kayaked alone at night along a wilderness shore awestruck by light of a full moon.

What I do know for sure is that when I am at sea, I have an overwhelming feeling of being one tiny spec in a vast universe; and as a steward of this planet, I feel a great responsibility to do what I can to preserve what’s here for the next generation.

At a recent slide presentation held at the University of Victoria to raise awareness of the plight of albatrosses around the world, I was fortunate to meet some of the world’s leading scientists who have dedicated their lives to this issue. Carl Safina, Director of the Blue Ocean Institute and author of Eye of the Albatross and Sally Poncet who has spent the past 25 years in the Antarctic doing field surveys and mapping albatross colonies convinced an audience of more than 300 that we must act soon if we are to save the albatross.

Taking part in the Save the Albatross voyage around the world gives me a unique opportunity to act in a way that may make a difference. I’m convinced that if enough people become aware of the plight of albatrosses around the world and take action in their own way, we may stand a chance of saving this magnificent bird.

Glenn Wakefield
17 May 2003
Victoria, BC

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