Office of Marine Programs
University of Rhode Island
Narragansett Bay Campus
Narragansett, RI 02882-1197
Phone: 401-874-6211
Fax: 401-874-6486
Email: OMP@gso.uri.edu
Thera Expedition
Teacher: Kathleen
Podraza
Date: Monday, May 1, 2006
As we sail a very small portion of the Sea of Crete, my imagination cannot begin to fathom the entire set of Greek Islands being covered in volcanic ash. All those poor souls. If it is true that on Judgment Day all souls will rise from their death beds, this will be one crowded place.
We can now look at the Mt. St. Helen's volcanic eruption and get a small sense of volcanic destruction; the latest tsunamis, and the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina are other, more recent events, that gives one pause to the devastation that landed upon Thera so long ago; yet still so hard to imagine.
We can learn from the past, but we cannot stop the planet from doing what it does. We arrogantly think we are the top minds in the evolution of our species. We fail to see that the geologic and metrological powers of the planet care not a hoot for our degrees, wealth, status, or society. We just get in the way of the natural course of events, we are flung aside like tiny bits of string in the wind; strands of thread not needed in the fabric of earth's existence.
As the Earth goes along doing what it must, we simply stand "watch" on our expedition to today, tomorrow and beyond. Unfortunately, as pieces of plastic bags, soda cans, and bottles float by, reality states that we don't really stand Earth's watch too well. The human record of stewardship is severely lacking as the drifting trash reminds one.
My favorite line is from Jurassic Park, the movie, when the scientist (played by Jeff Goldbloom) says, "But life finds a way." It really does rise out of the ashes and this place is a perfect example.
Back in the Main Lab: We are 5 minutes to returning to a target; music in the background; tavern games put aside; everyone ready to try and see the target again; the amount of people in the main lab has increased from the usual 4 to 12.
