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Dear Friends,
This is my first blog entry since I returned from Costa Rica on March 14.
Many things have happened since that time. My original webmaster who had
set up the website three years ago and was also my tenant for eight
years, shut down the website in early July, days after he
left his tenancy, leaving me with a $11,000 repair bill. You can imagine
that my summer was somewhat stressful - not only did I have to totally
renovate the cottage that he had inhabited and not taken care of for all
those years, but I had to face the loss of three years of my work in
promoting marine sanctuaries. I did not know that a modern form of
vandalism is as easy as the click of a mouse to undo years of hard
work... Nor could I have ever imagined the level of vindictiveness this
act would have taken, and the desire to harm not only me, but also the
projects.
I became very ill as a result of all this - and also lost two family
members and a friend during the same time.
Frozen shoulder is every swimmers worst nightmare. It is nearly
impossible to swim without an arm. It happened overnight after I pulled
out a drowning man from Marie Canyon on the Cowichan River. This is the
most dangerous rapid on the entire river and the man whose life needed
saving was very drunk and perhaps didn't even realize how close a call
he had had. By the next morning I could not move my left arm. Many
massages later as well as the use of a new supplement, Serrapeptase,
have given me my movement back.
My principal sponsor, Dawne Deeley, put me in touch with her Kennel
Manager - she breeds Karelian Bear Dogs - who was incredibly helpful in
rescuing my hijacked website. Steve Barker was able to retrieve the
material of the website and spent many hours working with me to make
this happen. I also involved police and a lawyer. My greatest thanks
goes to Don Bonnenfant who owns
DKL Consulting. When I called him to
explain my situation, he came to my house that day and spent three hours
working on retrieving the website and all its material. He was outraged
at the injustice that I had experienced - that anyone would dare to
abuse a client's trust in this way. In his fifteen years as a website
designer he had never come across a similar situation. I am immensely
grateful for Don's generosity in offering to re-establish, improve and
maintain the website. This is an incredibly precious offer from someone
who did not know me until the day I called him. It is this kind of
heartfelt gesture that makes my swims happen in the first place. Without
sponsorship I would never be able to do any of the projects I have done
so far, or will be doing in the future.
Recently, I have discovered two seal rocks not far from here and have
made many new friends there. I swim with them everyday and it is helping
me to feel at home in our local cold Salish Sea. To lie on their rock
and soak up the sun with them is absolutely blissful. I believe they are
starting to recognize me now.
Spending time with these amazing creatures reinforces my sense of
obligation to the sea. Just yesterday, I had a strong intuitive sense
that it may be time to go to one of the places where they are suffering
from oil spills and offer my help in cleaning them up.
The ocean offers me so much that it is easy to keep my end of the
bargain - work on Her behalf, especially in the promotion of Marine
Sanctuaries.
Right now, I am working on three swims: a Mexico swim from late October
to mid December, a Costa Rica swim from January to the beginning of
April and next year, a Columbia swim.
This blog entry is typed by Carol Jones who is my new Assistant.
Renate Herberger MA
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World Ocean Day - June 8, 2010
We are celebrating World Ocean Day, a date designated by the United Nations to recognize our relationship with the ocean through so many different ways of connection. The official day is June 8, and around the world, through the World Ocean Network, The Ocean Project, and many other associations with ocean interests, events will take place to highlight the value of ocean resources. There will be maritime festivals and beach clean-ups, school projects and environmental presentations the world over – in Africa and Asia, Europe and the Americas. What was once a bright idea is now an international event that for one brief moment focuses some part of ephemeral world interest on the ocean and its benefit for all mankind. World Ocean Observatory
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Mission Statement: |
 Swimming long distances along the coasts of warm countries like the length of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica which I have now swum 3 times, is akin to the migrations that we usually associate with marine life such as humpback whales. By placing myself in this environment, I have become one with their world, able to experience the interconnectedness of ocean life.
Having now completed over 3000 kilometers in 4 migratory swims, 3 in Costa Rica and 1 in Mexico, I now have a much better sense of the seriousness of the threats to the worlds oceans.
In the last 6 months, almost all of the corals, with the exception of a very few specimens of brain coral, around the remote archipelago of Murcielago in northern Costa Rica have died. Corals almost everywhere are dying. Jellyfish are blooming in unheard of masses. Ocean temperatures are warming. and over fishing continues unabated except in MPAs (Marine Protected Areas or Marine Sanctuaries) that are well patrolled.
My cause is to help promote new MPAs and to encourage vigilance of the existing MPAs. It is now considered imperative by all the major ocean protection organizations to place a minimum of 30% of the world's oceans into MPAs by 2030 to prevent a disaster of a magnitude we can't even imagine. The rest of my life is devoted to making this a reality.
I am able to have access to the general public via the media through these extended multimonth swims and can help to inspire others to take action on behalf of the oceans.
I hope my future swims will be an inspiration to you and will foster the view that the sea is not to be feared, polluted and exploited, but defended, protected and celebrated.
We human beings are composed mostly of water, and by being immersed in the ocean 8 hours a day, for several months, I hope to open people's minds to the miracle that is marine life and to our dependence upon it.
As we see the effects of global climate change increasing, we realize that we must change our way of life to one that is more in harmony with the needs of all living beings or we will suffer the consequences of the breakdown of the web of life that sustains us.
The environmental organizations like PRETOMA that will be funded by the proceeds of my swims are bringing this idea to reality by raising awareness of the fragility of our marine environment and by urging people to action.
We look forward to your support! Renate Herberger, April 2010 |
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Latest News, Articles and Picture Links for 2009 - 2010 Mexico and Costa Rica Swims
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Dear Friends and Sponsors,
This is my time to finally thank you all individually and collectively for supporting my third Pacific coast swim from the Panama border to the Nicaraguan border for marine sanctuaries. It has now been recognized that the creation of more and larger marine protected areas, or marine sanctuaries, is absolutely key to the healing of the oceans and therefore to our climate.
The world's largest marine organizations all agree that we need to fight for a minimum of 30% MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) by 2030 to avert catastrophic consequences. As we all reel from the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that continues unabated, I am more aware than ever that my work on behalf of marine sanctuaries has just begun, and is more urgent than ever.
This most recent swim therefore will not be my last.
I plan to continue doing swims like these for the rest of my life.
They are an effective way to raise public awareness of the need for MPAs, and to inspire action, individually as well as collectively.
I feel very fortunate to have had the support of the major media of Costa Rica some of which publish internationally.
Without the help of my many hotel sponsors it would have been impossible for me to have achieved my goals on my minute budget of only $6,750 for 5 months of swimming consisting of back to back expeditions, one in Mexico and one in Costa Rica.
Having had the priviledge of working with the PRETOMA boat as my support for a full week I am so pleased to announce that my next Pacific coast swim along the entire Costa Rican coast will be a joint project with PRETOMA!
I am astonished and grateful that in those 5 months from October until March every single overnight's accommodation and most of the meals were sponsored.
The generosity I have experienced on these swims has been absolutely overwhelming and I am so pleased that being an activist so far has not involved filing for personal bankruptcy!
My next door neighbour Dawne Deeley has been my primary financial support on all 3 expedition seasons so far and I look forward to this continued support. Her $5,000 cheque for this past season constituted the bulk of my financing.
Special thanks must go to Brenda Bernhardt who knew me for the length of one workshop in October 2009 and was so moved by my environmental swim actions that she wrote me a cheque for $1,000.
Let me list individually the sponsors also detailed on the donations page of my website, chronologically!
Feel free to forward this thank you letter to anyone who has helped along the way, but for who I could not locate an email address! |
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Johnny Mendez, Diario Extra Thank you, Johnny Mendez, staff writer of Diario Extra, Costa Rica's most popular newspaper, for unflagging support of the last phase of my swim, with 3 separate news entries, TV interviews and internet publications.
You were there when I emerged out of the sea at Bahia Salinas to congratulate me for completing the 1011 km swim. You connected me with the mayor of La Cruz and were there when things fell apart, which they did regularly, and always let me know I was your personal heroine! Matias Gonzaga Thank you, Matias Gonzaga, mayor of La Cruz, for 5 days of boat support. recreocostarica.com Thank you, Stanley and Margaret and Christine, for 3 nights of accomodation in your luxurious villa, and fabulous meals every day! And thank you for covering the gas for one day of boat support, and tipping the owner of the phone line i used when no other communication was available, so generously! Manuel Allan, owner of SantaElena lodge Thank you, Manuel Allan, for 2 nights accomodation in your beautiful lodge with the most amazing wood everywhere, and all the wonderful meals during those 2 days! samba, MINAET Thank you, Samba, for giving me 1 day of boat support while swimming the section around the magical Murcielago Islands! MINAET Santa Rosa Thank you, Samba and Cristian, for 4 nights of accomodation on the isla San Jose field stations grounds, and all the love and care you showered on us! Resort Divers Thank you, Robert, owner of Resort Divers, for a wonderful day of diving in the Papagayo Bay, and 3 days of boat support, that brought me right to heaven on the island of San Jose! Tranquilamar Sportfishing Thank you, owner Bob of Tranquilamar, for one day of boat support! Ocotal beach resort Thank you, Adriana, for setting up my 5 nights at Ocotal beach resort, in the honeymoon suite, which was absolute heaven! And thank you for the wonderful day of diving with the resort dive center! Donde Claudio y Gloria Thank you, owner Javier Rojas, for 5 nights accomodations in employee quarters next to your restaurant, as well as the meals during those days. Out of 5 offered boat support days offered, 1 became reality, thank you. |
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Charly Weber, Casa Time Out Thank you, Charly, for 2 nights of accomodation, February 19 and 20, 2010, at your lovely cabin and the best ever German breakfeasts including German homemade bread! And that unforgettable Pizza made right there from scratch in your homemade oven! Cabinas Ostional Thank you, Cabinas Ostional, for your donation of the turtle mass arrival tour! Karla, the Healing Center of Radiant Awakening Thank you, Karla, for that lovely and so needed massage at the Harrmony Nosara Hotel, in the peaceful healing Centre of radiant Awakening! Bobbi Johnson Thank you, Bobbi Johnson and other friends from Nosara, for your very generous donation of $400 US towards boat support! And thank you to the audience of 15 souls in my workshop in Nosara that contributed 25$ in total towards the swim! TLT the Leatherback Trust Thank you, Aimee Lesie, for one day of boat support financial coverage, and coordinating my stay at Playa Grande! And for that handy memory stick! MINAET Thank you, Rotney Piedra, Park Director,for providing the logistics for my swim through the Parque Nacional Marino de las Baulas. Kike's Place Thank you, Kike, for 5 nights of accomodation and all the meals at your wonderful place named after you, and for buying all the gas for 4 days of boat support, as well as paying the salary of the capitan, 100.000 Colones, or appx. 200$. A special thanks also for picking me up by car in Nosara, and transporting me back and forth to the boat, and back to Kike's place! Kike's Place Thank you, Kike, for picking me up by car in Nosara and taking me to your place - named "Kike's Place"! - for my Playa Grande base from February 14 until 19, including all the meals, and access to your boat, and transportation to and from the boat access! And thank you and your wife for your care during my circulation collapse on February 15, calling doctors, and arranging for my safety! Carlos, owner of Pacifico Azul restaurant Thank you, Carlos, for 2 days of boat support, February 9 and 10! Harmony Nosara Hotel Thank you, Irene Morales, manager of Harmony Nosara Hotel in Nosara, for your wonderful sponsorship of 7 nights and all the meals, and an amazing atmosphere of peace and love, and countless phone calls to try to find a boat capitan! And thank you for giving me an opportunity for a staff workshop that was even attended by the general manager of operations of www.Cayugaonline.com , Jorge Arietta! PRETOMA Thank you, Randall Arauz, director of PRETOMA, Costa Rica's foremost environmental activist organization and NGO, for giving me exclusive access to your vigilance boat from February 1 to 6, including the capitan, and Eric, a wonderful observer and assistant for the journey! And thank you for your contribution of 30.000 Colones - appx. 60 $ - towards the salary of the capitan! Punta Islita hotel Thank you, Alonso Bermudez, manager of Punta Islita Hotel, for sponsoring 6 nights from February 1 to 7 and all the meals in one of the most beautiful hotels in the world! I am so honored you chose to be a part of this swim in this most generous way, including a workshop you asked me to give to staff, and to the community! |
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Richard, www.ticamassage.com Thank you, Richard, for a much needed massage on February 8, 2010, what a massive relief it provided! it was an hour in heaven! HAWE, www.bocanosaratours.com Thank you, HAWE and Beate, for a wonderful ride on February 8, 2010, when my boat support once again fell through - it was the perfect way to forget the loss of a swim day, on the back of one of your magnificent horses! Interbus, transport from Quepos to Jaco Thank you to Interbus for sponsoring the bus transport on February 1, 2010, with all my gear from Quepos to the ferry terminal in Herradura, Jaco! Alberto, Zuma Tours, Montezuma On February 1, 2010, I had the pleasure to be sponsored for the boat crossing of the Golfo de Nicoya, from Herradura to Montzuma, by the owner of Cocozuma tours, Alberto. On top of that, Alberto gave 9 gallons of gasoline towards my boat support with PRETOMA, a very generous gesture indeed! Thank you, Alberto! Villa Lirio Thank you, Robert, owner of the Casa Roland hotels, for 3 nights accomodation at the lovely Villa Lirio in Quepos, from the 29. to the 31. of January! H2O Adventures, Rios Tropicales Thank you, everyone of Rios Tropicales, for an amazing river rafting experience on the Naranjo River! An especial thank you to Katherine for typing a very long blog entry for me, right after being the safety boater! Paul, Manuel Antonio Expeditions Thank you, Paul, for the morning tour into Manuel Antonio Park with one of your very knowledgable guides! Katharine Evans, Oceans Unlimited Thank you, Katharine, for one nights accomodation in your lovely home, and that fabulous Thai dinner you prepared for us! And thanks for letting me call one of my sons, and lots of local calls! Titi Canopy Tour Thank you for a wonderful zipline tour on the 28. of January 2010, that included seeing 2 green and black poison dart frogs! And the most handsome guide Luis! Hotel Si Como No, Quepos Thank you, owner Jim, for hosting me for 4 nights and all the meals in your spectacular hotel in Manuel Antonio, from the 24. to the 27. of January 2010! The view from the room was spectacular, looking out into my favorite swim site of the 1000 km swim! Oscar Monche, Mayor of Quepos Thank you to the mayor of Quepos for 75.000 Colones - appx. 150$ Can. - towards a day and a half of boat support! And a ride in the police van transporting my belongings form one accomodation to another in Quepos! Amigos del Rio, Quepos Thank you, Amigos del Rio, for an inspiring day rafting the famous Savegre River on January 25! Thank you for giving me an opportunity to paddle in a tiny inflatable kayak, just me and a guide, Ronny, and for the donation of the photo CD! Iguana Tours Thank you, Andy from Iguana Tours, for inviting me along on an afternoon of horseback riding, swimming in a waterfall, and a great dinner! And thank you to Split Ear, the horse that faithfully carried me all afternoon! Oceans Unlimited Scuba Diving Thank you to the staff at Oceans Unlimited for a fabulous day of diving, and seeing again old friends! It is always so wonderful to know there are fans out there! And even better, to get to dive with them! |
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Aguila de Osa tours Thank you, Carlos, for inviting me to the mangrove tour along the Sierpe! Even though I was so sick in that day I enjoyed all of your wonderful explanations of the wildlife we saw! And thank you for the snorkling tour to Isla de Cano, my favorite place in the world, and my spiritual home! Walter Brenes, Bahia Aventuras Thank you, Walter, for a wonderful half day tour to see dolphins! What a treat to see so many of them, swimming so close to the boat! And thank you to Junior, your capitan, who traded his fins for a pair of mine, his being much softer and therefore less harmful to my tendonitis in the feet! David, Southern Expeditions Thank you, David, for a wonderful day tour with your company Southern Expeditions to Isla de Cano, including a mangrove tour along the Sierpe! What a splendid day it was! Chango, Bahia Ballena Tours Thank you, Chango Jose, for giving me one full day of boat support, and access to one of your boats for 3 other days of support! Your capitan Antonio helped me to find all the best routes on that day´s swim trajectory, and was absolutely delightful to work with! Rana Roja cabinas Thank you, Jose and Marielo, for 6 nights of accomodation and transport to and from the boat with all my luggage during base changes! Esteban Calderon, owner of Bahia Azul Thank you, Esteban Calderon, for your kind donation of computer time anytime I needed it while in Bahia Ballena, and that lovely farewell dinner! www.hotelbahiaazul.com Kumari, Mystic Dive Centre Thank you Kumari, for arranging for me to stay at the Rana Roja hotel in Bahia Ballena, and for a lovely dinner on my second night - the 19. of January - here, as well as the purchase of a very expensive medicine, Nexum, to treat my stomach ailment! Jorge Uribe Thank you Jorge Uribe , owner of the Las Vegas Restaurant in Sierpe, for your kind donation of 50,000 Colones - appx. 100$ - for one days boat support in the Drake area! Abraham Concepcion Thank you so much, dear Abraham, for donating the use of your gorgeous home at Punta Encanto for 5 nights so the Marien Rite of Passage could have a magical home base! Vasti, Michelle, Berta and me were treated like long lost family, and your meals wered divine!You treated us with utmost care and kindness AND SUPPORTED US IN EVERY WAY, INCLUDING THE USE OF YOUR CINEMALIKE TV TO SHOW ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIES AT NIGHT, THE USE OF YOUR POOL FOR RELAXATION AFTER A HARD DAY´S SWIM, THE COMPLETE ACCESS TO YOUR KITCHEN - YOU SPARED NO EFFORT TO MAKE US COMFORTABLE! Bradd, owner of Aguila de Osa Thank you, Bradd, for your kind donation of 9 nights in youre fabled Inn, 6 of these even in your very own bedroom! Thank you also for this very special trust in me! Thank you for all the wonderful meals during my stay at Aguila de Osa! I think I gained ten pounds at least! Emmanuel Express Restaurant Thank you, Emmanuel Express restaurant in Puerto Jimenez, for all those lovely meals December 16 to 18! And thank you for the use of your laptop! Parrott Bay Village Thank you, Parrott Bay Village, for the beautiful guest cottage No. 1 for one night, Deceber 18, 2009! Aventuras Tropicales Thank you, Aventuras Tropicales, for a wonderful kayaking tour in the Golfo Dulce! FECOPT Thank you, FECOPT (Federacion Costarricense de la Pesca Turistica) for 6 days boat support in the Golfo Dulce, 6 days boat support for the Punta Burica to Punta Matapalo section, hotel accomodation in the Fogon de Dońa Innez in Pilon and meals. Jackeline, Choza del Manglar Thank you, Jackeline, owner of Choza del Manglar, for 7 nights of accomodations and breakfeasts surrounded by jungle and crocodiles and monkeys! I especially appreciated your converting an office space into a lovely bedroom for me, with air conditioning and lots of space, as well as the use of a bicycle! Analucia Gonzales Thank you, my very dear friend Analucia, for kindly cancelling my first Costa Rican phone bill for the month of December in the amount of 29275 Colones (appx. 60 $) via internet |
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Day before departure, Dallas Road, taken by David Millar, and old friend from Spanish classes |
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To my fellow swimmers,
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift, that there are those
Who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart and will
Suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push
Off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes
Open, and our heads above the water.
And I say, see who is in there with you and
Celebrate.
At this time in history we are to take nothing
personal. Least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do our spiritual
Growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word “struggle” from your attitude
And your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred
Manner and in celebration.
WE ARE THE ONES WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR
-Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation. |
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When I returned from my first swim from Punta Burrica to nearly Bahia Salinas on Apil 18th 2008, I had just arrived short 70 km of my original goal, to swim the full length of the Costa Rica Pacific shoreline. At that time, I was due to fly back to Canada, my visitor visa was running out and I had a son in hospital, so it was not possible to complete the swim at that time.
Due to logistical reasons - lack of a support boat at that time - I was also not able to cross the Golfo de Nicoya.
Lastly, there was a short section north of Samara and south of Playa Avellana for which I did not have a support boat and thus was not able to swim.
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November 20, 2008
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Because of these omissions I am returning to Costa Rica on January 6, 2009 to retake the entire route. This time, my intention is to swim the entire route accompanied by just one boat and one boat driver. This will make the logistics of the swim a lot easier, but also increase the cost phenomenally. For obvious reasons, the boat driver will have to be paid a salary and gasoline has to be purchased for the boat. Therefore, I am looking for sponsorships that will help cover the aproximate cost of $15,000. This would reflect 50 swimming days covering aproximatly 20 km a day, and a salary for the boat driver of $100 per day, the use of his time, expertise and boat. I am calculating that gas could cost up to $100 a day also. I am hoping that the hotels along the way will once again show the same wonderful generosity as on the first swim and donate the overnight accomodations as well as some of the food. I am, as always, volunteering my time and effort in all aspects of the organization and the swim itself.
The need to promote marine santuaries is more urgent than ever. Only one hundredth of one percent of oceans worldwide is under protection currently. However, twelve percent of land is under protection worldwide, and this also is by far not enough to allow our planet to slowly heal. We all depend on our oceans. With the threat of extintion for so many species, the world situation regarding the health of our oceans is very precarious.
So the reason for my first swim is obviously the same reason again, to appeal to governments, environmental organizations, businesses and the general public to reconsider our relationship with the sea and to inspire massive participation and enforcement to actively protect it, specially through the creation and maintenance of marine sanctuaries. To this end, I will once again be teaching workshops in costal communities, and solicit press interviews wherever is possible, in order to increase awareness of and compassion for the plight of the sea and its creatures.
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