Topher's Tales - Antarctica 2001
"My own belief is that the universe exists as a miracle and we have been born here to witness and celebrate. We wonder at our purpose for living. Our purpose is to perceive the fantastic. Why have a universe if there is no audience.
"We are that audience. We are here to see and touch, describe and move. Our job then, is to occupy ourselves with paying back the gift. This must be at the center of the stories that we writers create for tomorrow. In this way [the stories] will always continue to tell of what is past, or passing, or to come."
- Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction writer
<<Topher The Europa>> 
In February 2001, I sailed on the 3-masted bark Europa on a 21 day voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina to the Antarctic Peninsula. For more information on this beautiful ship, visit their website www.barkeuropa.com.
THE LOGBOOK (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
I have my quill in the inkwell as you read this, and as soon as the ink on the parchment is dry I will scan it in and add a few hyperlinks.
PHOTO GALLERIES
HANNAH POINT (Livingston Island)
SAILOR'S EYES
I was not the only artist on this voyage. The romance of a grand tall ship sailing in the wake of Antarctic tradition drew out several very creative people. This section celebrates the other voices of our passage. Some of it is the art of this voyage, some of it is other works and projects these artists have done. My purpose here is to provide a forum for displaying or linking to their views, their talents, so that you can also see the world through these sailor's eyes.
IF YOU WERE ON THIS PASSAGE, please feel free to submit writings, photos and video clips about the voyage. This is your web page as well as mine, and the more you contribute, the richer it can become.
JOYCE LUBBERS' EUROPA PAGE - Joyce brought along her pastels and pad to give this stark world an infusion of color. She has captured the spirit of our voyage in her drawings.
TODD JARRELL - Todd is a professional writer for the Tall Ship community. He has an audio book out, Slow Dance With the Planet, which tells the stories of his time on the Picton Castle. He also has his own website slowdancewiththeplanet.com. He is writing audio stories for the BBC and NPR about this voyage, and for those people who fly United Airlines, look for a feature article in the airline's Hemispheres magazine in July 2001. Until all of that is published and I can create links to it, follow this link to an article written about our voyage by National Geographic where they interviewed Todd about the trip.
LEO STEUNS - THE JOLLY BARK EUROPA - Written by my cabin mate Leo, this is the song our cabin sang at the talent show. It's a combo of Dutch and English, and even the English is somewhat dutch, so for my English speaking only friends, let me just say it's really funny in parts.
