Let's start off with an introduction

"It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins, the exact 

same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, 

we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the 

ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it — 

we are going back from whence we came. "

—John F. Kennedy 

I find it intriguing, the effect that the ocean has on me. Whilst studying for exams, repeating lifecycles til I drop or writing reports that sometimes barely make sense to myself I find myself doubting why I put myself in the position of studying something that has few, at the best, chances of ever landing me a secure work-position (even though a secure job never was my highest priority, it is still something I would like to have the possibility to procure one day). 

Then I feel the smell of the ocean, and it all falls to place. The question has no concrete answer. For me, it is simply the feeling of finding your way home after a long array of confusing paths. And there are few things as natural as searching for ways to protect the essence of your home. 

The oceans are the origin of life, and neither the natural nor  the anthropological evolution since has created an independence from those two-thirds of our planet that we still know so little about.  We need the oceans to survive, and here, in their prescence, I feel it in every cell of my being. 

Backround-check 

My name is Therese Carlsson and Im studying to become a marine-biologist at the University of Gothemburg, I started 2010, but ive studied some environmental science, environmental law and environmental politics before. 

This is my third time in Brasil, I was here 2007-2008 and 2009, at a total for 13 months; 10 months working at a wonderful orphanage outside of Rio called casa do caminho, and 3 months working at the chinese djunk Kublais Kahn II (she was my first real introduction to the ocean when I met her the first time in 2006, and maybe my first love, but thats a story we can take another time).  It was then that I first met Tocorime and her owner Markus Lehman. 

When I heard that Tocorime was the ship that was going to make this journey (I already heard about the project it from some dutch sailors I met whilst crewing on a boat this summer) I quickly applied to join the boat as a volunteer-crew. After a long nervous waiting Markus answered that I was welcome to join the crew. 

So, 23 years and 123 days old I joined the crew onboard of Tocorime Pamatjori (the name means adventurous spirit) in Paraty in Brasil. My intention was to partake in a project designated to follow the footsteps of Darwin from Fernando do noronha to Galapagos. It turned out that the project was very delayed, but nonetheless I fell inlove with the boat and the experience, so when I was offered to work on the boat I decided to stay to help realize this amazing project. So at the moment we are raising money, sailing the coast and partaking in different events and doing alot of maintenance work. 

Since we are spending alot of time sailing I wont always be able to access the internet but Ill do my best to keep the blog up to date.