Homeward Bound

Geological Society of Australia article for TAG March 2017

Homeward Bound 2016 was for me, quite literally, the trip of a lifetime. It was filled with ocean, snow, ice and the incredible beauty and rawness of nature aboard our real ‘Mother Ship’ – the Earth. As a geologist having worked in thermal coal for the last fourteen years, I climbed on-board the M.V. Ushuaia on the 2nd December with a huge dose of imposter syndrome, fearing I may be vilified and ostracised by this group of 75+ female climate change activists.  The knowledge that a film crew would be present conjured images of ‘Survivor Antarctica’ and the potential for me being voted off the boat even before we’d crossed the Drake Passage.  Fortunately, however, I found my companions were all incredibly intelligent, engaging, thoughtful and inclusive.  Although occasionally judgemental of the content of the HB program and how it was being run, I was surprised by the other participant’s…