My blog post about the great event! Sir Peter Blake was a champion yachtsman turned environmentalist who used his passions for the ocean in his career as an athlete and environmentalist.

Enjoy!

The brilliant late breakfast on Tuesday (at 8, if you call that late) was a welcoming event that was to proceed the best day of YELF yet.

After we were chock full of delish cereal and toast (except for rebels like me - I had a snooze in and sacrificed my brekkie to sleep off that jet lag from an one hour flight from Auckland), we met the delightful Geoff Vause. Here was a legendary man, father of Emma (goddess of towels) and passionate journo who was to impart some significant editorial knowledge to us. We also had a seminar from our own Neil Mackenzie - Photographer to the Stars ?.

After politely waiting for our obvious awe to fade slightly, Geoff proceeded with great enthusiasm to bombard us with invaluable nuggets of information. I could sense the others' sluggish toast-filled brains straining to keep up with the breakneck pace, but I was at my most mentally acute (hahaha). We discussed the meaning of ethics, and the malleability of the term, in that societal pressures and cultural and economic differences had a prevailing influence in what one considered 'ethical', morally correct, or not. This led on to close analysis of how to construct a striking article to make our communities care about our pressing environmental issues. Heated discussion ensued.

Neil Mackenzie effortlessly met the bar set high by Geoff. Firstly, he won our respect by telling us his work withDancing With The Stars, Rugby World Cupetc., and gave us an invaluable insight into the life of a lone photographer living in this rugged country. We also got to learn how to crop these amazingly simple yet symbolic seagull pictures, according to the rule of thirds.

Although we YELF'ers were saddened we could not attend the Marae service, which was the original plan, The Neil and Geoff Show did much to entertain and inform us.

Next up: NIWA. Although we faced many obstacles in our journey (ie. one of my group going missing, then turning up disoriented in jandals despite the odious weather) we got there in the end, packed sandwiches clutched in sweaty palms. The NIWA line-up featured Rob Murdoch (Manager) the big daddy of NIWA Research, Cliff Law (Principal Scientist, Marine Biogeochemistry) the main man of sea acidification, and Richard O'Driscoll (Principal Scientist, Fisheries Monitoring) the magnanimous sea father. Rob presented us with the aspect of sovereignty and responsibility, and enlightened us on the changing oceanic current patterns. Cliff brought heaps of enthusiasm to the table with his work on pH decrease (acidification) in oceans due to the rising CO2 levels, and I found the chemistry, the imbalance of carbonate ions relative to H+ very interesting. Richard didn't fail to impress, speaking with fervour like a pro on his job as a fisheries scientist, and giving us advice if we were to go into that field.

Due to worryingly large amounts of white capped waves (an ominous foreshadowing?) Waka Ama was cancelled - the plan now being a stint of sailing, with a side of kayaking. Despite the fact most of us were at first apprehensive about the rowdiness of the Welly water, the popular opinion experienced a radical change. I personally loved my 'dungarees and fishy jacket' look. I embraced my inner blue thing from the midnight garden show, and there was another guy that exhibited an alarming representation to Super Mario in his red dungarees. Warmth, fashion, what else could you want? We were saturated in sailing knowledge (as well as in water), learning to pull the sail up and steer the rudder, and the kayak racing really got our blood pumping and our posteriors wet.

Getting home after the water activities, we were informed that spag and CORN! were on the menu tonight. My levels of excitement were unprecedented. Being a self-professed disciple of corn, I couldn't be happier.  
The debate that ensued was even sweeter than the delectable mud cake for dessert. The Wellington chills left our bones as each team heated up their engines, battling it out for the necessities that sustain teenage life - chocolates and lollies. Cross room discussion fired like Brits and Germans across the battlefield, with the central theme being marine life. We received questions on the value of it, how civilians can work with scientists to conserve it, and whether these conservation ideas should be carried out on a national or local level. The calibre of intellectual discussion was commendable, which truly shows YELF'ers dedication to preserving our NZ environment.

Well, that brings us to the here and now, with me perched on my blue lamington bed, amongst the battlefield of debris that my room has already become, tapping away. Honestly, I just didn't want today to end. And judging by the loud, salacious laughter erupting from some dorm rooms, the other YELF'ers don't want the day to end either!