- Great vid of UN Negotiator Dessima Williams, Chair of Alliance of Small Island States. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmaOnxHcob0 #climate #
- Heading to meet with the President of the RMI to bring him up to speed of the project. Hopefully we'll get an interview. #climate #
- Meeting with the President of the RMI to bring him up to speed of the project. Hopefully we'll get an interview. #climate #
- Working on a trailer for the show. In the meantime here's some on-location underwater photos. http://tinyurl.com/yhcxf3c #climate #
- Behind the scenes of filming the show and the building of the Natual Currents wind turbine on Arno. http://tinyurl.com/y9ccnw3 #climate #
- Biorock: A Hybrid of Good Things for the People of Arno. http://tinyurl.com/yz66pph #climate #
Dispatch FB
December 5, 2009
We are about to hit 300 FB followers.
If you havent already please feel free to follow the Face Book Group: Dispatch Series.
As always we appreciate the support.
- Dispatch Team
A Big Weekend in Arno
December 4, 2009
Freddy and I are finishing up the trailer; there is almost too much material to sort though. We hope to get this up on the web for first thing next week – the heli footage couldn’t have come at a better time!
We are heading to Arno in a few hours to what we hope will be more epic scenics and underwater footage. The Island we are heading to, Arno, Arno, is nothing short of paradise. It is everything a postcard has including white sandy beaches, lush vegetation and a lagoon with a colour like no other. Here are a few frame grabs from our last visit. It’s moments like these that really make me wish my wife was here. Of all the people involved in this project she deserves most to share this experience.
Biorock: A Hybrid of Good Things for the People of Arno
This project came together as a result of a lifetime of work by Dr. Thomas Goreau. Dr. Goreau’s technology called Biorock is a revolutionary system that allows him to grow coral reefs at five to ten times the natural rate. Dr. Goreau and his team construct cage skeletons out of steel rebar on shore, take them out into the surf and submerge them.
Once in place they run a low voltage DC electrical current through the structures which causes the formation of calcium. Calcium is the material that shell organisms use to build their homes. Once coral is attached to the metal skeleton it begins to make use of the surplus calcium to grow at an accelerated rate. For the past 20 plus years Dr. Goreau has been traveling the world installing this technology in areas where coral reefs are damaged or bleached from the rise in sea water temperatures. Not only does this technology have the ability to sustainably regenerate reefs that have been bleached, in this case it can be used to create much needed shore protection for the eroding beaches of Arno.
These Biorock structures are at an early stage, once fully mature they are completely covered in coral. These structures have been designed to provide fish habitat for the depleting local fish stock – hiding fish are happy fish!
One of the biggest challenges that Dr. Goreau has faced is providing reliable electricity to his structures. The need for a steady power supply has driven him to research new energy technologies which can help service the Biorock’s power needs. As a result of his extensive knowledge in developing green energy technologies, Dr. Goreau now coordinates the United Nations’ Commission on Sustainable Development Partnership in New Technologies for Small Island Developing States. Through his efforts at the UN he connected with Roger Bason and his company Natural Currents, which has developed tidal and wind power systems to harness energy from the marine environment. Roger’s vision to service the marine communities of the world with sustainable energy is incredibly inspiring. After talking with Roger you cant help but be hopeful that humanity now may have real answers to solving our energy issues.
Roger Bason of Natural Currents. The interview was an enlightening experience. 
Together Banson and Dr. Goreau have designed a system that will produce enough energy to power what they hope will be the largest Biorock structure ever installed. Their other chief goal is to generate enough surplus energy from the wind turbine, and soon-to-be installed tidal turbine to distribute green power to the villages of Ine and Jabo. These people live with very little access to power and are excited about having access to reliable energy. I think this is an amazing project that will hopefully set precedence and show the rest of the world how easily green energy can be offered to the communities of Pacific Islands.
Production on Arno
December 1, 2009
From the get go we wanted to add as much production value to this project as we possibly could. I had no idea how difficult executing some of the most basic steps of production would be in Arno – even setting up our dolly track proved to be a big challenge. Transporting it and then setting it up in such rough terrain was difficult, but we managed to get it set and use it for some great shots. The footage is really coming together.
The focus of a lot of our time on Arno was documenting the building of the Natural Currents Wind Turbine. This took an enormous amount of effort to build by both the NC install team, the locals and even our production crew. Once in place and erected it truly became an inspiring sight. To see this very unique piece of technology on the beaches of one of the most remote islands in the Pacific was pretty special. Once you come to understand the empowering ability it has to provide this island community with clean energy you really begin to appreciate the vision and dedication of Dr. Thomas Goreau and Roger Bason.
Roger is truly an inspiring man. He and his company Natural Currents have a refreshing vision to share clean energy with the world. Their commitment to bring this state-of-the-art wind turbine to Arno and service the energy needs of Dr. Goreau’s Biorock and local community is nothing short of inspiring. To choose this very remote location as a pilot site when they could have easily chosen a much easier location for this project is true testament of their commitment to bring clean energy to all communities of the world. Personally I can say that it was a great experience interviewing Roger on the shores of Arno, I cant wait to upload some clips of our talk once we get a solid internet connection.
Natural Production Value
November 30, 2009
While on Arno we visited a pretty incredible reef. You might say it was like an underwater fjord that you could pretty much wade out to the end of and that just dropped off for as far as the eye could see. For a guy like me who had never been snorkeling before this was quite an experience, the color of the water was a blue I had never seen before and the amount of life that you saw was sureal. We are blessed on this trip to have use of a great piece of equipment; an underwater housing for the Canon 5D Mark II, in most of these shots you can see the crew putting it to use – I cant wait to upload some footage from these sessions on the reef, this really is an amazing world. We are currently working on a short trailer for the show which when we post it will have some of these shots, but in the meantime I figured I would toss up these photos I managed to take with my little underwater digicam to give you a glimpse at one of our shoot locations.
Paul and Freddy discussing the finer points of underwater photography.
My first time snorkeling, luckily I have these shots to remind me of how amazing the experience was…
Always bring an Auzzie out for these kinds of shoots. This was Paul’s first dive with the camera and after literally having it in his hands for less than half a minute he dove down and swam through this fissure – the shot is sick! 
Where do you even start?
November 29, 2009
Well we are back in the RMI capital of Majuro suffering from a little bit of shell shock, but all safe and sound none the less. Our experience on Arno was a thrill ride to say the least. If ever there was a need to have a crew document the making of the documentary it was on this trip. I’ve never experienced so many near tragedies that were only to be followed by the most amazing moments. Needless to say what we have captured on this trip will undoubtedly produce an amazing show.
It’s a big day for the crew because today we are heading with Thomas Goreau to meet with the President of the RMI to bring him up to speed of the project, and hopefully secure a interview with him. Now that we have internet access again, we are going to post more stories of our adventures so please keep checking in.
DP Freddy Fredrickson working with Thomas Goreau
Last Day on Tarawa
November 18, 2009
It’s hard to believe but I am finally getting off this island! I have refrained from getting into the details of my extended layover at the risk of adding to what I initially saw as some extremely bad luck. I arrived here on the 7th anticipating catching a flight out of here on Nov. 12th. Unbeknownst to me this flight was cancelled until further notice. I had been warned that the airlines here were sometimes a little suspect but I figured that if you are booked on a flight the airline will honor its agreement and fly on its scheduled day. Not here. Apparently this airline, flights are only confirmed after there is a certain percentage of paid reservations until then they are in limbo. This was the case with my flight on the 12th. After arriving I immediately found out that there were not enough passengers to service the flight and it had been canceled.
For the past 10 days I have been searching for anyway to get me the last 2000km of my journey. I’ve looked into multiple airline charters and even had one on stand by. And for a few days I was operating my own travel agency out of the hotel, trying to drum up passengers from Tarawa and Majuro to help offset the $10,000 charter fee. I even looked into jumping aboard a shipping freighter that was heading to the Marshalls.
Well my flight is coming today and I am heading out finally!
Yesterday I was lucky enough to be invited for a picnic at the beach, which coincidentally enough is another home to more WWII relics. My new friends Grace, Vivian and family were even nice enough to give me a lift to the travel agent to pick up my ticket.
Well I am off to meet the crew – we will post more from the Marshalls.
I may have created a monster, my new friend Carlos couldnt be any more happier if I had ‘forgotten’ my iphone with him.
A Thank You from The Dispatch Team
November 17, 2009
A Quick Note from the Team…
We really appreciate you taking the time to follow our project. From the very limited time that we have spent here in the
Pacific islands it is apparent that the situation here could not be any more serious. We look forward to continuing to post
as many updates as possible from here on the front lines.
Thanks again for the support and feel free to continue to spread the word .
- The ‘Dispatch’ Team