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Cruise navigates world's most dangerous route

<p>Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity has successfully completed its controversial voyage through the treacherous Northwest Passage, a route inaccessible 100 years ago.</p> <p>The Northwest Passage is a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, via waterways that extend through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The route has traditionally been blocked by ice, but global warming has changed this and many sections of the water which were previously too tricky to cross can now be navigated.</p> <p>For 32 days the 1,000 passengers and 600 crew aboard the Crystal Serenity witnessed sights few others have seen over the 7,000 natural miles of remote Arctic waterways and as the ship arrived in New York the voyage was hailed as a success.</p> <p>Captain Birger J. Vorland told <em>Cruise Critic</em>, “The voyage was very successful, and there were no surprises. There was actually less ice than we anticipated… I never felt the enthusiasm wane. Everything clicked. I never experienced an atmosphere like this before in my 38 years at sea.”</p> <p>So what’s next for cruising in this part of the world?</p> <p>Well, the Crystal Serenity is set to sail the Northwest Passage again in the summer of 2017, and other lines have signalled their intent to try their hand at this itinerary.</p> <p>But not everybody’s happy.</p> <p>Bernie MacIsaac of Nunavut's Department of Economic Development, the region most hit by the influx of cruise passengers, contends clear restrictions must be in place.</p> <p>MacIsaac said, “The [territory] is considering new marine tourism regulations that would mitigate some of the impacts of larger ships like the Crystal Serenity. A size limit and a number should be included. We cannot do a 1,000-passenger ship for three days in a row. There just aren't that many people here. We're not going to fly in drum dancers.”</p> <p>Daniel Skjeldam, head of the Norway-based Hurtigruten cruise, also called for size limits, so ships no bigger than 500 passengers could visit. Skjeldam said, “This has to do with safety — search and rescue – but also to do with the small communities that you come in to.</p> <p>“We are concerned about the impact they have on these villages.”</p> <p>Crystal Cruises spokeswoman Molly Morgan contended enough had been done to consult the locals when the company began planning the historic voyage three years ago.</p> <p>Morgan said, “Crystal team members made multiple trips to the region to collaborate with the local communities and ensure that, as a company, we were well educated on the culture, history and ecosystem that makes up this delicate region.”</p> <p>What’s your take? Do you think it’s wrong to be sending massive cruise liners through that sensitive part of the world? Share your thoughts in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Image: YouTube / Crystal Cruises</em></p>

Cruising

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Young people are missing out on vital rites of passage during COVID

<p>As we approach the end of a uniquely challenging school year, the class of 2020 look set to miss out on many of the usual highlights of year 12.</p> <p>Graduation <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-really-tough-year-calls-for-covid-safe-graduations-as-year-12-suffers-20200820-p55nqy.html">ceremonies</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/17/nsw-bans-state-school-formals-graduation-ceremonies-and-choirs-under-new-covid-safe-rules">formals</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-28/schoolies-week-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-high-risk-pandemic/12605086">schoolies week</a> and <a href="https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/coronavirus-covid-19-australia-festivals-concerts-cancelled-postponed-2623326">summer music festivals</a> have either been cancelled or <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/terrific-outcome-bans-on-formals-and-graduations-to-be-lifted-after-hsc-20200904-p55shh.html">restricted</a>.</p> <p>Meanwhile, those who may have been planning a gap year overseas are not able to leave the country.</p> <p>So far, public discussion of these cancellations have understandably focused <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-28/schoolies-week-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-high-risk-pandemic/12605086">on the risks</a> posed by COVID and the possible <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-really-tough-year-calls-for-covid-safe-graduations-as-year-12-suffers-20200820-p55nqy.html">mental health impacts</a> on young people.</p> <p>But young people aren’t just missing out on a chance to wear fancy clothes or party with their mates. Events like schoolies and formals also have a profound social purpose as rites of passage.</p> <p><strong>What are rites of passage?</strong></p> <p>Rites of passage are rituals that accompany changes in social status for individuals and groups. Their importance has been <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4614-6086-2_588">recognised by social researchers</a> for more than a century.</p> <p>In ethnographer Arnold Van Gennep’s original 1909 work, which is still broadly accepted by researchers, rites of passage share three basic phases:</p> <ul> <li>a symbolic separation from normality, such as by travel or costumes</li> <li>an in-between stage, in which social norms and hierarchies are cast off and people embrace a community spirit</li> <li>a ceremonial confirmation of the new state of affairs, often with symbols like a ring or crown.</li> </ul> <p>This creates a transformative experience for people. It marks a change as special, by stepping outside ordinary life.</p> <p>The brief upturn in the social order also allows the community to strengthen its bonds and reaffirm its support for the broader, existing social system.</p> <p><strong>Traditional rites of passage are in decline</strong></p> <p>For young people today, ceremonies like school graduations or schoolies trips are even more important than for previous generations.</p> <p>Declining rates of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/religion/religion-in-australia-what-are-the-implications-of-none-being-th/10094576">religious affiliation</a> means religious coming-of-age has also declined in importance. Changing social norms also mean events like <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6047410/debutante-ball-no-longer-a-canberra-tradition/">debutante balls</a> and <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures/marriage-australia/marriage-australia-source-data">weddings</a> are no longer common practice for teenagers and those in their early 20s.</p> <p>Meanwhile, traditional economic markers of growing up - such as moving out of home, and starting full-time work - are also <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/one-in-four-australian-adult-children-move-back-home-new-data-shows-955703/">proving more elusive </a>for young people, thanks to challenging <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-next-employment-challenge-from-coronavirus-how-to-help-the-young-135676">job</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-home-buyer-schemes-arent-enough-to-meet-young-adults-housing-aspirations-121431">housing</a> markets.</p> <p><strong>Schoolies, gap years are even more important</strong></p> <p>This means other cultural traditions are a critical part of how young people transition to adulthood.</p> <p>Often when we talk about <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/sydney-hsc-student-suspended-after-encouraging-muckup-day-prank/news-story/5207d51c93e1f9b6163a00197c518cb5">“muck up” days</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-your-teen-off-to-schoolies-heres-what-to-say-instead-of-freaking-out-126203">schoolies</a> and <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/11603791/Gap-year-takers-less-likely-to-finish-university.html">gap years</a>, debates focus (not always fairly) on the risks involved with young people who are celebrating and testing boundaries.</p> <p>But research has shown how <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEFM-02-2016-0008">schoolies</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02508281.2017.1292177?journalCode=rtrr20">gap year travel</a> act as rituals to mark and manage the otherwise often unremarkable transition to adulthood.</p> <p>These episodes provide a meaningful break with normal life and past identity. They see young people leave their comfort zone to experience a sense of community with their peers, before moving to the next stage of life.</p> <p>Similarly, music festivals, while not one-off events, can also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02614361003749793">provide these experiences</a>. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13676260500523580">Nightclubs</a> and parties - which have also been significantly curtailed during COVID - are also spaces to escape everyday rules and experience communal energy within the broader period of emerging adulthood.</p> <p><strong>Lasting impacts?</strong></p> <p>In addition to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/victorias-year-12-students-are-learning-remotely-but-they-wont-necessarily-fall-behind-143844">impact on education</a> - which has yet to be fully understood - there are other ways in which the class of 2020 may be roundly disadvantaged.</p> <p>COVID-19 has changed so many of the cultural experiences young people use to make their way into adulthood.</p> <p>So, what might be the lasting consequences for this year’s school leavers?</p> <p>Missing out on rites of passage like schoolies week and festivals could mar the transition into adult society in subtle but palpable ways.</p> <p>Without such cultural experiences it is harder to know when this change has really happened, to respect its significance and feel a sense of belonging in one’s new social role.</p> <p>As per Van Gennep’s work, this cohort of young people is also missing chances to bond as a community and to reaffirm their commitment to the social order by temporarily disrupting it.</p> <p>This is why, in the absence of formal rites of passage, people develop their own replacements, for better or worse. Recent reports of an impromptu rave inside a kebab shop show that young people will <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-kebab-shop-fined-after-customers-break-out-in-impromptu-3am-rave-20200824-p55oum.html">find other ways</a> of crossing boundaries together - testing both legal and social norms.</p> <p>On a more positive note, our <a href="https://apraamcos.com.au/events/2020/june/call-out-for-volunteers-music-makers-during-covid-19/">ongoing research</a> with young people about making music during COVID-19 is showing their resilience and creativity in balancing safety with social needs. <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/livestreaming-music-adapt-overcome-coronavirus-feature-read/12071726">Online performances</a> are providing some missing ritual and social media also allows a level of community experience.</p> <p>While we maintain our focus on community health and safety, we must recognise that what might look like frivolous or risky activities can have huge significance for young people as they move into adulthood.</p> <p>This means they also have huge significance for our society more broadly.</p> <p><em>Written by Ben Green and Andy Bennett. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-festivals-no-schoolies-young-people-are-missing-out-on-vital-rites-of-passage-during-covid-145097">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Art

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Secret doorway from 17th century unearthed in parliament

<p>A secret doorway dating back more than 350 years has been discovered in the House of Commons in the UK.</p> <p>The entrance, once used regularly, is believed to have been one diarist Samuel Pepys and Robert Walpole, the first de facto prime minister used as a means to get in and out of parliament.</p> <p>The hidden walkway was found as part of the ongoing AU$7.8 billion restoration project in parliament and was originally created for Charles II's coronation in 1660, so guests could go to the new king's celebratory banquet.</p> <p>Later, MPs used it to access the Commons, which was originally held in the medieval Palace of Westminster before a fire broke out in the 19th century and ripped apart a good amount of the structure.</p> <p>Westminster Hall was the only part to survive, and it would be where those at the helm of restoring a once well-used part of parliament would discover the secret doorway.</p> <p>For the last 70 years, it has sat stagnant and forgotten about, hidden behind wooden panelling in a cloister that was formerly used as offices by the Labour Party.</p> <p>Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: "To think that this walkway has been used by so many important people over the centuries is incredible.</p> <p>"I am so proud of our staff for making this discovery and I really hope this space is celebrated for what it is - a part of our parliamentary history."</p> <p>Graffiti written by bricklayers who helped architect Sir Charles Barry restore the palace in the wake of the 1834 fire was also found in the room.</p> <p>One sentence, dated 1851, reads: "This room was enclosed by Tom Porter who was very fond of Ould Ale."</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the hidden walkway found in parliament.</p> <p>Images: UK Parliament</p>

International Travel

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68-year-old’s poem reflecting on the passage of time

<p><em><strong>Anne Marr, 68, is a registered hairdresser, whose hobbies include writing, gardening, caring for wild life and learning. She’s also studied health, journalism and pain management.</strong></em></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Time</span></p> <p align="center">If a wish could be granted for me it would be for more time to see</p> <p align="center">All the wonders of earth and more time in this space my soul has chosen to grow;</p> <p align="center">Please time go slow.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">There’s so much to learn and so much to do it’s hard each day to see it all through,</p> <p align="center">And I sometime feel that my time is not real but just in my mind as each day I leave behind;</p> <p align="center">With always a wish there was more time to fit it all in</p> <p align="center">and where to begin.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">How do I choose which is right for me when there is so much my heart wants to see.</p> <p align="center">I wonder if time will stretch for me with spreading arms that grow like a tree.</p> <p align="center">And I must remember it all should be fun even the days when I’m on the run,</p> <p align="center">And then I remind myself, just love, breath, pause, and feel the sun.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">For if love comes first in all that we do then there’ll be enough time to see us all through to the next timeless step of our soul as we leave this place in search of our goal.</p> <p><em><strong>If have you have a story to share, please head over to the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/community/contributor/community-contributor/">“Share your Story” page.</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Relat</strong><strong>ed links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/crying-can-be-good-for-you/"><em>Having a big cry can actually be good for you</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/10-steps-to-build-your-confidence/"><em>10 steps to build your confidence</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/5-scientific-ways-to-make-your-brain-happy/"><em>5 scientific ways to make your brain happy</em></a></strong></span></p>

Mind

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Coast guards prepare for dangerous cruise

<p>In August, the Crystal Serenity, a 250-metre cruise ship that can pack in 1,000 passengers, will begin a 32-day journey through the long-mythologised Northwest Passage.</p> <p>And coast guards are already preparing for the worst.</p> <p>Warming temperatures and shrinking ice pack has opened up this notoriously treacherous region for shipping and large-scale cruise ships. The Norwest Passage is famous for being part of one of the most remote, least-mapped regions in the world.</p> <p>Crystal Cruises is the first of the major cruise lines to attempt the passage, expecting to take 1,000 passengers and 600 crew through the dangerous waters which will see the ship pass dangerously out of reach of Canada’s search and rescue helicopters. </p> <p>Richard Beneville, mayor of the coastal town of Nome, expressed his concern about the cruise’s projected route to <em>The Guardian</em>, “If something were to go wrong it would be very, very bad. Most cruise ships that get here have passenger manifests of 100, maybe 150. This is a very different ship.”</p> <p>Communications in the Arctic region are challenging, with minimal roads, patchy phone reception and many of the towns along the Crystal Serenity’s route are tiny and ill-equipped to take care of a problem, should something go wrong.</p> <p>“We all have to be very proactive in trying to game out what we do in an emergency situation,” Lt Commander Jason Boyle, the coast guard’s prevention officer for the Alaska region, told <em>The Guardian</em> in a telephone interview.</p> <p>In addition to having to cater for potential emergencies, locals are afraid of oil spills, pollution and waste coming about as a result of any spike in shipping traffic.</p> <p>From that perspective it may seem a little difficult to comprehend why Crystal is attempting such a potentially dangerous route, but as is often the case the numbers present a different story.</p> <p>This year’s cruise has already sold out, with prices for the journey aboard the 14-deck luxury liner starting at $22,000 and rising to almost $120,000 for a deluxe stateroom.</p> <p>To assuage the risk of this voyage, Coast Guards in Canada and the US are running a serious of worst-case scenario drills, to prepare for the event of a disaster.</p> <p>U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Dan Abel said, "As a coast guardsman, I don't want a repeat of the Titanic… We need to make sure we think this through and get it done correctly.”</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/cruising/2016/02/travel-tips-for-a-winter-cruise/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 travel tips for a winter cruise</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/how-to-make-cruise-ship-towel-animals/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How to make cruise ship towel animals</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/inside-worlds-biggest-cruise-ship/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Inside one of the world’s biggest cruise ships</strong></span></em></a></p>

Cruising

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