09/15/2024
This morning I sailed into Halifax harbour for the first time since my navy days over a quarter century ago. We entered under the cover of darkness so there was no overwhelming flood of nostalgia. This 41 day adventure took me from sunny Vancouver, up the Alaskan coast, through the Northwest Passage, across to Greenland, and eventually down past Newfoundland to loving family awaiting in Halifax. My time was spent filming brown bears fishing salmon from shallow riversides, whales teaching their young the joys of breaching, joyful drum dancing in remote Inuit communities, and polar bears hunting the desolate landscapes of Northern Canada. I am fuelled by the prospect of rest and family time at home.
But today marks more than the end of a voyage. In all probability, this was also my final voyage with HX Expeditions. Back in February, due to challenging economic times, the company made the decision to lay off a number of employees and my position fell victim to this cut. As I step off the ship, my mind is flooded with the faces of dozens of incredible co-workers who I have had the privilege of sailing with, learning from, laughing with and adventuring alongside. Through HX, I have filmed countless magical moments in no less than 26 countries on 5 continents, preserving memories for thousands of wide-eyed guests. I will be forever grateful to John Chardine for inviting me into this amazing way of life.
Fortunately, this is not the end; but rather an expansion of possibilities. Once again I raise my sails to harness the winds of change. In late June I sailed a test-run with another company who offer similar adventures. I discovered that passionate teammates and untamed wild locations are not exclusive to any one company. With sailings secured until the spring of 2026, it looks like global adventure will continue to dominate my work life.
The future looks exciting but I’ll leave that for another day. Today I will soak up the much-needed embrace of family and try not to dwell on the sense of loss that shadows my crossing of the gangway.