Spellbound on the North Atlantic
The Wonder of Whales
Some of you may know that I was in Newfoundland earlier this month. It’s a spectacular place (here are some photos). We went on a boat tour south of St. John’s hoping to see both whales and puffins. Before boarding, we noticed a white board that noted the day’s wildlife sightings. Whales weren’t listed. “Oh well,” we thought. Who can control such a thing? Our tour guide further cemented (or anchored?) the message, telling us that whale sightings are only so likely in the middle of August.
The boat headed out into a choppy North Atlantic Ocean. We ended up at the bow of the boat, being jerked around and taking on sea spray with each wave. We couldn’t stop laughing (not to mention, gripping the rails). We were having a blast, probably the most fun of the entire trip. When we got into open water, everything was a lot calmer. And then, a whale! A woman near us spotted it. The captain cut the sea shanty track and the guide directed us where to look.
We waited. And then, another breach! And another.
A boat full of people “oohed” and “aahed,” witnessing what felt like a miracle. I had expected the possibility of this collective sense of awe because I once read Michael McCarthy’s The Moth Snowstorm. In it, he explores the relationship between joy and conservation. Here’s the full post. His chapter about wonder includes some writing about whale and dolphin sightings. First, he introduces the idea of wonder, describing it as “an astonished cherishing or veneration…often involving an element of mystery.”
He also shares the Concise Oxford definition: “An emotion excited by what is unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable, especially surprise mingled with admiration or curiosity.” Whether it be whale sightings, a solar eclipse, a meteor, or the Northern Lights (I’VE EXPERIENCED ALL FOUR THIS YEAR!!), in McCarthy’s words, “we are astonished to be in a world which can contain such a phenomenon.”
We also live in a world that is fraught with pain and ugliness, so we need to hang on to these wondrous shared experiences. And what a shared experience it was. About one of his own boat tours, McCarthy wrote, “Every soul on board cried out in amazement and delight,” looking spellbound. How did he know what would occur on our boat years before it actually did? With each breach of the humpback, that was us, a group of strangers crying out in amazement. It’s a moment I hope I’ll always remember. Let me know in the comments if you’ve had any similar experiences of collective wonder.
Trail Town Tees
I spend a lot of time thinking about and working with Trail Towns. It’s what I’ve dedicated the better part of my career to over the last 16 years. I had an idea recently to spread the Trail Town love with some t-shirts. I’m curious to know which of these designs (created by Cycle Forward’s own Alicia Broudy) you think we should have printed. The Substack poll function only allows two options, so my request of you is to help narrow it down between the first two (with bikes) and the third. Please weigh in!
Current Cycle Forward Projects
Here’s what we have going at Cycle Forward these days:
We’re working with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to pilot a new program in two of the state’s Conservation Landscapes. The intent is to position frontline staff and volunteers to help visitors have enriching outdoor experiences. The program will run in the Spring of 2025. More to come soon!
We just came on as a subcontractor for a project in Utah, working with Alta Planning + Design and other firms on the Utah Trail Network Vision & Phase One Planning. This is a project for the Utah Department of Transportation, which aims to create more multi-use trails throughout the state. Our role will be engaging trail communities regarding Trail Town strategies and creating a Trail Town toolkit.
A couple of smaller projects to be announced!
Gratitude Notes
Today, I want to express my gratitude for my friend, Patty, who I’ve known since childhood. Patty and I were friends in elementary school and again in high school. Through a shared group of friends, we came back together as adults and I so cherish Patty’s friendship. I love that we can share so many laughs and memories, but we are also building new ways of knowing each other. She reads every one of these posts and generally likes and comments on them. And we compare notes about our careers and try to be resources to each other. It’s a pretty neat thing when your friends are able to see you for who you are professionally and are engaged and supportive. Thank you, Patty! (Note to all: Patty’s currently working on her first novel and reflects on her writing journey here on Substack.)
Amy, I’m humbled and honored! I really loved “Spellbound on the North Atlantic,” and as I was considering which parts I would specifically comment on (definitely: “We also live in a world that is fraught with pain and ugliness, so we need to hang on to these wondrous shared experiences.”) I got to your gratitude notes. You put so eloquently exactly how I think about our friendship. I’m so grateful for you too! And I guess we are on the same wavelength, because – though it’s not in the same vein as your beautiful gratitude note – you were top of mind when I included author shout-outs in a recent post of my own. Thank you for everything, my dear friend!