Ocean pollution is a huge concern worldwide, but head way up to 71*N in the extreme northern hemisphere to the remote village of Honningsvåg, on the island of Magerøya in the North Cape of Norway and meet Erica Haugli through her blog – Experience North Cape and Once Upon a Dream and be aware of how bad the problem is there. Her campaign “One Step at a Time” to clean up the environment along the coastal stretches in this far flung spot on the map can be read here.
Her idea was to create colourful art collages out the odd shoes, boots and plastic to raise awareness to the mass of flotsam and rubbish deposited by the ocean currents on the once pristine shores. What an eye-opener to learn that there is so much waste in the ocean so far north. She achieved her aim and by 2014 her gallery was opened to the public.
I was fortunate to travel with my husband to these remote parts on a journey aboard ship to see the northern lights and other magnificent wonders. The day we stopped in Honningsvåg the wind was so ferocious that the trip to the North Cape was cancelled. Happily we did get to ‘walk’ the village without being blown back out to sea. Although I never got to meet Erica, as at the time she was down with a bad dose of flu, I was in awe of the hardy inhabitants who live at the edge of this inhospitable but hauntingly beautiful landscape. Her artwork reflects these local scenes and topics, perhaps you’d like to check her online galleries.
Inspired by the Weekly Photo Challenge: Repurpose
Nature on the Edge 
Excellent post and photographs!
Thanks Belinda i appreciate your comments.
My, it looks cold! Your photos reflect the temp and wind chop!
I was astounded to see Erica’s art – what a statement about global pollution. Naturally, the Gulf Stream is going to bring masses to their shores from as far away as the Caribbean. Such a sad state of affairs.
It was freezing … but fortunately for me i read one of your posts Eliza on winter wear for those minus temperatures 🙂 Layering up was the answer. Yes, extraordinary to think the plastic bottle cast off somewhere in the Caribbean will land up so far north.
Amazing the workings of the ocean currents – drift and gyres. That episode with the yellow ducks lost overboard in a container and 15 years later still plying the oceans.
Interesting article here: https://www.theoceancleanup.com/updates/show/item/the-testing-continues/
Thanks for the link, Eliza. The innovative designs and hopeful outcome a positive step. The scale of the problems seems so daunting though.
I hear you, however, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” We have to start somewhere.
Excellent choice for the challenge, and lovely photos of the village and artwork.
Thanks for your comments Karen.
Very interesting – and frightening too.
Frightening that plastic is leaving an indestructable footprint as i’m discovering through reading about geologists at work defining the anthropocene – such terms as plastiglomerate, plasticite all point to man’s influence in geochronology.
TMI horrifying that geologists have new words for that. I despair!
I once posted a photo of some art work created with beach rubbish Liz, it was in the visitor centre at a local nature reserve. If only people would catch on how very destructive they at being leaving trash around.
True … if only! These art projects really draw attention to the copious amounts of the stuff. I think Anne-Christine over at Leya recently posted one on cigarette butts built into models of people – horrendous how many were so carelessly discarded.
Thank you do much for introducing me to Erica’s work! We visited Honningsvåg this summer, but I was not aware of her gallery so we will have to visit it next time we visit Magerøya. Plastic is a huge problem and I am happy to learn about this initiative to raise the awareness.
It certainly looks cold there! A great post for the challenge and what a good way of re-purposing rubbish. I get very annoyed by people dumping litter and once got out of my car at a traffic light to berate the person in front of me who had just tipped his ashtray out of the window. I might be a bit more cautious of doing that now though having heard the consequences of ‘road rage’.
Hi Jude, found your comment in the spam folder. Also checked “pending” and was surprised at how many other comments were sitting there. Thanks for alerting me. Litterbugs just don’t care, but i agree best to avoid those bullies on the road.
Thanks for releasing me Liz 😀
Brrrrr. But rather picturesque and that art is amazing.
Wow, she’s a Playamart kind of person! The designs are soothing, and they also make a statement.
I’m not sure why your posts stopped arriving, but I’m about to unsubscribe and re-subscribe and hope that gets them back in the inbox!
Yes! One artist’s recognition for another, those colourful designs 😊
Thanks for persisting in re-subscribing. I’m not sure why my domaine is being dropped? Will check it out with the WP techies.
Thank you so much… as for the subscribe/re-subscribe, sometimes there must be a glitch and it needs a little ‘whack’ to get things back in forward mode..
Hi Liz! I was so surprised to see this post. I wish we would have connected when you were here. I remember corresponding a bit with you several years ago, you on the African coast, me at the North Cape. When were you here? And thanks for you kind words about my artwork. I’ve been out of the blogging world for a while, but have decided to start back up again. All the best. Erica
Hi Erica, lovely to have your response. Glad to read you’re taking up Hope your artwork and projects go from strength to strength.
More …. Working on my iPad and it keeps freezing up, though here we are in the height of summer. To continue with the thread above – glad to see your intention of getting back into the blogosphere. Your previous posts had me all beguiled with that incredible landscape. Got to visit in March 2015 and was happy to make contact via one of your friend’s at the visitor’s office. You were suffering from flu at the time. It was blowing a gale… And freezing but the walk around the town made me appreciate your descriptions of the place. Hoping one day to come back in summer. So happy to see you through the ‘ether’ again.