Jorge Federico May, President of Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral: when sea passion and scientific research join forces in the name of the Protection of Marine Ecosystems.
BIOGRAPHY
Jorge Federico May has always been a man full of passions. Born in Buenos Aires, he lives in Argentina with his wife Marta Santini, six children and fifteen grandchildren. Creative entrepreneur, self-taught, nature and sailing lover, ship owner, he develops a great ability to carry out unconventional ideas, often converted in real projects with the involvement of his family and friends.
In 1987, he shot a documentary with a friend about the Rio de la Plata, nicknamed Mar Dulce. He is then awarded at the Film Festival of La Rochelle (France). This win-win outcome pushed him to make further documentaries about Patagonia, with special focus to the traditional canoe processing, according to the technique by the indigenous community of Yamanas made with local lenga bark, a typical tree in the area, also used to forge other tools. The canoe is currently kept in the Museo Marítimo del Fin del Mundo in Ushuaia.
Photos : 1. Jorge Federico May welcomed in the Principality by the Association Monaco Argentina (Port Hercules, 25th - 28th July 2018); 2. Ice Lady Patagonia II docked at the Yacht Club de Monaco to give access to the on-board exhibition 'Antártida y Los Mares del Sur'; 3. Jorge Federico May and Marta Santini on board Ice Lady Patagonia II © Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral.
In 2001, he founded the Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral, together with his two brothers and other friends. They soon bought the first vessel named Ice Lady Patagonia, a Norwegian icebreaker coastguard who was adapted to make three research journeys to Antarctica and several trips to Patagonia, Isla de los Estados and Fuegian Channels, including two Atlantic crossings to Europe equipped with a floating exhibition.
In 2010, after its sale, the Ice Lady Patagonia II, a catamaran of 30 meters length and 13 meters width made of aluminium and steel, was entirely assembled in Argentina and equipped with advanced ecological technologies. In 2014, the Lady Patagonia II was the only private boat invited by the Argentine Navy to join the Velas Latinoaméricaregatta, circumnavigating South America, together with frigates and training ships from seven Latin American Countries.
In 2016, he made a new trip along the Paraná River, in the Argentinian Mesopotamia, carrying the on-board exhibition named Acercando los Mares del Sur (Approaching the Southern Seas). The showroom was a great success involving more than one hundred schools.
In 2018, a new exhibition was set on board the Ice Lady Patagonia II entitled Antártida y Los Mares del Sur (Antarctica and the Southern Seas) sailing along the coasts of Brazil. It crossed the Atlantic Ocean and touched many ports of the Mediterranean Sea, including the Principality of Monaco (July 2018).
Photos : 1. The official commemorative medal of the Prince of Monaco during His visit to Ice Lady Patagonia II (Port Hercules, 26th July 2018); 2. The the personal dedication of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco to Jorge Federico May's expedition (Port Hercules, 26th July 2018); 3. Ice Lady Patagonia II docked visiting Monaco (Port Hercules, 25th - 28th July 2018) © Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral.
After the sale of Ice Lady Patagonia II in 2020, Ice Lady Patagonia III started been built, an innovative 16-meter catamaran that was launched in 2023 and it is heading towards the Caribbean in the current year (2024).
MONACŒCOART® had the pleasure to interview Jorge Federico May to gather his valuable testimony as a skilled navigator and explorer of the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere.
TOPICS = EXPLORATION >> JOURNEY >> ECOSYSTEM >> FEEDBACK >> FUTURE PLANS
🎙INTERVIEW
MONACŒCOART®: All projects you carry out within the Association you chair combine the passion for marine explorations with scientific dissemination targets, what inspired you and who are the main promoters?
Jorge Federico May : It all started with an exciting idea. Seduced by the mysteries and challenges of the seas of Southern Argentina and the Antarctic continent, a group of friends, having all enough passion and determination, found out that merging adventure and knowledge could be the beginning of a fascinating and unrepeatable path. In fact, there was a balanced convergence between multidisciplinary scientific research and the need to preserve and disseminate out-of-ordinary natural resources, still unknown by a large part of Planet Earth’s population.
The creation of the Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral (Association for Southern Scientific Exploration) made the dream come true. This is a unique non-profit initiative based in Argentina bringing together on the same topic specialists from different scientific disciplines, not all necessarily specialised but united by a mutual moral code. Thus, they share the same vision, joining financial and professional forces.
The ice breaker "Ice Lady Patagonia", brought from Norway in 2001 and then equipped for science investigations to better deal with the Southern journeys, allowed us to take a step further. So, we could carry out research studies, scientific dissemination, education activities addressed to protect oceans and promote navigation.
MONACŒCOART®: What is your favourite journey? What mission do you consider the most important in terms of scientific research and reporting?
Jorge Federico May : I remember with great pleasure more than one, like the journeys to Patagonia and Argentina. But the most exciting was the first trip I made to Argentina Antarctica (Antarctic Argentina) in January 2003, in partnership with the Museo Marítimo de Ushuaia (Maritime Museum of Ushuaia) and the Museo Naval de la Nación (National Naval Museum) with the aim to survey the settlements of ancient whalers. This fishing activity occurred before scientific explorations of the Antarctic. It was then found that the consistency of the impact and the number of people involved in predation of Antarctic fauna exceeded the expectations so far. These findings were reported in 2004 and disseminated by various museums and authorities involved in the topic.
In the end, we developed a stronger feeling to protect that region by all means in order to keep it pristine and pure. The best way we found was to raise awareness and promote educational campaigns through our ship journeys including an on-board showroom. We visited both the Paraná River, the inland of Argentina and Europe within two missions that included the Principality of Monaco (July 2018).
MONACŒCOART®: Can you tell us which missions surprised you the most in terms of unexpected results or encounters with incredible sea creatures? Have you observed direct consequences of global warming on the Antarctic ocean ecosystem over the years?
Jorge Federico May : When we came back to Antarctica in 2006 we could see that, unlike 2003, rain, which is a very occasional event in Antarctica, lasted for several days in a row. Consequently, some sites with traces of whaling activity, previously completely frosted, were covered only with stones.
It was for me quite clear that, in addition to the natural cycles of heating and cooling, the average temperature of the planet had risen as a result of the greenhouse gas emissions. It produced a tremendous impact on Antarctica with consequent iceberg melting and the retraction of glaciers. We are undoubtedly changing climatic conditions of our Planet with irreversible consequences. The natural environment is undergoing continuous transformation and change, and we must seriously plan the ecosystem in which we want to live in the future.
MONACŒCOART®: Ice Lady Patagonia can be considered a floating information hub where photo exhibitions conferences, workshops for adults and youngsters are often organised to deepen pivotal topics on Antarctic biodiversity. Intercontinental travel, editorial projects, photography exhibitions and documentary projections are integral part of your action. What feedback do you receive from your followers? What do they appreciate most?
Jorge Federico May: The large audience is interested in learning about Antarctica because it is usually considered such a distant, inhospitable and mysterious land. The photos which used to decorate the windows of the Ice Lady Patagonia II (catamaran built in Argentina in naval aluminium) gave visitors the impression of being sailing in Antarctica. The videos we offered the public provided little-known information on the first pioneering Antarctic expeditions. Moreover, children were always impressed by whale bones and other seabed memorabilia we were keeping on board, like the faithful reconstruction of a whaling ship captain’s desk. We also had diving suits, harpoons from the beginning of the last century with which whales were hunted, and much more, including lot of unpublished and unique material.
The amazing thing was that unveiling the nature of Antarctica and Isla de Los Estados (Staten Island, Argentina) was amazing. We succeeded to make people, and especially young people, help to preserve these pristine lands.
MONACŒCOART®: After so many years of exploring the oceans aboard such a unique and historical vessel, what does it mean for you to act for the conservation of the oceans and fight climate change? What are your new projects in this direction?
Jorge Federico May: We are truly committed on ocean conservation, raising awareness about climate change and its consequences, including on indiscriminate fishing. We are doing our best to preserve these Nature wonders and to transmit the desire of uncontaminated places to the new generations. At the moment, there are several projects under consideration, but I cannot say anything about them, yet. As soon as they are completed you will be the first to know. ***
Photos : 1. Ice Lady Patagonia 2006 Antarctic expedition ; 2. An amazing image of a southern whale while performing a dive; 3. The inspiring colour palette of the Antarctic floating ice © Asociación de Exploración Científica Austral.
MonacoEcoArt keeps its journalism open to all although its information is the result of pure professionalism and knowledge. Supporting our Media allows us to keep our independence while offering quality contents based on traceable sources. Thank you for your collaboration.
By Maurice Abbati
Journalist; Editor; Communication, Media and Public Relations Specialist
Lecturer and Author in English language of Technical Articles and the Manual: "Communicating the Environment to Save the Planet, a Journey into Eco-Communication" by Springer International Publishing.
コメント