Islands

Cruise boat fuelled by fish waste

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Norway cruise company to use rotten fish to power their engines.

“We are talking about an energy source (LBG) from organic waste, which would otherwise have gone up in the air. This is waste material from dead fish, from agriculture and forestry,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam.

“Our main aim is to improve and cut emissions,” he said.

The pleasure boats go to both the Artic and Antarctic with routes in and around Greenland, Iceland and most Northern parts of Russia.

The shipping sector is facing tougher international regulations, including cuts in CO2 emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2050 compared with 2008 levels, and a ban on fuels with sulphur content above 0.5 per cent from 2020 against 3.5 per cent now.

Hurtigruten wants to be carbon neutral by 2050.

“The changes in the Arctic over the past 20-30 years are not caused by carbon dioxide emissions in the Arctic, but you can see the effects of the emissions elsewhere in the world first in the Arctic,” Skjeldam said.

“Our crews have seen glaciers retreat and plastic waste on beaches where they land,” making this a positive contribution to the environment on a larger scale.

Norway’s Hurtigruten is investing 7 billion crowns ($826 million) over three years to adapt its 17-strong fleet.

Six of its older vessels will be retrofitted to run on a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric batteries and liquefied bio gas (LBG).

Africa, Alaska, Caribbean – 3 places to go off-grid

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From www.off-grid.net

Chikoko Tree Camp South Luangwa National Park, Zambia Remote Africa Safaris is a small, family–run operation in Zambia with four intimate little camps, renowned for its excellent guides and remote, pristine locations and leopard sightings. Chikoko Tree Camp and its sibling Crocodile Camp are in South Luangwa National Park, and reached by canoe and foot via the parent camp, Tafika, where the owners John and Carol Coppinger and Bryan Jackson live. Neither has electricity or generators; they use solar lighting, gas freezers and radio communications, and to get a phone signal you have to go to the top of a termite mound on the edge of the park. Chikoko Tree Camp has three twin timber–and–grass chalets with big beds, crisp linens, flushing lavatories and steaming bucket showers. Amazing food is produced in hole–in–the–ground ovens and there are ice–cold beers on demand. There are also shady hammocks and lots of other cushioned spots for siestas. The emphasis is on walking and mountain biking with a team of excellent guides. The details Open from May 25 to October 31. Prices from US$480 per person per night on a full–board basis (remoteafrica.com).

You had better be going for a good long time to justify all those air miles. And these destinations prove that going off-grid does not have to mean roughing it.

But Petit St Vincent St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean has a gloriously ‘unplugged’ feel. Petit St Vincent is a beautiful private island between St Vincent and Grenada. It was substantially spruced up by new owners in 2011, but regulars say little of its previous spirit has been lost. While the whole vibe is rustic, it’s as exclusive as nearby Mustique with a celebrity clientele to match, so it’s actually a highly slick operation.

Maruia Springs Thermal Resort

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Near Lake Sumner in New Zealand, the Maruia Resort is a green jewel. It can be hard work.

On the banks of the Maruia River,in a sheltered valley, eight kilometres west of Lewis Pass, there is no mains power: the resort relies on a mini-hydro system, gravity-fed water and generator backup. Last year, snowfalls and landslides ruptured the inlet pipe, cutting off water for several weeks. Since then, owners Akira and Takako have not only replaced the pipes but upgraded the resort’s decor, giving it a more Japanese look. The aim is to give Kiwis a taste of an authentic Japanese onsen, a thermal resort.

Greek island holiday

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This luxury Greek Island holiday accommodation is a 7-acre private and gated country estate on the shores of the Ionian island of Ithaca perfect for a Greek Island holiday. Perched on a hillside and having spectacular sea views, this organic olive oil producing estate includes four houses, each set into its own fragrant gardened terraces, a swimming pool and outdoor amenities. The accommodation offers you a luxury, family-friendly and romantic destination where quality and hospitality are the abiding hallmarks.

‘In recent years four houses, a swimming pool, outdoor cooking/dining area and holistic massage pavilion have been added to terraced gardens within the groves, providing a holiday destination with services and surroundings to suit the most fastidious.

Together with the houses, the pool and its summer house, olive grove and forests, the accommodation also includes organic vegetable and herb gardens, a morning coffee shop and a quite separate ‘farm’ area which is home to half a dozen pet sheep and chickens.

Pamela Stephenson joins Boomer rush to sea

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Actress Pamela Stephenson achieved her dream of sailing the world for a year, and now she doesn’t want to stop.

Stephenson, 56-year-old psychologist and former comedienne, who has three children with the Big Yin, Billy Connolly, said she was sick of being the “responsible one” and was desperate to escape her humdrum existence.

So she embarked on a mid-life adventure which saw her sail 19,000 nautical miles in ten months, visit uncharted islands and resist a hunky fisherman. But this was no primitive idyll. She travelled in a 112ft super-yacht with a crew of seven.

She has written a book on her travels, Treasure Islands, which she says has helped put her life in order: “I’ve survived. And I’ve never been so terrified.” You can buy the book on the next page.

Bahamas – green luxury

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Tiamo is a solar-powered, eco-friendly resort consisting of a row of simple but elegent wooden cottages along a quiet strand of white beach on Andros island in the Bahamas.This is barefoot luxury at its most polished – as well as being kind to the environment.

Andros is one of the less well-known Bahamian islands. With an area of 2,300 square miles and home to only 8,000 people, it is one of the least explored places in the western hemisphere. However, what has made the island unsuitable for urban evolution makes it perfect for eco-tourism. (please click “more” for rest of review)

Black Seminoles in the Bahamas – buy it from Amazon

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