The park is located at the southern tip of the Brazilian State of Bahia. It was created in 1983, foremost to protect the endemic corals. Over time, the 1000-square mile area approximately (approximately 40 nautical miles offshore) became the designated tropical sanctuary for Humpback Whales on their annual migration along the South American coast between Antarctica and the Equator.
My main motivation for this trip now was to reconnect with my old dream from 1991 (when I visited the park for the first time), namely to shoot a large-screen film - with a strong focus on the whales, but also on the Brazilian people who I so dearly enjoy.
To me it is a bit of a weird feeling when I am getting close to whales. There is something archaic and deeply mysterious about those animals. The anxiety and excitement that I have when I am close to whales has been only surpassed by those feelings when my two daughters were born.
The whales are in many ways the perfect symbol of our permanent struggle to maintain life and to keep on moving. Besides my fascination with those magnificent animals I deeply admire the Brazilian scientists’ enthusiasm and perseverance - a passion that I had encountered 15 years ago, and now found again during this trip.
Nothing seems to be too strenuous for the researchers to keep on going, and – by all means – they also know how to have a good party! We enjoyed an evening of amazing cultural performances around the “Whale Festival†in the small town of Caravellas, followed by a Reggae concert until sunrise.
After 24 hours of traveling, organizing film equipment, and shooting for half a night, I bailed (to the deep disappointment of my friends). I could not keep up with dancing all night long, and then, right afterwards, join them on a little fishing boat for a dive. They did it all, and everything with lots of laughter, fun and an endless stream of positive energy 
What makes the work of the Brazilians in and around Abrolhos so attractive to me as a geologist with a large geo-survey company, is their strong partnership with the Brazilian National Oil Giant Petrobras. Back in the early 90-ties I called this affiliation the “Pact with the Devilâ€. By now I am convinced that a strong interdependent collaboration between industry and environmental researchers around the globe is our best chance to develop a sustainable co-habitation on our planet.
My motivation to explore more of that approach to environmental sustainability was sparked by a brilliant article in the “The Economistâ€, announcing a title story about “environmentalism and industry†on its front cover.
An excerpt from “The Economist”, April 23rd, 2005, states:
“We must take our chances as a modern society where technology advocates data-based, analytically rigorous policies rather than pious appeals to ‘save the planet’. The next green revolution is already under way. Rachel Carson, the crusading journalist who inspired ‘Greens’ in the 1950s and 60s is joining hands with Adam Smith, the hero of free-marketeers. The word may yet leapfrog from the ‘dark ages’ of clumsy, costly, command-and-control regulations to an enlightened age of informed, innovative, incentive-based greenery.â€
I returned from this short trip with a mere 8 hours of scout footage, but full of rich content from interviewing my friends and colleagues while performing their strenuous work - and by all means, showing some of their “enlightenment†that many of us need so badly as a mental refreshment.
My footage will serve as a base for a full documentary about their work, and to initiate a partnership between the Brazilian whale scientists and the non-profit organization Save Our Seas, located on the Island of Kauai. We intend to exchange (wo)man & equipment power, and by doing so, essentially form a “Marine Conservation Master Mind Groupâ€.
For me, as chief US-Representative of Geckoline, a specialist in UV-protection from Germany, it will be also an opportunity to contribute to marine conservation, namely by donating a fraction of profits from future product sales to Save Our Seas and to other/similar organizations.
For now my dream has come true to return where I once started filming. I promised myself that this voyage will continue until I eventually face a whale underwater – and then either with a big HD camera in front of my eyes - or even better – with an entire IMAX team behind me! - Ate Logo (see you soon!)
