I KNOW that somewhere on here in the past few weeks - SOMEONE posted SOMETHING about someone's December Honeymoon going to Antarctica. i REALLY need help finding this person!!! My fiance and I want to do a blessing of the rings ceremony Coast Guard style (hes a CG pilot). We would bless the rings in water from places special to us. He was stationed on a Polar Icebreaker when we started dating as he visited me on his way back from Antarctica. I really need to figure out how to get a simple, small bottle of Antartic water!!! The Polar Icebreakers aren't going south this year so I can't call on other coasties. I KNOW i saw someone talk abotu an antarctic honeymoon cruise. I would pay whoever to pretty pretty please fill a small bottle with antarctic water and send it back to me. HELP!!!!!
Would they actually let you bring this out through New Zealand? Their rules about what goes in and out (agriculturally, etc) are pretty strict. There are tons of people in the Denver area who work antarctic support services services, so maybe you could post the Denver Craig's list or something, but I do wonder if you would be allowed to transport something that could contain micro-organisms. Here is the link that describes the many, many things you may not bring into or take out of New Zealand:
Actually here are the restrictions specifically on water:
6.1 The following water is permitted without restriction:
Commercially bottled water for human consumption.
Containers of water for religious or health purposes may be imported provided that the water is inspected and found to be clear and free from visible contamination.
Water in flasks filled from town water supplies, accompanying passengers into the country, provided that the water is inspected and found to be clear and free from visible contamination.
Drinking water remaining on ships and aircraft.
Distilled water.
So even your little vial would potentially have to be inspected, and the inspectors would have to accept that it was "for religeous... purposes." Which they might buy, but might not. Sounds like someone would essentially have to smuggle this little bottle of water out for you.
Because they are an island, they are really strict - and even more than Hawaii or England, from what I've heard. I had a friend who worked at the South Pole, and she talks about having to walk through pans of disinfectant in the airport in New Zealand to sanitize your shoes before you're allowed in the country, because they could have dirt in the treads that contains foreign microbes. Also they took away almost all the food she had in her backpack, and this was packaged stuff, like beef jerky and dried fruit.
When I left NZ they did a VERY thurough job of inspecting my stuff, and they took some really tiny shells I had hidden and sprayed down my boots in a chemical that made my skin burn for a few months after....
But I have found that if you are up front and explain, they are very amicable. I would be very direct and tell them it is holy water.
People failing to declare quarantine risk goods can be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to five years in prison. People failing to declare risk goods can receive an instant fine of $200.
Doesn't Antarctica have a coast along the Atlantic Ocean? How about some Atlantic Ocean water....much easier to get to and totally legal. :)
I realize it's not what you were going for, but then again the water does tend to move about in the ocean. So, just a thought. Hope your wedding is great....pilots are always cute. :)
Actually true - good thinking maryalison! There are those big currents that sweep the water around in huge cycles from north to south. I'm sure there's a technical name for that, but I'm not an oceanographer.
Mdarrah, I'm sure this is no help, but I can send you some water from either the Columbia River or Puget Sound. Not so special probably, but it's the water I have available, if either would help.
I could actually double up on my hawaii water, (My two waters will be the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii.) becuase from the southern point of hawaii to antarctica is an uninterrupted current. So, TECHNICALLY, i could scoot by and pass it off as Antarctic water, but I'll leave that as a last resort. Probably not the best thing to start out a marriage with a fib!! =)
There are some pretty strict rules in New Zealand, but it is for a religious ceremony and it turns out not every expidition goes through N.Z.
Just to point out how much these boards ROCK, I took Suzanno's advice and checked the Denver Craigslist - i found a guy selling his polar glasses becuase he upgraded for his next trip - i emailed him - and woohoo - i have a lead!!! Its not a guarenteed done deal yet so I am still all for other ideas - but its something!!
I KNOW that somewhere on here in the past few weeks - SOMEONE posted SOMETHING about someone's December Honeymoon going to Antarctica. i REALLY need help finding this person!!! My fiance and I want to do a blessing of the rings ceremony Coast Guard style (hes a CG pilot). We would bless the rings in water from places special to us. He was stationed on a Polar Icebreaker when we started dating as he visited me on his way back from Antarctica. I really need to figure out how to get a simple, small bottle of Antartic water!!! The Polar Icebreakers aren't going south this year so I can't call on other coasties. I KNOW i saw someone talk abotu an antarctic honeymoon cruise. I would pay whoever to pretty pretty please fill a small bottle with antarctic water and send it back to me. HELP!!!!!
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 6 months agoWould they actually let you bring this out through New Zealand? Their rules about what goes in and out (agriculturally, etc) are pretty strict. There are tons of people in the Denver area who work antarctic support services services, so maybe you could post the Denver Craig's list or something, but I do wonder if you would be allowed to transport something that could contain micro-organisms. Here is the link that describes the many, many things you may not bring into or take out of New Zealand:
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/personal-travel-belongings-and-mail/bringing-things-into-nz/other-things
posted by suzanno 1,953 posts 6 months agoActually here are the restrictions specifically on water:
6.1 The following water is permitted without restriction:
So even your little vial would potentially have to be inspected, and the inspectors would have to accept that it was "for religeous... purposes." Which they might buy, but might not. Sounds like someone would essentially have to smuggle this little bottle of water out for you.
posted by suzanno 1,953 posts 6 months agoThanks for the info!!
Wow - hadn't even thought about there being rules against it.
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 6 months agoBecause they are an island, they are really strict - and even more than Hawaii or England, from what I've heard. I had a friend who worked at the South Pole, and she talks about having to walk through pans of disinfectant in the airport in New Zealand to sanitize your shoes before you're allowed in the country, because they could have dirt in the treads that contains foreign microbes. Also they took away almost all the food she had in her backpack, and this was packaged stuff, like beef jerky and dried fruit.
posted by suzanno 1,953 posts 6 months agoWhen I left NZ they did a VERY thurough job of inspecting my stuff, and they took some really tiny shells I had hidden and sprayed down my boots in a chemical that made my skin burn for a few months after....
But I have found that if you are up front and explain, they are very amicable. I would be very direct and tell them it is holy water.
posted by finbladez 32 posts 6 months agoThe website goes on to say:
People failing to declare quarantine risk goods can be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to five years in prison. People failing to declare risk goods can receive an instant fine of $200.
posted by suzanno 1,953 posts 6 months agoDoesn't Antarctica have a coast along the Atlantic Ocean? How about some Atlantic Ocean water....much easier to get to and totally legal. :)
I realize it's not what you were going for, but then again the water does tend to move about in the ocean. So, just a thought. Hope your wedding is great....pilots are always cute. :)
posted by maryalison 105 posts 6 months agoActually true - good thinking maryalison! There are those big currents that sweep the water around in huge cycles from north to south. I'm sure there's a technical name for that, but I'm not an oceanographer.
Mdarrah, I'm sure this is no help, but I can send you some water from either the Columbia River or Puget Sound. Not so special probably, but it's the water I have available, if either would help.
posted by suzanno 1,953 posts 6 months agoThanks ladies.
I could actually double up on my hawaii water, (My two waters will be the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii.) becuase from the southern point of hawaii to antarctica is an uninterrupted current. So, TECHNICALLY, i could scoot by and pass it off as Antarctic water, but I'll leave that as a last resort. Probably not the best thing to start out a marriage with a fib!! =)
There are some pretty strict rules in New Zealand, but it is for a religious ceremony and it turns out not every expidition goes through N.Z.
Just to point out how much these boards ROCK, I took Suzanno's advice and checked the Denver Craigslist - i found a guy selling his polar glasses becuase he upgraded for his next trip - i emailed him - and woohoo - i have a lead!!! Its not a guarenteed done deal yet so I am still all for other ideas - but its something!!
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 6 months agoBTW - THANK YOU SUZANNO for offering to send me water. That literally made me teary eyed. Man - wedding planning is turning me in to a sap!! =)
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 6 months agoHere's some iceberg water as a backup choice. That site also has other waters from places closer to Antarctica.
posted by bilbee 24 posts 6 months agohaha - I LOVE the iceberg water as a back-up!! thanks bilbee! (Still trying for the real thing - but I love that as a back-up).
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 6 months ago