<p>Ep45: Zamira Chevrestt - Volunteer Co-ordinator for In The Same Boat</p><br><p>Today I'm joined by Zamira, a volunteer coordinator and sustainability ambassador for the Norwegian environmental NGO In The Same Boat. Zamira shares what it’s really like cleaning marine litter along some of the most remote and unforgiving coastlines in the Arctic and Northern Europe — from freezing North Sea crossings to hauling tons of abandoned fishing gear off rocky beaches.</p><p>The conversation dives into how the NGO operates its fleet of sailboats, trains volunteers with little to no sailing experience, and balances hands-on cleanup with education, data collection, and systemic change. Zamira also opens up about the emotional highs and lows of life at sea, burnout in the NGO world, and why staying hopeful — and human — is essential when tackling an overwhelming global problem.</p><br><p>🌊 Key Takeaways</p><br><p>The Arctic is heavily polluted — even the most remote coastlines are clogged with marine litter, especially from fishing industries.</p><p>Cleaning is only part of the solution — education, data tracking, and collaboration with industries and governments are critical for long-term impact.</p><p>Volunteers don’t need sailing experience — just resilience, teamwork, and a willingness to get uncomfortable.</p><p>Life at sea is intense — physically demanding, emotionally charged, and deeply bonding.</p><p>Burnout is real in environmental work — stepping back, finding joy, and focusing on small wins keeps people going.</p><p>Individual actions still matter — change spreads person to person, habit to habit.</p><br><p>📌 Chapters (01:07:57)</p><br><p>01:38 – Meet Zamira &amp; “In The Same Boat”</p><p>Cleaning the Arctic, sailing north, and teaching kids why the ocean isn’t a bin</p><p>04:10 – Volunteering at Sea: Who Can Join &amp; What It’s Really Like</p><p>No sailing experience, extreme conditions, and physical demands</p><p>06:02 – Crossing the North Sea &amp; Surviving Rough Waters</p><p>Seasickness, storms, fear, dolphins, and why sailors keep coming back</p><p>09:50 – How an Arctic Cleanup NGO Actually Works</p><p>Funding struggles, boats, tech, volunteers, and scaling impact</p><p>12:40 – First Cleanup Shock: “I’d Never Seen This Much Trash”</p><p>The myth of “clean” Norway and what shows up on remote beaches</p><p>16:25 – A Day in the Life of a Marine Cleanup Crew</p><p>12-hour days, midnight sun cleanups, weather chaos, and logistics</p><p>20:35 – One Million+ KG of Trash &amp; Tracking the Data</p><p>GPS mapping, fishing nets, hotspots, and working with industry</p><p>28:15 – Burnout, Boat Life &amp; Being ‘In the Same Boat’</p><p>Mental health, friendships, drama, romance, and volunteer reality</p><p>35:35 – Plastic, Wildlife &amp; The Stats That Hurt</p><p>Seabirds, whales, microplastics, and why this is urgent</p><p>41:00 – Schools, Hope &amp; Why the Next Generation Matters</p><p>Teaching kids, community impact, staying hopeful, and what you can do</p><p>52:30 – Boat Life Fun: Initiations, Food Fails &amp; Reality TV Energy</p><p>Ghost pepper shots, porridge crimes, and why this should be a show</p><p>01:01:30 – Final Reflections: Why This Work Is Worth It</p><p>Small wins, real change, and not giving up on the ocean</p><br><p>To see clips of all our guests you can follow us on:</p><br><p>Facebook:</p><p>https://www.facebook.com/decktalesofficial</p><p>Instagram:</p><p>https://www.instagram.com/decktalespodcast.</p><p>TikTok:</p><p>https://www.tiktok.com/@decktales</p><br><p>For all links you can head to the official website:</p><p>https://www.decktales.co.uk</p><br><p>If you wish to support the page you can leave a welcome donation at:</p><p>https://ko-fi.com/decktales</p><p>And if you wish to read or listen to my first book, you can buy a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seems-Like-Smooth-Sailing-Catling/dp/1912964244</p><br><p>Special Thanks To:</p><p>Zamira Chevrestt</p><p>https://www.inthesameboat.eco</p><p>Get Your Copy Of '<em>Seems Like Smooth Sailing</em>' <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seems-Like-Smooth-Sailing-Catling/dp/1912964244/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B4A0ZKZGAJAB&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KA4Fxto6T4xMcjxVOEKjPg.Gg-UfXKT72YMo7GHbMHkccAtlErN4hPBHdl1dtrF9gs&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=seems+like+smooth+sailing&amp;qid=1761655555&amp;sprefix=seems+like+smooth+sailing%2Caps%2C165&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>