Untold Stories (Inspired by 'the Outlaw Ocean' a book by Ian Urbina)

Life on the ocean has long been romanticized As the ultimate expression of freedom An escape from landlocked life A chance to explore To reinvent This narrative has been locked deep within our DNA for centuries Starting with stories of daring adventurers Setting off to discover new lands It has also given rise to the puzzling contradiction Of the modern day cruise industry Peddling the notion That a massive floating hotel That chugs between choreographed stops To buy local trinkets will provide relief From the predictability of daily life Even the simple phrase "at sea" Seems to carry an implicit soundtrack of possibility and power Arguably the least policed realm on the planet The sea bottom is also a world Over which scientists, conservationists, Industry, and governments Routinely tussle for access and control And yet we have mapped more of the night sky Than we have charted the ocean's depths Lawlessness on the high seas May be rampant But deep underwater there are immense voids Literal and legal I wanted to explore those voids first-hand