Back to Homepage	On board the conference vessel Atalanta Mike O'Donoghue
	Every conference I've ever been to has been hotel or campus based and despite enthusiasm for the various topics and speakers conference fatigue has always dampened my interest and concetration usually after a day or two. When Tom and Pieter first proposed staying on-board a sailing ship in Amsterdam harbour for the DIVERSE conference I was a little cautious, but the dream they sold me of invigorated conference discussion coupled with high adventure on the seaways around Amsterdam was more than enough to haul me in. With ten other companions I signed up not only for a number of conference sessions, but a conference adventure. Late night discussion on video pedagogy echoed in taverns across the many ports on the Ij See, but it wasn't all plain sailing - thunder storms, rope burn, and cognitive disfunction took their toll on many of the crew throughout the five days aboard ship. Post conference sailing produced a collective group experience which was more than recreation and I'm sure my ship-mates will look back on the experiences, adventure and the ideas we created (including this newsletter) aboard the Atalanta with more than enjoyment. Jon Baggaley has produced two 2-minute videos from the trip to illustrate the experience. 1) Cinema Trailer: Heroes of the Ijsselmeer - WMV format 2) Behind-the-scenes interview on the set of Heroes - WMV format Atalanta Days: from the left . The Atalanta in port at Hourn; The conference sailing delegates; and the author - rope burned, sun tanned and with cracked ribs - following post conference sailing. Back to Homepage
	This document was prepared for the DIVERSE newsletter November 2004 - ref: www.diverse-net.org/diversenl1104atalanta.htm