An honest portrayal of a wilderness adventure, a pause from work that has shifted from passion to drudgery, and a refreshing view of what it means to be in the wild, Caroline Van Hemert shares her story in “The Sun is a Compass: A 4,000-mile journey into the Alaskan wilds.”

Most of us at some point in our lives need a pause, a reboot, a sabbatical of some sort. This is the story of an ornithologist who in many ways lost sight of her curiosity and wonder about the natural world and about birds, despite (or due to) being entrenched as a researcher in the field of ornithology. To renew her passion, and regain clarity about the bigger picture, Caroline and her husband embarked upon a 4,000-mile excursion into the Alaskan and Canadian wilderness. To maintain the fullest connection to the land, they chose to travel completely under their own power — by boat, skis, pack raft, and foot, crossing tundra, mountains, rivers, and seas. 

Through determination, physical endurance, and high points of connections with elusive species and through the open embrace by remote communities, Caroline and her husband Pat experienced something that most of us can only dream of. Throughout their journey, Caroline reflects on what it means to be a scientist, and how to best approach her career — choosing between a prestigious offer at an Ivy League school with a National Science Foundation fellowship (to continue laboratory-based research, but far from actual birds) or turning towards a career with on-the-ground research and observation of birds in their natural environment. 

Author Caroline Van Hemert

“Watch. Listen. Learn….My passion for birds and the natural world also emerged from these basic principles….What drew me to research was not the rigor of statistics or the mystery of what lies within an organism’s genetic code. It was the birds themselves.” 

The author’s decisions during her physical journey — such as deciding whether to continue or retreat in poor weather conditions — parallel her internal decision-making process, and offer valuable insight for any of us, whether we are just starting out in a career, are re-evaluating our decisions 10 years in, or have embarked on a second career later in life. 

For most of us, a wilderness trek such as this is out of reach, but that should not hold back our forays into nature in any way possible for each of us. This might look like walking at the local park for you, or watching birds at your feeders, or perhaps exploring the forests, lakes, and trails Michigan has to offer. No matter what it is, immersing yourself in nature can be a refreshing way to renew and recharge, and can help you to answer the bigger questions about what is most important in your life.

~ By Linnea Rowse
Michigan Audubon Conservation Program Coordinator