February 2 @ 6 pm
Join us for the first Travel Talk of 2023!
Raney Bench
Arctic Twilight: Travels in Iceland and Greenland
From the moment Raney Bench saw her first iceberg and glacier outside of Anchorage, Alaska, she has been fascinated with ice and its future on our planet. In the summer of 2022 Bench, her parents, and oldest son had the opportunity to explore southern Greenland through a small ship expedition. Traveling through isolated fjords to the base of several glaciers, the impacts of climate change were immediately clear. The trip also offered the unique opportunity to camp with Greenlandic natives, learn to forage and cook traditional recipes, and to spend an afternoon on the ice sheet. Bookending the trip to Greenland were several days spent exploring Iceland, with its dramatically different landscapes and culture. Bench will share her photos, impressions, and lessons learned from this rapidly changing region.
Raney Bench is the Executive Director of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society and lives in Southwest Harbor with her husband, two sons, and several furry companions. She believes that history is vital to understanding our lives today, and in envisioning the future we want. She has been fortunate to travel with her family to several countries, always keen to learn first hand about the impacts of climate change on the ecosystems and cultures she visits.