Airborn Exploration Quotes

Kate's grandfather had started out in Cape Town to catch the jet stream and traveled quickly eastward over the Indian Ocean. But over Australia his luck ran out, and he got shunted off course to the northeast. There was no sign of panic in his log. His days were busy with keeping the balloon shipshape, managing his supplies and provisions, taking weather readings and bearings. He described the countries and landscapes he was sailing over. Some days there were just coordinates and weather conditions, other days he had lots to write about: birds, the changing light, the landscape of the passing nations beneath him, the creatures below the ocean's surface. He seemed interested in everything. (5.3)

"Exactly. Ships have their routes and, as you say, deviate from them only when necessary. That must leave millions and millions of miles of unexplored sky and sea!" (5.111)

"Winds are capricious all though there—that's why it's called the Sisyphus Triangle. There's been airships that went in and never came out. I've heard rumors about garbled distress calls, compass needles spinning madly, instruments all screwy. Luckily there's not much need to use those airways. They don't lead anywhere of particular interest." (6.8)

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked.

"We need to explore."

"The captain doesn't want us wandering off."

"That's not what he said."

"That's what it sounded like to me."

"No. He said to make sure a crewmember accompanied us if we ventured inland. Are you a member of the crew?" (9.2-7)

She didn't slow down. "Good point. But we mustn't be governed by our fear, Matt Cruse. We have a duty, you and I."

"A duty?"

"To science, absolutely. If there are bones on this island, we must find them." (9.53-55)

Kate wanted to keep going, to see if we could find its nest, but the terrain was too steep here, and we were out of time. We had to start back. I was going to be late as it was. (11.173)

I felt in my pocket for my compass. It was a point of pride to me that I rarely needed to consult it. […] But I needed it now. Before we'd taken shelter we'd been so swirled about by the wind I'd lost all sense of direction. (12.11)

"No trace of other human beings, sir, not on the eastern slopes of the island and up to the central plateau. But the island is large and stretches miles to the west."

"There may be a settlement on the windward side of the island, then," said the captain. "Mr. Cruse, you'll be with the exploratory team we assemble." (12.121-122)

It was possible she'd never even made it this far. What if she was lost and bumbling around in the forest? Somehow I doubted it. This was a young lady who could drug her chaperone and steal my compass. While we were together, she might have been secretly taking her bearings the whole time, thinking ahead to when she'd be rid of me. For her sake, I hoped this was the case, for if she were lost, we might never find her. (14.106)

She reached into her purse and brought out my father's compass. […]

"Thank you," I said, taking it back. Holding it again, I realized how much I'd missed it. But I was also sorry it would no longer be in her hands. I'd liked to think of her holding it, watching the needle spin north.

"Don't want you veering off course," Kate said. (21.75-77)