Kraken

The Kraken was born over 1000 years ago. In 2020, it got entangled in ocean debris, and the currents and waves carried its old and weary body towards Tranøy and Tranøy Lighthouse, where the waves became too strong and cast it ashore. There he was petrified in an upright position and can now look out over the sea and reflect on his 1000-year-old life. The Kraken is very concerned about stopping ocean pollution and wants to give everyone a tip on how they can reduce it. Do you want to hear his story and help him stop the pollution in the ocean?

The Kraken gazes out over the infinite blue sea, unable to move even a small tentacle, let alone a leg. The Kraken cannot blink, smile, or speak, but he can think, and he can see, hear, smell, and feel. He thinks back on his wonderful life and all the exciting experiences he has had. The Kraken has greeted Vikings, all the kings of Norway, and tourists from China, Japan, and the USA on the Hurtigruten. But things are not as they once were. The seas are polluted, and the lives of all who dwell in the ocean are in danger. "I want to help and inspire people to take care of the ocean and nature."

The Kraken remembers the old days when the sea was clean and free of plastic, fishing nets, and crab traps. He longs for the time when he swam freely among the corals, where sea plants, fish, jellyfish, and crabs lived together in a happy community. The Kraken smiles, but not with his mouth; he smiles inside. The Kraken understands that times have changed, but he dreams of the sea becoming as it once was. "I must use everything I have learned over the past 1,000 years so that the future for all children will be as good as it was when I grew up."

After all, it was plastic and remnants of fishing nets that trapped the Kraken and caused the waves to wash him ashore here at Tranøy. The warm sun and the fresh sea breeze petrified his body, but not his soul. The Kraken is not angry at those who throw garbage into the sea, but he is determined to help both children and adults become better at taking care of nature. "I may not be able to speak, write, or tell others what to do, but perhaps others can come here, see, understand, and learn just by looking at me."

The Kraken's petrified heart no longer beats, but his love for the sea lives on. His red blood has been replaced by emotions flowing through his body like waves on the ocean. He longs for a time when the environment was a natural part of people's hearts. In the old days, there was no plastic or toxic waste created by humans. "I have a heartfelt plea to all people: Stop throwing things into the sea that harm the plants and fish."

The Kraken's eyes cannot blink, but he sees clearly and better than anyone else. He has seven eyes that see both above and below the water, through houses and mountains, and both forward and backward in time. He remembers when the sea was crystal clear, but now he sees plastic overshadowing its beauty. He sees people throwing plastic bags, fishing gear, styrofoam, glass, and other things that don't belong in the ocean. "I want all people to open their eyes and understand that the sea is our most important resource."

Even though the Kraken cannot breathe, he can still smell. He thinks back to the fresh scents of the sea and nature. A thousand years ago, there was no plastic, gasoline, or factories polluting the ocean. It only smelled of pure nature, flowers, seaweed, kelp, and fresh sea air. The Kraken believes that everyone should get to experience the same, but sometimes it is hard to communicate with adults. "I wish the old smells would come back and that we had clean air, without hints of plastic, oil, or ammonia."

The Kraken is old and literally stiff as a board, but that's just his body. His mind is still young, and his heart burns with a desire for Tranøy, Norway, and the planet to have clean seas, fresh nature, and people who are kind to each other and the environment around them. For that to happen, everyone needs to do better, and children are especially important. The Kraken can not only look back in time but also forward, and he knows how the sea, nature, and Tranøy will look in a thousand years. He can't tell anyone since he can't speak, but we understand that the future will be bright if we follow what the Kraken has taught us. "I wish all the children could become plastic detectives and help the adults understand that we must take care of nature."

Congratulations! You are now an environmental detective in the spirit of the Kraken! You can click on "Last quiz" to find all the answers and the seven letters that form the solution word.