Ocean Voyages Institute

THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE IS PRESERVATION OF THE MARITIME ARTS AND SCIENCES, OCEAN ENVIRONMENT AND ISLAND CULTURES. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, A PRIMARY PROGRAM HAS INVOLVED SOLUTIONS FOR MARINE DEBRIS ISSUES.

DURING 2021, OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE CONTINUED FOCUSING OUR PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF OCEAN CLEANUP (REMOVING PLASTIC POLLUTION FROM THE OCEAN), PRESERVATION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT, THE MARITIME ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND ISLAND CULTURES. OUR OCEAN CLEANUP EFFORTS IN 2021 INCLUDED PANAMA AND COSTA RICA AS WELL AS AN EXPEDITION IN THE NORTH PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE AREA, (NORTH PACIFIC GYRE) WHERE WE DID A TAGGING EXPEDITION WITH OUR GPS SATELLITE TRACKERS AS WELL AS PICKING UP SOME NETS FOR CLEANUP. IN FUTURE YEARS WE EXPECT TO BE CONTINUING OUR CLEANUPS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC GYRE DURING THE SUMMER SEASONS AND ADDING CLEANUPS IN THE PANAMA/COSTA RICA/COLUMBIA AND ECUADOR AREAS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE CONTINUING SUCCESS IN FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENT THAT 100% OF THE PLASTIC WE REMOVE FROM THE OCEAN IS UPCYCLED/RECYCLED/REPURPOSED . WE ARE COMMITTED TO INSURING NONE OF THE PLASTIC ENDS UP BACK IN THE OCEAN OR IN A LANDFILL. IN ADDITION TO OUR DIRECT REMOVAL WORK OF COLLECTING DERELICT FISHING GEAR AND CONSUMER DEBRIS AS WELL AS DORIES, SKIFFS AND SMALL VESSELS FOUND IN THE GYRE AREAS. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PLASTICS OUT OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, RIVERS, BEACHES, OCEANS, ETC. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE EDUCATES THROUGH LECTURES, FILM, ATTENDING & PARTICIPATING IN VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCEAN CONFERENCES/EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND COLLABORATION WITH VARIOUS OTHER NON-PROFITS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. WE WORK WITH A NETWORK OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE OFFER INFORMATION AND COLLABORATION WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS. EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THOUGH LECTURES, EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, INFORMATIVE FILM & VIDEO PUBLICATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A HEALTHY OCEAN FOR OUR OWN HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF OUR PLANET. IN 2020 WE CONTINUED OUR GPS SATELLITE TRACKER PROGRAM WHERE WE DISTRIBUTE GPS SATELLITE TRACKERS TO YACHTS AND SHIPS TRAVELING THROUGH THE NORTH PACIFIC SUB TROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/GARBAGE GYRE FOR THEM TO USE TAGGING GHOST NETS. THIS ALLOWS US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DEBRIS DISTRIBUTION AND ALLOWS US TO BE EFFICIENT IN OUR CLEANUP OF THESE HUGE NETS. IN 2021 SOME OF OUR GPS SATELLITE TRACKERS WERE TAGGED ON DEBRIS THAT MOST LIKELY CAME FROM CONTAINER SPILLS. THESE FINDINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXCELLENT WORK OF OUR ASSOCIATES AT THE UNIVERSITY HAWAII SOEST.OUR EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED BOTH ON STOPPING THE FLOW OF PLASTICS INTO THE OCEAN AND TO ENCOURAGE MORE CLEAN UPS, IN PARKS, RIVERS, BEACHES, AND AT SEA. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF DISPOSABLE PLASTICS THAT ARE UTILIZED IN OUR WORLD AND ULTIMATELY END UP IN OUR OCEAN. WE NEED TO LIMIT WAYS OF USING PLASTIC FOR THINGS WE KEEP AND DO NOT DISPOSE OF SUCH AS RAILROAD TIES, CONSTRUCTION, INSULATION BOARDS, ETC. AND STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF THROW AWAY PLASTIC KNIVES, FORKS, PLATES, CUPS, BAGS, ETC.AND THE DESTRUCTIVE NETS THAT LAST FOR DECADES.OUR OCEAN IS BECOMING CLOGGED WITH OUR GARBAGE, MOST SPECIFICALLY PLASTIC GARBAGE/DEBRIS. AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON OCEANS IN JUNE OF 2017, THE PLASTIC DEBRIS IN OUR OCEAN WAS CONSIDERED THE MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE FACING US TODAY. THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS ARE DETERIORATING AND OCEAN CREATURES RANGING FROM FISH TO SEA TURTLES TO PORPOISES TO WHALES ARE BEING KILLED BY OUR PLASTIC GARBAGE. WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSING PARTICULARLY ON THE AREA OF GHOST NETS AND ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH TEAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AND ELSEWHERE. IN ADDITION TO OUR ACTIVE OCEAN CLEANUP WORK, OUR "THINK TANK" CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOST EFFICIENT METHODS OF OCEAN CLEAN UP EQUIPMENT FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF OCEAN PLASTICS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR FILM FOOTAGE AND PROJECTS ON OUR DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECTS AND FILM CLIPS USED FOR LECTURES AND GENERAL EDUCATION. WE GIVE PRESENTATIONS RANGING FROM GROUPS SUCH AS THE SOCIETY OF WOMEN GEOGRAPHERS TO SCHOOL GROUPS AT ALL LEVELS TO YACHT CLUBS AND AT A RANGE OF OCEAN EVENTS. WE WORK WITH AND COLLABORATE WITH EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD TO ADVOCATE FOR SUCCESSFUL AT SEA CLEANUPS. WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR LOCAL WORK ON PRESERVING THE MARITIME HISTORY OF SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA WHERE WE ARE BASED AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SUCH AS THE ADRIATIC SEA, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS,ETC...