In close co-operation
with the world's yachting and diving communities OceansWatch
undertakes marine conservation projects and offers humanitarian aid
to coastal communities in developing countries.
OceansWatch offers resources, in the form of ocean-going
research vessels
and expertise, such as marine biologists, members training, project management
and support crew.
OceansWatch strengthens the link between the global yachting
and diving communities and
those who are actively involved in marine research, education and
conservation.
OceansWatch will use environmentally friendly Wharram
catamarans equipped with wet and dry laboratories, dive support
facilities or clinics as our project lead boats, supported by
members vessels.
www.oceanswatch.com
Yes, OceansWatch NA!!! We have completed the Non-Profit Incorporation!
The
Heartbeat of Chris Bone and the mission of OW NZ is contagious.
Sequoia Sun, owner of Schooner Dolphin, has joined OW igniting OW NA.
As a US NFP org, Sequoia Sun will CEO the Organization under the
foundery of Chris Bone. The Board of Directors also includes Peter Vine (OW NZ trustee), Rick Buddenhagen and myself both US based. To meet these folks go to www.oceanswatch.org.
We did our first presentation yesterday in
Darien Ct.. It was magic and exciting to see their response to the
genuine passion that we have as ambassadors for the ocean.
I was so
moved as Sequoia gave my own introduction, I could barely sing when I
picked up my guitar to play Keepin On. This journey has been a
breathtaking life changing crossroads for me. What a thrill it is to
share it with others seeing them respond to the possibility it brings.
Please keep in touch with the Oceanswatch.org site as exciting times
are ahead. The work already happening in the Pacific Islands is
amazing... We look forward to becoming a like force of sustainable
empowerment to Island Coastal communities from the Caribbean to all the
world's oceans. JOIN US by becoming a member of OceansWatch
International Club and begin Sailing With Purpose!!!
Join OceansWatch: Sailing, Diving, Cruising with Purpose
Yes, OceansWatch NA!!! We have completed the Non-Profit Incorporation!
Go to the OceansWatch page and see the incredible work going forward. Watch for the article in Sail-world.com OceansWatch has her first donated sailboat for use in Reef surveys and sustainability work in the Pacific Islands!!!!!
Schooner Dolphin restoration for like works in the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic as well as around the world. First Reef Survey Training program to be held in Tonga, next month... click on the OceansWatch logo for more details...
HELP CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Congratulations
all the entrants to the CARIB 1500 Rally!! Friends on SV_ Sapphire,
Entrepreneurship and many others I met at the workshops prior to their
leaving Hampton Roads, VA.
To a Fabulous time at the Seven Seas Cruising Assoc GAM!!!
What a welcome to me and OceansWatch as we talked of partnering our
orgs to help the coastal communities where the SSCA cruisers go-
EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD. Just a note to any who have thought SSCA
was only for long passage sailors.... No Way..Any and all cruisers,
whether by sail or motor are welcome, regardless of miles offshore. So
if you have been wanting to join those morning breakfast get togethers
of the SSCA in ports all along the ICW and coastal harbors of the whole
World....DO IT... All who love the ocean are welcome.
OceansWatch Needs You
3:05 PM Wed 20 Feb 2008
'Scuba divers and Snorkelers can assist OceansWatch’s research efforts'
.
Any
sailor who cares about the environment and who is saddened by the
pollution and gradual devastation of the oceans of the world, will be
glad to know that OceansWatch exists, and even happier to know that every single individual, yes YOU, can assist this young organisation in its work.
So
what does OceansWatch do? It is a natural partnership between marine
biologists, the crews of boats spread across the remote and not so
remote bays, atolls and anchorages of the world and coastal
communities.
Put simply, on one side, marine biologists need
help in their research of the world's oceans, research that is usually
expensive to obtain – and who better than sailors who are inevitably
armed with scuba or snorkeling gear, and already out there where the
needed information is?
Dynamiting fish - Coastal communities sometimes struggle to manage a changing world - .. .
On the other hand, remote coastal communities need early information as
to how to resist the pollution that has destroyed the lifestyles of so
many communities already – fish depleted, coral destroyed, water
poisoned. Who better than sailors, already there, armed with
information provided by the aforesaid marine biologists, to be the
interface between the vast amount of information available and those
who need it?
Chris Bone, the entrepreneurial spirit behind
OceansWatch, has gathered a passionate group of skilled people around
him to make the dream a reality, and even though the organisation is
little more than a year old, they are already working with multiple
government and non-government organisations who can see a role for
OceansWatch. Currently their projects are concentrated on the South
Pacific but Chris's ambition is to expand to other areas where there is
a need.
Chris Bone and OceanWatch’s Australian representative Melinda Taylor - .. .
Chris, an Englishman who has been in the Antipodes for more than 20
years, vividly remembers when he arrived in New Zealand – the day after
the French blew up the Rainbow Warrior. A 2 year stint with Greenpeace
followed, and then all thoughts of heavy involvement working for the
environment stopped while he married and had a family. Later, though,
becoming a yacht delivery skipper - which is his day job - Chris became
more and more moved by the pollution - which 'progress' brought with it
to coastal communities - that he saw around him on his travels.
'Even
though the organisation is so young, the seeds were planted many years
ago – I knew I could do nothing alone, so I talked and talked, to
everyone who would listen, and slowly slowly an interested group of
skilled people gathered together. '
Today, the organising team is impressive
The colour of the coral tells marine biologists much they need to know - .. .
Apart
from Chris Bone, there's Vince Kerr, a biologist with a background in
environmental education and marine conservation, Peter Vine,
professional marine biologist, Lily Kozmian-ledward, a marine biologist
and professional scuba-diver, yacht skipper and photographer, Donna
Lange, who has recently completed her own solo circumnavigation and is
the USA representative, Julia Alabaster, the financial administrator,
and Jane Pares, yachtswoman, writer and expedition project manager.
Now
that the word is out, the memberships and offers of help and
involvement are coming in thick and fast from concerned sailors round
the world.
And how CAN you assist?
As a Member of OceansWatch here are the options: 1.You can be a Canary:
If you are a sailor, a boat owner or a crew member of a yacht out there
in an anchorage, you can report the problems you see in the environment
– coral bleaching, pollution, local people's struggle to manage their
environment 2.You can train. Enthusiasts can be trained by
OceansWatch for coral health monitoring under the comprehensive
ReefCheck system. First training is in Tonga in early April. 3.You can Report.
If you can snorkel or dive, and are in remote locations, you can, for
instance, in a very simple and easy way, report on the colours of the
coral (I.E. bleaching). You would be provided with a colour card, much
like a paint sample card, and you could send the information back as to
the bleaching – or otherwise – of a reef. 4.You can Volunteer.
OceansWatch are often looking for maintenance assistance and crew to
man the OceansWatch sailing boats that head out on particular ventures.
Especially if you have some extra skill, like nursing, you will be very
welcome. 5.If you can do NONE of the above, you can support the activities by joining the organisation. To do this, go to www.oceanswatch.org– and of course, 6.You can donate! Sailing boats have been donated, cash of up to $5000 has been donated – that by a concerned marine biologist.
About any or all of these, you can get more information by going to the OceansWatch website. However, if you care for the oceans in which you sail, Sail-World Cruising urges you to do SOMETHING please!
Louise, Chris and Eric on Solaris in Sydney Australia, Team Oceanswatch Aussi
Hi team :)
Ok back in NZ now.
Things are a bit hectic in the house as we have 10
here at the moment. All the kids of course plus James who is helping me with
Magic Roundabout and a number of other OceansWatch projects. Eric Witt from
Hawaii and we also have a couple of French film makers who want to do a film
about OceansWatch. They are very keen and have done some professional work
already. Anyway they are putting a written proposal together for us to
consider.
The trip to Aus was great. It was good to spend
time with Melinda and other OceansWatch members. We took Solaris out, the boat
that's been offered to us for 2 years. The attached pic is of me, Eric (OW
Hawaii) and Louise (OW Sydney). Not sure about Solaris at this stage but
seriously considering her, depends a lot on Melinda's availability to oversee
the project. Possible project is for her to market OW en route to Darwin then
join Sail Indonesia for ReefCheck and Coral Watch work on the way to Singapore,
then on to the Philippines.
I am considering moving forward now to have an USA
Trust set up (501c). Eric is interested and an old friend of mine joined
recently. He has previously set up a not for profit in the USA so if he's keen
it will be a great help. Of course Donna will be heavily involved but I want to
ensure a good team is there for her.
Kind of bad news is that I can no longer use
Brigadoon. The owner decided he wants her in HK now so they are shipping her at
great expense! This means that I will skipper Magic Roundabout instead, to
Vanuatu and PNG. Problem is she is only 34' so we will have trouble getting all
we need on her. The compressor that we were carrying on Brigadoon would sink
her!
Best wishes,
Chris Bone www.pacificyachtdeliveries.co.nz www.oceanswatch.org
UPDATE FROM CHRIS BONE, OCEANSWATCH DIRECTOR, IN BRISBANE
Hi Team :)
I arrived here in Brisbane a few days ago after an
exciting surf in through Southport Bar on an Oyster 55 :)
I am staying with Melinda Taylor on her Hans
Christian 43 in the Brisbane River.
We have been busy scheming :) and
visiting.
Thursday we met with Dave Logan who runs Coral
Watch. We both learnt a lot and I like their project. Dave is going to send me
some papers about Coral Watch for the Marine Biologists amongst us. In the
meantime can you all please have a look here http://www.coralwatch.org/default.aspx and
get back to me with any questions that you have about Coral Watch.
Mel and I have a few clarifications about CW but if
they and any questions from you guys can be sorted then I think that we can
"Officially" adopt their program
Yesterday we visited OW member Shayle Wood in
Mooloolaba. Shayle is a Nurse with lots of sailing experience. Next we met with
Raffael from Findacrew. His crew agency is very busy, with over 20,000 on his
database and he gets thousands of hits. We are trying to get linked from his
front page. He was interesting and helpful so we should get linked. We put up
our OW posters at the Marina's.
Mel and I will go to Byron Bay on Monday via every
marina en route. There we will meet OW member Charlotte Wild. I will have a day
off then head for Sydney where I will be inspecting another boat that the owner
wants to donate to us for 2 years. Hope to head back to NZ, delivering the Swan
48 "So Far about the 16th.
Julia has been very busy with funding applications.
We will fine tune them over the next week then get them off with fingers
crossed.
OK Marine Biologists I need a recommendation from
you for a book to teach me about reef ecosystems, fairly simple, you know sort
of UK A level.
Alice
Sowerby, sister of the late Tom Sowerby, has gifted the long term use
of his Sweden Yacht 340, Magic Roundabout, to OceansWatch www.oceanswatch.org
Tom,
who was only 23 when he died, loved the sea and the cruising life and
was a skilled yachtsman and diver. His death in a free diving accident
in Bora Bora last year was a shock to all who knew him.
Tom was en route to New Zealand where he planned to study and work for a year before continuing his circumnavigation.
Magic Roundabout was sailed on to New Zealand by Pacific Yacht Deliveries www.pacficyachtdeliveries.co.nz It
was Tom’s love of the ocean and growing concern about the marine
environment that led Alice to donate the long term use of his yacht to
OceansWatch. Alice feels it appropriate to Tom’s memory that Magic
Roundabout will now participate in OceansWatch’s marine conservation
activities as well as its humanitarian projects with coastal
communities in developing countries.
OceansWatch is
developing a Yacht Management Programme in partnership with owners who
would like their boats to be involved in environmental and humanitarian
projects.
OceansWatch is a young, dynamic, not-for-profit
Trust in its first year of operation with a worldwide membership made
up of - medical doctors, dentists, engineers, marine biologists,
divers, international development specialists, midwives, tourism
operators, scientists and many others interested in making a difference
to coastal communities and their associated marine environments.
By
linking these island communities to those who are actively involved in
marine research, education, humanitarian work and conservation
OceansWatch is able to offer practical solutions to their problems.
Membership
of OceansWatch offers the international yachting and diving communities
an opportunity to actively participate in valuable marine conservation
programmes and projects that are aimed at making a positive difference
to the lives of island and coastal communities.
In this first
year of operation, projects are being focused on Vanuatu, Tonga and PNG
where OceansWatch will work on marine conservation and education
projects in conjunction with organisations such as Reef Check www.reefcheck.org and Project MARC (Medical Assistance to Remote Communities), www.project-marc.org.
Preliminary visits were made during 2007.
In
Vanuatu OceansWatch will set up new Reef Check transects in an MPA
(marine protected area) established by the local Chief and help the
Fisheries Department mark established MPAs, as well as supporting
current Reef Check programmes.
Robert Puis, the OceansWatch
representative in Madang on the NE coast of PNG, has requested that
OceansWatch assist his community on nearby Karkar Island, where raw
sewerage from the local high school is discharged straight onto the
reef. OceansWatch will be responding to advice from the Red Cross and
Robert as to what resources can best help the community.
OceansWatch
members’ yachts will be distributing resources to local schools and
items such as reading glasses under the guidance of the local Red
Cross.
Tom Sowerby on his beloved Magic Roundabout - OceansWatch is gifted the long term use of a yacht - unknown unknowm Click Here to view large photo
Alice
Sowerby and Chris Bone of OceansWatch on Magic Roundabout in Whangarei,
New Zealand - OceansWatch is gifted the long term use of a yacht
- unknown unknowm Click Here to view large photo
by Jane Pares
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OceansWatch is Gifted the use of a Yacht
Created by
doina.
Last modified on 2008-02-05 10:49:21
Contributors: Topic: Environment
Alice Sowerby, sister of the late Tom Sowerby, has gifted the use of his Sweden Yacht 340, Magic Roundabout, to OceansWatch www.oceanswatch.org
Tom, who was only 23 when he died, loved the sea
and the cruising life and was a skilled yachtsman and
diver. His death in a free diving accident in Bora Bora
last year was a shock to all who knew him.
Tom was en route to New Zealand where he planned to study and work for a
year before continuing his circumnavigation.
It was Tom’s love of the ocean and growing concern about the marine
environment that led Alice to donate the long term use of his yacht to
OceansWatch. Alice feels it appropriate to Tom’s memory that Magic
Roundabout will now participate in OceansWatch’s marine conservation
activities as well as its humanitarian projects with coastal communities in
developing countries.
OceansWatch is developing a Yacht Management Programme in partnership with owners who would like their boats to be
involved in environmental and humanitarian projects.
OceansWatch is a young, dynamic, not-for-profit Trust in its first
year of operation with a worldwide membership made up of - medical
doctors, dentists, engineers, marine biologists, divers, international
development specialists, midwives, tourism operators, scientists and
many others interested in making a difference to coastal communities
and their associated marine
environments.
By linking these island communities to those who are actively
involved in marine research, education, humanitarian work and
conservation OceansWatch is able to offer practical solutions to their
problems. Membership of OceansWatch offers the international yachting
and diving communities an opportunity to actively participate in
valuable marine conservation programmes and projects that are aimed at
making a positive difference to the lives of island and coastal
communities.
In this first year of operation, projects are being focused on
Vanuatu, Tonga and PNG where OceansWatch will work on marine
conservation and education projects in conjunction with organisations
such as Reef Check www.reefcheck.org
and Project MARC (Medical Assistance to Remote Communities), www.project-marc.org
Preliminary visits were made during 2007. In Vanuatu OceansWatch will
set up new Reef Check transects in an MPA (marine protected area)
established by the local
Chief and help the Fisheries Department mark established MPAs, as well
as supporting current Reef Check programmes.
Robert Puis, the OceansWatch representative in Madang on the NE
coast of PNG, has requested that OceansWatch assist his
community on nearby Karkar Island, where raw sewerage from the local
high school is discharged straight onto the reef. OceansWatch will be
responding to advice from the Red Cross and Robert as to what resources
can best help the community.
OceansWatch members’ yachts will be distributing resources to local
schools and items such as reading glasses under the guidance of the
local Red Cross.
