As a kid learning to sail on the coast of Maine in the 60s the ocean was still an enormously abundant resource. One annual treat was heading down to the docks with the family for the annual Bailey Island Tuna Tournament where we'd watch the lobsterman who'd rigged up for tuna fishing bring in the 'catch of the day'. It was impressive with large tuna often coming in at 5-700lbs and the largest one ever caught being over 800lbs. They're all gone now. They do have a fishing tournament and tuna are occasionally caught but rarely over 200lbs. It's a different and endangered world. Thankfully the devastation to the ocean ecosystem continues to gain recognition and support for the long haul back to health. We're suggesting sailors both celebrate the sailing life and make a contribution to the cause.
In an ocean conservation partnership, Sailors for the Sea and Summer Sailstice are teaming up to ask Summer Sailstice participants to collectively sail 26,000 miles and raise $26,000 for ocean conservation!
Participants in the 14th annual Summer Sailstice can support ocean health while their sails are hoisted on the weekend of June 21st for fun and to benefit the oceans. Together, Summer Sailstice and Sailors for the Sea are challenging sailors to collectively sail a symbolic circumnavigation of the globe.
To participate in this unique circumnavigation, sign up on the Summer Sailstice website and pledge your donation for each mile sailed. The global goal is for participating boats to sail a collective of 26,000 miles, the equivalent of a circumnavigation. "My goal is for 2,600 boats to sail ten miles each with every boat pledging just $1 per mile." noted Arndt. "Together, sailors will be contribute $26,000 to Sailors for the Sea’s ocean conservation programs".
To contribute to the virtual circumnavigation enter your email below:
WHY SUPPORT OCEAN CONSERVATION?
The Earth’s waters are under increasing pressure from human use; marine life, coastal environments and vast oceans are all impacted by pollution. The ocean, which was once considered inexhaustible and resilient, is actually finite and fragile.
The issues faced by our waters are extensive, key concerns include:
• In all five oceans, the Great Lakes and many rivers, plastic debris can be found, whether it be in the shape of a bottle or under the microscope.
• 90% of the big fish in the ocean have been removed making the issue of overfishing and mismanagement of fisheries is an important matter for our global food resources.
• Every year approximately 400 dead zones appear in oceans and large lakes around the world created by runoff from sewage, urban land use and fertilizers. These chemicals decrease the amount of oxygen killing marine animals and plants – the largest dead zone forms in the Gulf of Mexico each summer when runoff from the Mississippi River reaches the waters.
While these problems can seem insurmountable, hope exist to save the oceans. Sailors for the Sea was founded to unite the boating community to protect the waters they love. Through their programs, Sailors for the Sea educates the boating community about ocean health issues, and engages behavior change through the Clean Regattas program.
CELEBRATION OF SAILING
Now in its 14th year, the worldwide Summer Sailstice celebration of sailing is becoming a tradition for sailors annually, across the globe. This year, the event will be celebrated on the Summer Solstice (northern hemisphere) itself, June 21st, giving all sailors out on the water the absolute maximum time to sail in daylight.
Summer Sailstice encourages all sailors, from the recreational to the competitive, to sign up, share their individual sailing plans, recruit crew, post stories and create Summer Sailstice events, be they with their yacht club, fellow sailors or sailing association. All sailors, regardless of vessel or location, are encouraged to sail ‘together’ wherever they happen to be on the planet and contribute to ocean health by pledging funs to Sailors for the Sea.
SUMMER SAILSTICE EVENT DETAILS
Who: Sailors and non-sailors worldwide
When: Weekend June 21, 2014
Where: Global (wherever there’s wind, water and sails)
How: Sailors register for free on the event website to declare their participation, invite others to join their Summer Sailstice event and to gain a chance to win prizes donated from sailing companies. Sailors will receive a pledge note from Sailors for the Sea so they can pledge funds for their miles sailed on Summer Sailstice..
About Sailors for the Sea
Founded in 2004, Sailors for the Sea is a nonprofit organization that educates and engages the boating community in the worldwide protection of the oceans. For more information on or to participate in any of the Sailors for the Sea programs, or to support the organization, visit www.sailorsforthesea.org or contact info@sailorsforthesea.org.
Do it for your kids or this whale's kids - they'll both appreciate it.
Tracking your miles. How will you record your miles to know your contribution for Sailors for the Sea? Today there are dozens of ways to do it - with your on board navigation electronics from Raymarine, Garmin, Furuno, NKE and others. But now there's also a host of phone/tablet apps that can help do the job. You can find them here:
Do you know of any others? Which one do you like? Let us know but, either way, hope you use some of this modern technology to track your miles so you can contribute to ocean health through Sailors for the Sea.
