Using their sailboats OceansWatch members assist with marine conservation and sustainability projects and deliver educational resources and volunteers to coastal communities in developing countries. Working with yacht owners, sailors, divers, students, teachers, volunteers, doctors, nurses, ecologists and scientists, we undertake projects that help coastal communities protect their marine environment, develop sustainable lifestyles and support their local schools.
Join us to help with projects such as conducting Reef Check and Coral Watch surveys, setting up and monitoring Marine Protected Areas, marine mammal surveying, and humanitarian projects such as setting up sister schools programs.
The emphasis of OceansWatch North America (OWNA) is on projects in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Join us on our boats; your boat and other member's yachts that are used as project lead vessels. We are expanding work in the Caribbean Tour and have ongoing projects in Vanuatu, the Soloman Islands and Papua New Guinea in partnership with OceansWatch New Zealand and other organizations.
from Executive Director Donna Lange
Solo Sail to Ile A Vache and La Gonave Haiti
My recent trip to Haiti both to pilot programs in Ile A Vache and to do cholera relief work in La Gonave was incredible. Sustainable solutions can be facilitated by sailors on their sail or power boats bringing vital health and support. I piloted projects including solar cooking ovens, compost toilets, education, cholera relief work, micro business opportunities. I collaborated with 3 other NGOs well established on the island of IAV.. One of my primary goals was to research sustainable development plans that will help the island community to move through change processes to decrease the use of charcoal, the cutting of their trees, develop new patterns of living that include sanitation, clean water, and disease prevention. The communities were responsive but attached to their tradition...a great tradition in so many ways. A primitive but gentle life living off the land. My plan is to return on other OW member boats this fall and continue to develop projects that all the OW community can get involved with . These projects are vital in all the islands where fresh water, santitaiton, and continuous loss of infrastructure due to hurricanes, other natural and unatural disasters.
Best wishes..
Donna Lange
Executive Director OceansWatch North America
http://www.facebook.com/video/editvideo.php?v=10150324083773980#!/
December 2010
Note from the Executive Director, Donna Lange,
Caribbean Tour
This is an exciting time for OWNA as we embrace the OceansWatch International boat presently touring in the Caribbean. The expertise of years of work by Chris Bone and his team in the Pacific is now embodied in a terrific crew of excited OW members cruising and doing research, meeting folks in harbors and developing relationships with the important contacts in the coastal communities in the Caribbean along the way. OWNA will be developing projects working alongside the organizations on islands to enagage with the sailing community to
"Cruise with A Cause"
To get involved or participate in one of our projects, JOIN, DONATE or VOLUNTEER.
Upcoming interview with Amazing crew on Observer Radio for our program Voice of the People with Winston Derrick
OceansWatch is gettting into its planning for the next year. One of our main projects this year will be at the Reef Islands, Solomon Islands. Building on our visits in 2010 and 2011 OceansWatch will work with the communities of the Reef Islands, the Temotu Fisheries department and Temotu Provincial government to create an approximately 30,000ha Marine Managed Area (MMA) which shall incorporate a network of 5-10 community no-take Marine Protected Areas(MPAs). Read more in our Newsletter.
Before the crew from the Cat Knapp Expedition went their separate ways OceansWatch Australia held an education day at Mooloolaba Marina.