An ambitious 14-month research voyage on board a 48-foot sailboat launches this weekend from Cap Sante Marina. The Around the Americas Expedition will circumnavigate North and South America aboard the 48-foot sailboat, One Ocean.
The voyage will launch on Saturday and the public is invited to watch.
When: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Time: 8-10:30 a.m. - Reception 8-9 a.m.
Remarks at 9 a.m. | Launch at 10 a.m. sharp
Where: Parking Lot (next to Dock B)
Cap Sante Marina, Port of Anacortes
The mission focuses on scientific research, education, and community outreach to raise awareness about ocean health. Building on Captain Mark Schrader’s original 2009–2010 journey, the expedition will compare oceanic changes over the past 15 years.
Skagit Valley College students played a crucial role in preparing the vessel for its journey and will be supporting the project throughout its course. SVC students from various disciplines, including Marine Technology, Marine Biology, Physics, and Environmental Science, will be actively involved in the project.
One of the key projects involves researching kelp forests along the coastlines of North and South America, documenting their health and dynamics. Collaborators include the University of Victoria, UCLA, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the University of Washington.
Research Highlights
The scientific focus includes:
- Kelp forest dynamics: Spatial distribution, density, and temporal studies.
- Environmental monitoring: Ocean temperature and related factors.
- Meteorological studies: Ocean-atmosphere interactions.
- Conservation efforts: Utilizing low-impact marine technologies.
The primary onboard research will be the first-ever comprehensive pole-to-pole study of giant and bull kelp, spanning from Alaska to Patagonia—a continuous 27,000 nautical miles of open-source research. The expedition's route will overlap approximately 40 kelp forest sites selected from satellite imagery. We will investigate the distribution, health, density, and environmental conditions affecting kelp ecosystems in regions where they are known to thrive.
The expedition will also conduct supporting research with atmospheric and oceanographic instrumentation on board. The crew will deploy SWIFT buoys to collect wave and ocean/atmospheric data for researchers, ocean enthusiasts and school students to follow.
All research will be open sourced and shared on a constant stream through social media sites and YouTube educational videos (#OneIslandOneOcean). The education platform partner is Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants. Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants opens the frontlines of our changing planet to all students through the passion, immersive technology and visual storytelling of the scientists, explorers, conservationists, and adventurers who are smashing the boundaries of what we thought was possible. The journey and education videos will be free for classrooms everywhere.