Our Pledge for Cleaner Oceans

Nature is all too powerful, oceans immense, mountains high, life fragile. Yet in our desire to live a more comfortable life, humans have been degrading the balance that exists on Earth. We are fast approaching the carrying capacity of our planet.

By foregoing the use of sails and an engine, my human powered journeys aimed to coexist with nature, turning my rowboat into an oasis to survive for perhaps ten months at sea. The choice that I made seeking simplicity and accepting discomfort, duress and uncertainty was intentional. I intended to grow in the process, to serve as a steward of this Earth rather than a pest slowly killing it.

This mission to grow remains as I accept the immense challenge offered by the 2026 Golden Globe Race, a nonstop solo unassisted sailing race which will take about eight months to complete. Starting and ending at Les Sables d’Olonne, this retro race will take me around Antarctica and back without use of modern conveniences like GPS, chart plotter or outside weather routing in a vessel built in 1986.

My partners and I will have the shared goal to educate the general public about the state of The Ocean and the plight of all species that suffer from impact of humanity. Sharing widely this human interest story of a lone rower and solo sailor who accepts the challenge of an immense ocean, will draw an audience of adults, youth and students. We intend to create teachable moments to turn that audience into allies, stewards of Mother Earth and advocates for those that cannot speak.