One Island, One Ocean: Science Without Borders

One Island, One Ocean is a sailing-based science and education initiative currently tracing a roughly 27,000-nautical-mile route around North and South America—about the distance of a circumnavigation. Led by Captain Mark Schrader (a two-time solo circumnavigator) and Project Director and Co-Captain Jennifer Dalton, the expedition revives and expands on a voyage Mark first completed in 2009–2010 that collected a rate baseline dataset. The goal is both straightforward and ambitious: repeat the route over time to collect comparable ocean data, building a long-term picture of how marine systems are changing. 

What distinguishes the project is not only its scale, but its integration of field science, open data sharing, and student engagement, all carried out from a 48-foot sailboat navigating increasingly volatile oceans. 

A floating research platform  

The vessel functions as a mobile research station. Instruments mounted on the mast and hull continuously measure surface temperature and heat flux as the boat travels, transmitting data to collaborating scientists, including the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab. The system allows researchers to access measurements gathered across remote regions that are otherwise sparsely monitored. 

The expedition also supports multiple collaborative studies along its route: 

• BC Whales, using sightings and observations to support marine mammal research 
• University of Victoria, leading a pole-to-pole kelp study described by the team as unprecedented in geographic scope 
• Additional institutional collaborators include Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and UCLA, reflecting a growing international research network 

A defining principle of the project is accessibility. The data is shared across institutions and made visible to the public, linking scientists and audiences through a common information stream. 

“We've been connecting with all these different scientists from all over the world,” says Jennifer. “Everybody in the world can look at the research that we're collecting. We just did an online education classroom with a scientist from Puerto Rico and another with the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute’s Program Coordinator, Hannah Horsfield.”

    

Kelp as a climate signal 

While much of the expedition’s data collection occurs continuously as the vessel moves, kelp surveys require intensive, site-specific work. 

At each kelp bed, the crew may spend several hours conducting a structured survey. The process combines aerial and underwater documentation: a permitted drone pilot captures canopy imagery, while an ROV and a camera-equipped quadrat system record conditions below the surface. The team surveys both the perimeter and interior of each kelp site to compare density, health indicators, and associated marine life. 

Kelp forests function as ecological foundations, supporting species from invertebrates to marine mammals, and their decline can signal broader environmental shifts. The expedition’s kelp work gathers measurements, imagery, and observations of stressors such as grazing or disease, contributing baseline information across a vast latitudinal gradient. 

The voyage began with kelp studies along the west coast of Alaska and Canada and is now progressing south toward Patagonia and Cape Horn, where additional kelp site visits are planned. 

- Researchers wearing the Meris Waterproof Salopette

 

Drifting buoys and global classrooms 

A central innovation of One Island, One Ocean is its approach to translating field science into participatory learning. 

The crew is deploying approximately 10 drifting buoys along their route. Each buoy measures ambient sound, wave height, temperature, and current, and transmits trackable data for up to five weeks. Every buoy is assigned to a specific school, enabling students to track its movement and environmental readings in near real time. 

The project’s educational reach is further amplified through the Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants platform, which connects expeditions and scientists with classrooms worldwide. Thousands of students have followed the voyage through live sessions, asking questions directly from shore to sea. When schedules allow, the crew also conducts in-person school visits—such as a full-day program in St. Croix, where multiple classes rotated through presentations about the expedition and ocean research. 

These exchanges, the crew notes, often provide a surge of motivation after long stretches offshore, reinforcing the tangible impact of the work. 

“Whenever we come out from connecting with the kids, we are revitalized and excited,” says Jennifer. “Sometimes we feel very alone out here, and we’re not sure what we're doing matters, or if people hear it, but the kids definitely help motivate us.” 

- Researchers rely on the Meris Waterproof Jacket and Atlas 190 to stay dry & safe

 

Sailing through storms 

The expedition’s route has not unfolded under entirely stable conditions. From Alaska through the Northwest Passage and into the Atlantic, the crew encountered repeated severe weather, including a hurricane-strength system. The event involved days of continuous hand-steering, equipment damage, and crew injuries. At one point, a breaking wave struck from an unexpected direction and washed two crew members off the deck; their safety tethers prevented them from being swept into the ocean. 

Read the full story of the storm. 

Repairs in Bermuda, followed by the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, delayed progress but also underscored the increasing unpredictability of ocean conditions—a theme echoed by the nature of their expedition. Even so, the storm passage yielded unusually valuable measurements: data collected in the Gulf Stream during extreme conditions provided observations researchers described as previously unseen. 

“We have instruments on our masts and on our hull, studying the heat flux and surface temperatures as we go,” says Tess Shornack, Outreach Coordinator. “While we were crossing through that huge storm in the Gulf Stream, they collected data that's helping scientists understand carbon sink and absorption.” 

The experience illustrates a defining reality of the project: the ocean is both subject and challenge, and meaningful climate data often emerges from the most demanding conditions. 

A community-powered mission 

Despite its global reach, One Island, One Ocean operates as a grassroots initiative. 

The team initially pursued grant funding but changing funding landscapes curtailed support for environmental science. In response, the expedition grew through community backing: refit work at the Skagit Valley Marine Tech Center, volunteer labour, and direct donations.  

“Hordes of volunteers came together to help get the boat together to help launch this project,” says Jennifer. “Plus, we also have had people donating out of pocket—incredible people, I think they feel inspired by what we're doing.” 

The crew estimates that roughly two-thirds of the required funding has been secured, with ongoing efforts to close the remaining gap. 

The result is a distributed endeavour supported by scientists, educators, volunteers, donors, and students—an example of collective investment in open science and ocean awareness. 

Continuing south—and looking ahead 

At present, the expedition has rounded Cape Horn and is headed north towards home.  

After completing the voyage, the team plans to develop a speaking and education tour, expanding outreach and continuing to connect classrooms with ocean science. The long-term vision remains consistent: to sustain repeated expeditions, deepen comparative datasets, and inspire future ocean stewards. 

One Island, One Ocean demonstrates how a small vessel, sustained by community and driven by purpose, can generate knowledge at a planetary scale—turning miles sailed into shared understanding.