Welcome to OceansWatch North America

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

Latest OceansWatch News

Magic Roundabout sets sail for the Pacific

May 17, 2013

This is shaping up to be a big year for OceansWatch as we make progress on our goal of “Saving the Ocean – one reef at a time."It is thanks to the sponsorship of UAEs bid to host the World Expo in 2020 that Magic Roundabout is on her way to the Pacific with Helen Beswick, Carla Deane, Andy Clarkson and Shannon Hurley.It is that time of year when all our volunteers are working like crazy to get the last minute things ready for the departure of the two OceansWatch vessels which will be working in the Pacific during the New Zealand winter.

This is Amick Houssaune filling boxes with first aid supplies for the communities that we will visit. Thanks to Medical aid abroad for donating the supplies for these and to Circa Marine (builders of Dashew yachts) for making the boxes. We are still looking for yachts heading from Opua to Port Vila to help deliver these boxes. Email operations@oceanswatch.org if you can help.
On Wednesday Magic Roundabout left Opua bound for Vanuatu. On board are Shannon Carla , two young graduates heading off for a life- changing experience as they work with communities in these remote islands to help them manage their dwindling fish resources. We have recently been well treated by Customs who have granted us an extension of the length of time Magic Roundabout can stay in New Zealand.

Read more in the latest Newsletter

OceansWatch training pays off for sustainability in the Solomon Islands.

March 16, 2013

Fenualoa Reef Guardians take control!
It can be very hard to show that we are actually achieving success towards sustainability, especially to hard nosed grant making bodies. They want the hard facts, comprehensive surveys costing thousands of dollars that frankly OceansWatch would rather spend on grass roots conservation. Yet there are other ways to show our impact................
OceansWatch works in the Temotu district of the Solomon Islands which was hit recently by a devastating Tsunami. Villages where we work lost houses and many had their precious cooking utensils washed out to sea. People are in a very difficult situation, vegetable plots are likely to have been washed away or salt intrusion will have limited growth, wells will also have been affected by salt water intrusion. People need money to buy food and other essential supplies, yet they have no money. OceansWatch has run a fundraiser (Donate now) and is sending building materials and cooking utensils yet we know it's not enough. Read more about how the Reef Guardians have refused a short term income opportunity in favour of the long term sustainability of their marine environment.

We are still looking for boats and crew for the 2013 expeditions

March 1, 2013

We are trying to organise a three yacht expedition in 2013 to ensure we can visit all the communities that have requested our assistance. That would involve two lead boats going to Vanuatu and then the Solomon Islands and one lead boat staying in Northern Vanuatu. Other cruising yachts will join us where they feel they can support us best. If you have marine biology or diving skills you can offer please look at our volunteer pages. If you have a boat you want to lease, donate or sail with us please email chris@oceanswatch.org

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