Science, the ocean & me

The big blue is massive. It is so big and deep that our scientists struggle to uncover its secrets. But you and your boat can make a difference, writes citizen science sailor Jon Amtrup

- 

I could spend my life sailing towards the horizon. To save my soul, as solo sailor Bernard Moitessier famously said when he turned the boat around to keep sailing instead of crossing the finish line in the 1968 Golden Globe Race. I understand Moitessier. The ocean is my getaway place where the noise in my head quiets, my shoulders rest and my smile comes easily. The sea is a friend who just keeps giving and giving. But this friend needs help, and you can contribute by, among many other things, being a citizen science sailor.

So what is a citizen scientist sailor? It is a sailor who wants to give something back to the ocean by taking samples, readings, sights and measurements that will be processed, examined and interpreted by scientists. But it's also for curious sailors who want to learn more about the ocean, whales, dolphins and ecosystems that live under our keel.

But why does science need your help? New technology such as ROVs, including satellites, automation, the development of sensors and over 300 big research vessels oceanwide are working full-time collecting data from the ocean. But it's not enough.

Due to the vastness of the sea and the diversity of the challenges, more information is needed.