Voyage on Aurora Expeditions’ new ship, the Sylvia Earle, named in her honour of Dr Sylvia Earle including time spent at Dr Earle’s first designated ‘Hope Spot’
2nd February 2021, London: Aurora Expeditions, Australia’s pioneering expedition cruise operator is offering a unique opportunity to meet and explore Baja California with world-renowned marine conservationist, biologist, oceanographer and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle.
Dr. Earle will be a special guest on a 9-day sailing in and around Baja California and the Sea of Cortez (4-12 May 2022) onboard its new, small expedition ship, the Sylvia Earle, named to honour of Dr. Earle’s long-standing commitment to ocean conservation and marine regeneration.
Dr. Earle has a deep personal connection to the Sea of Cortez. In 2009 it was nominated as the first ‘Hope Spot’ for Mission Blue and The Sylvia Earle Alliance. Since then, Mission Blue has created a global network of 136 marine protected areas, vital eco-systems that are critical to the health of the ocean.
Expeditioners joining the voyage will enjoy fascinating once-in-a-lifetime on-board talks given personally by Dr. Earle and have the opportunity to join her on immersive excursions both on land and water in the Gulf of California.
The voyage offers the chance for explorers to see and learn about this extraordinarily rich and biodiverse marine environment and begin their personal journey as ‘ambassadors’ for ocean conservation. Dr. Earle will share her views on the significance of climate change and why the Sea of Cortez, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was her first designated Hope Spot.
Aurora Expeditions and the new ship Sylvia Earle will support Mission Blue’s conservation efforts with wildlife mapping and location photography and video, above and below the water. On board ‘Citizen Science’ projects, run by the expedition team leaders will support marine research to ensure the critical health of the ocean.
“By travelling with Aurora Expeditions on Sylvia Earle, I feel it is an incredible opportunity for people to learn about these extraordinary marine habitats in situ, and as a result, become ambassadors for protecting them,” says Dr. Earle.
“Ninety-seven percent of the Earth’s water is ocean, it is our life support system, and we need to learn everything we can about it,” she adds. “I see great synergies in working closely with a company that shares my vision for the future and which is, from the top down, passionate about the marine environment.”
Aurora Expeditions is planning voyages to other key ‘Hope Spots’ including:
- Costa Rica (Golfo Dulce) and Panama (Coiba Island)
- Raja Ampat (Coral Triangle and Misool Private Marine Reserve)
- North West Passage
- Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
- Canada (Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef)
The David Attenborough of the marine world, Dr. Sylvia Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; has been a National Geographic explorer-in-residence since 1998; and was named by Time magazine as its first ‘Hero of the Planet’ the same year.
“Our goal is literally to inspire a network of hope – one place, one community, one vision at a time – but together around the world,” says Dr. Earle. “And by linking people, sharing stories, and carrying evidence of success or problems from one place to another, we get this global ‘brains trust’ working to get us from where we are to a better place.”