May 18, 2025
Wind: 15–20 knots | Temp: 50°F
Grace, Mike, and I just got back to One Ocean after completing studies at two more kelp beds. It's only 10 AM. We were underway from the Octopus Islands by 5:15. No break for the birthday boy today! Yes—it’s Mark’s birthday, so we celebrated with bacon and eggs.
Conditions were a bit tougher today—we were right on the edge of Johnstone Strait with a solid northwest wind blowing 15–17 knots, now beginning to shift west-southwest. We’re staying tucked into this small bay off Walkem Islands until the wind turns more south or southwest, hopefully in the next few hours. If it does, we’ll try sailing up the Strait. Forecasts suggest gusts could reach 25–30 knots later tonight.
Tomorrow (Monday) will be a big day of sailing. Windy, and hopefully working in our favor. Either way, it’ll be intense. I’ll likely rig the jack lines and have everyone wear their safety harnesses.
The research is strenuous. I pulled the quadrat up 15 times from depths of 25–30 feet in pretty bouncy conditions—no need for yoga today! We were surrounded by seals the whole time and we finally got one on our quadrat drop video! The area is stunning—no other boats in sight, no people.
We’re officially into our third week aboard. Living conditions are quite comfortable. The team is working together really well. The research and logistics keep us all busy. Some days we’re on our computers for 7, 8, even 9 hours. It’s been a demanding pace.
We recorded our first podcast yesterday—now I just need to figure out how to publish it to Spotify.
Later today and tomorrow, we head north to Alert Bay where another six kelp beds await. That’ll likely take us a few days to complete.
I’ve been thinking of home a bit—friends, family, and loved ones. I couldn’t have taken this on without their support. Thank you for believing in this crazy dream. Watching my daughter do her research fills me with pride. Her passion and excitement are infectious.
Some days, I wonder if this work will really make a difference—if anything we do will slow the way we’re chewing through our planet’s resources. But being out here, I’m reminded how essential it is to keep trying. We have to bring awareness. We have to protect what we still have.
There are so many people to thank. Skagit Valley College and Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana were instrumental in helping us take this project to the next level. Your dedication to education and ocean awareness is truly inspiring - thank you.
Cheers for now,
Jenn