2006 SEAKEEPER AWARD WINNER - Walter Cronkite

The International SeaKeepers Society’s 2006 SeaKeeper Award was presented to legendary broadcast journalist Mr. Walter Cronkite at the Bal de la Mer in Monaco, recognizing his lifelong championship of the sea.

Organized under the patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Bal de la Mer is the official fundraising event of the 17th annual ShowBoats International Monaco Rendezvous and supports marine research programs led by the International SeaKeepers Society and the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM). The evening honored Mr. Cronkite for his outstanding contribution to the protection and enhancement of the marine environment and was highlighted by the presentation and acceptance of the SeaKeeper Award.

Mr. Cronkite, who served as anchorman on CBS Evening News for 19 years, is a lifelong sailor and passionate defender of the environment. For many years, long before environmental issues were high on the global social and political agendas, Mr. Cronkite used his position and reputation to educate and inform his worldwide audience about environmental threats. In addition to reporting regularly on environmental issues, he produced numerous award-winning documentaries, series, and special reports on the state of the world’s health.

Walter Cronkite is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented to him in 1981 by President Jimmy Carter. Mr. Cronkite’s many passages and experiences at sea aboard his 48-foot yacht Wyntje have been the subject of four nautical books. He recently took delivery of a new 64-foot yacht, also named Wyntje, which he frequently sails in his home waters of the Northeast U.S. and the Caribbean.