United Kingdom – December 22, 2023 – The International SeaKeepers Society partners with Maiden as they pause their world tour to compete in the Ocean Globe Race (OGR). Maiden, a vessel with a storied history of breaking barriers and empowering women, aligns seamlessly with SeaKeepers’ mission to advance ocean research and education.
Since September 2021, Maiden has embarked on a global journey spanning nearly 30,000 nautical miles, visiting 20 destinations, and engaging with schools, charities, and organisations. Tracy Edwards MBE, the skipper of the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, continues her trailblazing legacy by using Maiden to educate, empower, and elevate girls worldwide.
The Ocean Globe Race, a fully crewed retro race commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, provides an exceptional platform to amplify Maiden’s mission. Tracy Edwards and her team faced formidable challenges in the 1989 race, challenging the status quo and paving the way for future generations of female sailors.
Quote from Tracy Edwards MBE:
“SeaKeepers’ collaboration with Maiden extends beyond the OGR. Maiden is a proud SeaKeepers program partner and a supporter of The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project. The crew carries the Seabed 2030 logger on board, contributing valuable data to map the ocean floor as part of SeaKeepers’ Citizen Science initiative. The logger was installed before the OGR, and the first leg of data from the UK to Cape Town is already in the hands of SeaKeepers’ Citizen Science team.”
Quote from Seabed 2030 (Project Director, Jamie McMichael-Phillips):
"We are delighted by this collaboration and greatly appreciate the support from SeaKeepers, a valued, long-standing partner of Seabed 2030, as well as Maiden, under the leadership of the inspiring Tracy Edwards.
“This partnership stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to forging a path toward a future where the ocean is comprehensively understood and diligently preserved for generations to come. Our mission is a collective endeavour – achievable only through collaborative efforts, such as this, on an international scale."
As Maiden arrived in New Zealand, SeaKeepers’ South Pacific Program Development Manager, Melissa White, welcomed the crew in Auckland, demonstrating SeaKeepers’ global outreach. The collaboration extends to Educational Outreach, with Maiden and SeaKeepers’ co-creating an international online program to inspire the next generation of ocean enthusiasts.
Quote from Gill Rodrigues, Director of International Relations for SeaKeepers commented:
“Maiden’s journey is not just a race around the globe; it’s a testament to the resilience and capability of women in sailing. Their dedication to education, empowerment, and ocean research reflects SeaKeepers’ mission, making this partnership a powerful force for positive change.”
SeaKeepers invites you to watch Maiden’s remarkable journey which showcases the broader mission of ocean conservation and education: SeaKeepers and Maiden Partner for Seabed 2030. For more information on The International SeaKeepers Society’s Citizen Science Initiatives and Educational Outreach programs, please visit SeaKeepers.
About The International SeaKeepers Society
The International SeaKeepers Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that facilitates oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. Providing educational resources and hands-on marine science experiences to students is the primary focus for ensuring the wellbeing of our planet. SeaKeepers enables the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and raise awareness about global ocean issues.
Founded in Monaco in 1998, The International SeaKeepers Society has been supporting ocean conservation through direct involvement with the yachting community for twenty-five years. What started as a data collection program aboard select luxury yachts, has evolved to engage thousands of participants annually with at-sea and coastal programming. Today SeaKeepers’ mission is focused on the DISCOVERY Yacht Program which is comprised of Scientist-Led Expeditions, Citizen Science, Educational Outreach, and Community Engagement.
SeaKeepers is a catalyst working with governments, scientists, institutions, and other marine organizations to further its mission and support sensible, achievable marine protection and restoration. Activities take place globally through the efforts of headquarters based in the United States with offices
located on the east and west coast, and international representation in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the South Pacific. For more information, please visit SeaKeepers.
About The Maiden Factor
MAIDEN’S MISSION - EDUCATE A GIRL AND CHANGE THE WORLD!
Inequality exists in many societies around the world; girls and women face countless obstacles and discrimination on a daily basis just because they were born female. Poverty, illiteracy, minority status, disability, early marriage as well as cultural attitudes are barriers that negatively impact on them throughout their lives. Being denied access to education is one of the biggest barriers for over 100 million girls around the world.
Together with Maiden, Tracy continues the battle for equality for the next generation, raising awareness of the importance of education for girls and raising money for communities and charities around the world to ensure that girls have access to education. The past few years Maiden and her crew have sailed over 70,000 nautical miles, visited nearly 50 destinations in over 20 countries and have met with thousands of girls from all walks of life; inspiring and empowering them to believe, whatever their background, they can build better futures for themselves, their families and communities.
The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project
The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO. Launched at the United Nations Ocean Conference in 2017 by Chairman Sasakawa of The Nippon Foundation, the project coordinates and oversees the sourcing and compilation of bathymetric data from different parts of the world’s ocean through its five centers into the freely-available GEBCO Grid. Four Regional Centres cover the Southern Ocean, the Arctic and North Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the South and West Pacific Ocean. These feed data products into the Global Data Centre. The IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry (DCDB) serves as the long-term archive for Seabed 2030.