Sailors for the Sea, which “educates and engages the boating community in the worldwide protection of the oceans,” was the outcome of David Rockefeller’s work on the Pew Oceans Commission, which identified profound and alarming ocean health issues. As an avid sailor with a life-long love of the ocean and a philanthropist with a keen interest in environmental issues, David envisioned an organization that would educate the boating community about these ocean health issues and lead boaters to protect the waters we all love.

How has your Nominees efforts made a difference for the better?

Their flagship programs – Clean Regattas, Rainy Day Kits, and Certified Sea Friendly – directly engage boaters in fulfilling their vision. Their Ocean Watch Essays, are monthly articles that discuss current ocean health issues with with opportunities to take action. Their Clean Boating section lists steps boaters can take to reduce their environmental impact. Their link library of non profit organizations dedicated to a specific realm of conservation are proudly promoted here.

How will being recognized as a YachtWorld Hero further your nominee’s cause?

YachtWorld’s access to the recreational boater will engage the boating community in the worldwide protection of the oceans.

Please share any website or online articles about your nominee’s activities.

David Rockefeller, Jr. receives award for 2013 YachtWorld Hero from Ian Atkins, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of Dominion Marine Media

http://blog.boats.com/2014/02/david-rockefeller-jr-wins-yachtworld-hero-award/#.UvzwpnlYkmw

http://youtu.be/YnkZU13vtu0

http://vimeo.com/85969720

Sailorsforthesea.org

Facebook.com/SailorsfortheSea

Twitter.com/SailorsforSea

David Rockefeller, Jr. was nominated by John Burnham, of Dominion Marine Media in the category of Defending our Oceans. ]]> http://oceanheroes.org/?feed=rss2&p=1174 0 http://oceanheroes.org/?p=983 http://oceanheroes.org/?p=983#comments Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:18:47 +0000 http://yachtworldheroes.com/?p=983 Who is your Hero? Searching for the best way to convey an urgent message of marine protection, Dieter Paulmann, with his foundation Okeanos Foundation for the Sea, was inspired by Pacific Island culture and their ancient stories of voyaging,…]]> Who is your Hero?

Searching for the best way to convey an urgent message of marine protection, Dieter Paulmann, with his foundation Okeanos Foundation for the Sea, was inspired by Pacific Island culture and their ancient stories of voyaging, to fund a fleet of vaka moanas, or ocean going canoes, to sail across the Pacific as powerful messengers to raise awareness about contemporary threats to the sea.

The result was a fleet of seven vaka moana sailing canoes, sailing as one and crewed from many nations, traveling 20,000 miles to make this world aware of what is happening in our ocean – our planet – our Blue Canoe. The story of this spectacular voyage can best be seen by viewing the trailer of their soon-to-be-released movie, Our Blue Canoe.

All of the crew and team of the Pacific Voyagers are my heroes, and their voyage served only as the jumping off point for other initiatives, including the Island of Hope, a vision for the future where the Pacific is the first fossil fuel-free continent on Earth. The Pacific as a continent is an image adapted from the writings of Le Clézio, where each island is only the emerging peak of a vast, interconnected, undersea continent. Their goal is to protect the ocean by preventing activities that contribute to sea level rise, ocean acidification, warming oceans, over-fishing and reef destruction, as well as preserve tradition for children including myth and story; the values of cooperation and caring; and the old traditions of voyaging, fish farming, canoe building, craftsmanship, art and wisdom about the sea.

How has your Nominees efforts made a difference for the better?

As founder, chairman, and through the support of his foundation Okeanos Foundation for the Sea, Dieter has made it possible for the voyagers to share their stories along their 20,000 mile voyage to raise awareness, touch hearts, and inspire unity, empowering a movement for change, to create a healthy future for children. Their message is that we are all crew members on this voyage. There are many changes we can make personally and in our own lives to help protect the ocean, and request that we join them in their journey, for each individual action becomes woven into a wider web of collective change.

How will being recognized as a YachtWorld Hero further your nominee’s cause?

By spreading the word about their journey and foundation, they hope to engage our efforts in their belief that we can only survive if we come together as a culture, as crew mates of our communities, to pursue the health of planet ocean, our Blue Canoe.

Please share any website or online articles about your nominee’s activities.

Pacific Voyagers Foundation

Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea

Paddle Silently Through the Water, Navigating by the Stars, Seven Crews Sail Across the Pacific, Our Blue Canoe – The Film, coming soon to a theatre near you

Dieter Paulmann was nominated by Curley Carswell of Princeville, Hawaii, in the category Defending our Ocean.]]> http://oceanheroes.org/?feed=rss2&p=983 0 http://oceanheroes.org/?p=893 http://oceanheroes.org/?p=893#comments Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:19:35 +0000 http://yachtworldheroes.com/?p=893 Who is Your Hero? Michael Moore is chairman of The International SeaKeepers Society, an integral pillar of YachtWorld Foundation, which became YachtWorld Heroes. Early on as we searched for a cause and road to reward our beneficiary, Michael suggested we…]]> Who is Your Hero?

Michael Moore is chairman of The International SeaKeepers Society, an integral pillar of YachtWorld Foundation, which became YachtWorld Heroes. Early on as we searched for a cause and road to reward our beneficiary, Michael suggested we look at ocean advocacy and use the power of YachtWorld’s reach to promote the recipient’s cause.

Invited to their events, meeting so many others involved in ocean advocacy, learning about the warnings about poor ocean health from incredibly diverse sources, it became clear that Michael’s inclusiveness – as his tenure as chair – had expanded Seakeepers’ message’s reach to many, many people in two short years. Inspired by Michael’s example of inclusiveness, we decided to expand our recognition to many – thus was born YachtWorld Heroes.

How has your nominee’s efforts made a difference for the better?

Lead by their chair Michael Moore, The International SeaKeepers Society members include influential opinion leaders who believe that the best way to protect the environment is to protect the world’s oceans, and whose members are deeply committed to finding real-world solutions to the problems now plaguing our seas. SeaKeepers works directly with the yachting community as an essential component and contributor to ocean research and conservation efforts, enabling the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and to raise awareness about global ocean issues. SeaKeepers 100+ DISCOVERY Yachts augment current knowledge about the state of the oceans, rouse significant scientific discovery, raise awareness about critical ocean issues and inspire a passion for the seas.

How will being recognized as a YachtWorld Hero further your nominee’s cause?

A YachtWorld Hero provides recognition to individuals, and we hope there are those who will become involved in SeaKeepers as much for their vision as for Michael’s leadership.

Please share any website or online articles about your nominee’s activities.

The International SeaKeepers Society www.seakeepers.org

Michael T. Moore was nominated by Jessica Stewart Muffett, Founder, YachtWorld.com, in the category Defending our Oceans. ]]> http://oceanheroes.org/?feed=rss2&p=893 0