Sea Change
A quiet shift is taking place on the world’s oceans. As private yachts are enlisted in support of scientific research, conservation and humanitarian work, they are beginning to demonstrate a very different kind of value.
Rosie O’Donnell, Chief Project Leader for Yachts for Science
The reefs surrounding the Indonesian island of Misool are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. In 2021, five marine biologists spent twelve days exploring them from the decks of Dunia Baru, a 51-metre Indonesian phinisi then owned by American entrepreneur Mark Robba. The team’s focus was black coral ecosystems, research that took them to sites that would have been logistically and financially impossible to access without Robba’s support.
“The support we had from the crew was outstanding,” said Erika Gress, one of the ecologists on board. “The opportunity to tap into the immense experience of Dunia Baru’s team in the region, as well as the amazing dive set-up they have on board, was critical to the success of our project.”
The expedition was organised through the British not for profit Yachts for Science, which pairs marine scientists with ocean conscious owners willing to offer their yachts for the service of research. For Rosie O’Donnell, the organisation’s project lead and a lifelong yachtswoman, the requests increasingly come from the owners themselves. Many are discovering that scientific expertise changes the experience of being aboard. Marine biologists become guides as much as researchers, offering guests access to the natural world in a way no itinerary alone can.
