Wherever you are cruising, there are many ways you can give back to the local communities and environment in the places you visit (particularly in more remote areas).
By researching your destination you can discover ways to make a difference.
Whether it's helping with school and medical supplies to isolated villages, hosting research scientists, raising environmental awareness in schools, offering technical assistance or simply delivering packages, you will reap the benefits of making a positive contribution to the places you voyage to.
This page showcases cruisers who are determined to have a positive impact on the places they sail to, their projects, plus a wide range of citizen-science projects open to sailors worldwide.
Follow the links at the bottom of the page to read articles, news and find many useful links to existing projects worldwide that you can get involved with.
Read: Richard Chesher's article on Cruising Kindly
Just a small a sample of what some cruisers are doing to help the communities they visit:
Helping School Children in the Solomons
German cruiser Hilde Larsen is currently based in Noro, Western Province, Solomons. Hilde works to raise funds for local schools in the area and to encourage sponsors enabling local children to attend school (which is not free). One of her projects is with Tehilla Christian Primary School in Noro to raise funds for student medical examinations and first-aid training of 3 instructors, a first-aid station, new school extension with 6 classrooms and new sanitary facilities. Find out more about her work on her website.
The islanders of Matuku, in Fiji’s Lau group, have decided to implement three big “Tabu” (traditional ban) no-fishing zones around their island to protect all species of reef fish, thanks to the efforts of Austrian cruisers Birgit Hackl and Christian Feldhauer. Find out more here.
Alene Rice and Bruce Balan are sailing citizen scientists who support manta ray research. The couple has been working with the Pacific Manta Research Group to create a citizen science project for sailors in Mexico by observing the manta rays and taking their photo together with other informations (location, date/time, manta’s estimated wingspan, color of back and specific markings). Find out more here.
A registered UK not-for-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring purposeful journeys with meaningful impact for the oceans. Run by experienced marine advocates Larissa Clark and Duncan Copeland who are on a mission to use adventure sailing, citizen science and storytelling to inspire action for a healthy ocean among boating and coastal communities.
In mid-2024 they launched the Ocean Citizen Science Project directory, a freely accessible online tool that cruisers can use to find interesting research projects they can participate in.
Find out more here.
Danish cruiser Hans Clemmensen makes regular voyages aboard his yacht SV Seagoon from Cairns, Australia, to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to set up solar power systems in a region where electricity is either not available or not sustainable. Find out more about Hans and his original project here, also his recent work at https://www.facebook.com/LouisiadeSolaLightProject.
Candice and Mark McMillan have sailed the Caribbean for the past five years and became aware that there were many areas in need of library books for children. Candice founded the Trinidadian NGO – Books Build Bridges – to help thousands of children have access to resources that were previously out of reach. The recent donation of 10,000 retired U.S. children’s library books by Books Build Bridges to the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) marks a significant contribution to the literacy and educational landscape in Jamaica. Find out more here.
Hope Fleet have been growing direct relationships with local island communities in the Bahamas and Caribbean since 2019. Their Ocean Reach Division works with cruisers (power and sail) to help them deliver needed materials, supplies, and labor to people in need, particularly children. Hope Fleet expanded into Rio Dulce, Guatemala in 2025. Find out how you can get involved here.
The Bluewater Cruising Association launched a new initiative in May 2024 called “Environmentally and Socially Responsible Cruising”, based on one of BCA's core values: Caring: Respecting our environment, the communities we visit and each other. Find out more at https://www.bluewatercruising.org/page/Enviropracticespublic. Read their useful article: Cruising with Respect in Coastal Waters.
The Seven Seas Cruising Assocation showcase a number of Clean Wake Projects. To leave a clean wake is to show respect for others and for the environment so that those who follow in our wake will be warmly welcomed. It is SSCA's most cherished tradition and they have partnered with a number of humanitarian and environmental projects that sailors can support. Find out more at https://www.ssca.org/cleanwake.
The Cruising Club of America support ocean-health initiatives in partnership with environmental organizations worldwide. Their Environment of the Sea Committee provides input to the dynamic worldwide dialogue on the deteriorating condition of our oceans. Amongst their members they promote environmental “best practices” to prevent pollution.
The Ocean Cruising Club is working in partnership with Clean Sailors (https://www.cleansailors.com/) to bring information and advice to OCC Members and other cruisers on the practical steps that we can all take to protect the oceans we sail.
World ARC and Global Vision 2020: One of the World ARC traditions is to help sailors get involved in community and charitable initiatives along the route. In Vava'u, Tonga, the rally delivered two eye screening kits plus 240 pairs of in-field prescription distance and reading glasses for adults and children on behalf of Global Vision 2020. Circumnavigating with World ARC 2024-25 on her boat Bahati (GBR) is specialist optometrist Sian Joesbury, who was delighted to help with the project.
Follow the links below to read articles, news and find many useful links to existing projects worldwide that you can get involved with (under useful resources).
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