Sail With Us: Project Shellback

Ceremonial Shellbacks on the first crossing!

Need a little adventure in your life?

Join us as we sail Pura Vida across the Pacific ocean! And yes - you can become an Honorary Shellback along the way! We've crossed the pacific once from Mexico to the Marquesas, and brought with us a virtual host of 'Honorary Shellbacks'. Now we're on our way back north from French Polynesia to Hawaii, and there is a growing list of people who will become Honorary Shellbacks, this time, as well.

Change begins with awareness.
Positive thoughts and actions, education and commitment, are what it takes to make a difference. By following us on our adventure, you can learn as we do about the earth's "Blue Heart" -- the oceans that literally keep our planet and species alive.

We hope you'll join us, tell your friends about the idea, have an adventure and become a Shellback!



Here's how it works:

• Send us your name (using the form on the sidebar), and look to see that it appears on the list below the form (reload the page if you don't see it).
• We'll write your name on a tiny piece of colourful biodegradable cotton and drop it into the ocean as we sail, connecting you to us and to the ocean, on our journey. You are now a member of our ever-growing "Virtual Crew"!
• Check back every day to see our progress on our blog and on the "Where Are We" page.
• The first people to join all had their names thrown into the water as we crossed the equator the first time. Those who have joined since have their names dropped in during other crossings (not necessarily at the equator), but will still become Honorary Shellbacks when we cross the equator, again.

What is Project Shellback?
Project Shellback is a virtual adventure campaign, to raise awareness about the Earth's oceans and what we can all do to help protect them.

Right now,  our oceans are in real trouble and what we do in the next ten years will greatly impact the fate of our seas and the quality of our lives. Overfishing, Shark-finning, acidification, dead zones, mercury pollution, dying coral reefs, the Great Pacific garbage vortex... it effects all of us - even if we aren't aware of it.

Jaques Cousteau is famous for saying, "We protect what we know". It is our hope that with project Shellback we can help more people "know" our oceans a little better.

Pura Vida (and Project Shellback) is currently en route from Toau to Hilo, and we'd love for you to follow us! We expect to cross the equator sometime around October 21 or 22, depending on wind and weather.

Each day that you check the blog, you can get an update on "your" position and whatever is going on out there. And as we approach the equator, everyone who wants to can join us and participate in an old, maritime tradition: Becoming a Shellback.

What exactly is a Shellback?
Well, sailors believe that any person who has not crossed the equator by boat, is called a Pollywog and anyone (worth their salt) who has crossed it, is forever known as a Shellback.

We hope to get as many people as we can to join us and become Shellbacks... and by doing so, join in a collective effort as we think about the ocean for the five minutes a day it takes to check up on the blog. The casting out of our squares of cotton will be a symbolic gesture of our commitment to our planet, from all of us, whoever we are and wherever we may live, that we will help protect this vital resource.

And now... the list of Honorary Shellbacks! Scott, Jett and Elina Witty
KeiLani and Gideon
Peter MacNeill
Colleen Treleaven
Janis Treleaven
john Nuttall
Art Hindle
Penny
lisa marie
teagan hartwick
Joanne Fallow
Struass Gotterfied Akabara
Sadie Ted shayle
Hannah Mackenzie Stroud
Jack Watt
Aiden Watt
Mitch Watt
Mischa Morningstar Watt
Patrick Gallaher
Hermila Quintanar Gallaher
Stella Akabara
Diggggty
Chance Dehest
Mia Moo
Sir Joseph
Elgin & Liz James
Ron Macdonald
Mark Baggio & India
Kasumi Kato
sark
bob
baloooona
Iwasawa Pelagski
Stacey K
minji seo
Mia Sentlinger
shooooob
Liam Blackson
Mr.Nooblet
sovereign norris
Konstanca Catrey Ivankovic
Inori Mino
Maddy Epps conn
Aure Barrera
Greg Pennington
ideya ladret
Heather, Ryan, and Katherine
Bowen Wright
ruby bottay
ruby bot
Chancellor Konrad Fehst
Jonah Forest Shatzky Greenspoon
Julie Rogers
Sheila Keir
Mark Wilson
Courtney Kramer
Oscar, Milo and Sam
Sonny & Rachel Atkins
Kelly & Jason Atkins
Madison, Ave & Elle Macgregor
kim & jeff macgregor
chris martin sr
Joan Hayes
Keith Leckie
dorene & bruce russell
Ted Whittall
Theo Whittall
Maggie Whittall
Allison Hossack
Sean, Nathalie, Matias, Tessa & Jemma Broderick
Toban Leckie
Dimlomiel
Katelyn Leckie
Kellan McDaniel
Maura McDaniel
Beth McDaniel
Sean McDaniel
Peter McLean
Amanda and Craig Jones
Sadie Jones
Daniel Jones
Roberto Picchi
Cassidy, Tyger, Cairo, Zeyah and Indio Smolar
Amelia Thomas
Gal Smolar
Ron Strange
Margaret Brooke
Sam Krugman
Beat Ries
Jayne Ries
Alyssa, Mario, and Damon Hoppe
Marg and Dave Witty
Larissa Laskin and Currie Graham
Dawn Thorpe
Yak, Lulu, Lela and Jule
Pam Fleming
James, Penny and Ainslie
Ben Orr
Harry Orr
Jack Orr
Philippa & JP orr
Barbara
Mary Foote
Charlie Highwalker
Яна Парникова
Spencer Grundy
Casey Grundy
Myah Grundy
Payton Grundy
Sandi Gough
Candace Hannah
Brandon Betts
Quinn
Corie Tornack
Katherine fraser
Ethan Pappas
Peter Dangerfield
Pamela Brement
Karly Mayer
Patrick Johnston
Chris Shyer
Angela Thomas
Suzanne Dangerfield
The FaberGreigs
Alison Gordon
TB tribe
Molly Johnston
Celia
Ellie Johnston
Amy Board
Baby Anna
Luca N
Toots N
James Hurdle
Pam Winter
Holly Graff
Emily Otter
Susan and Cro Lucas
Chris William Martin
David Haydn Jones
Marc Leroux
Tosia Scarfe
Nathan, Aidan & Ryder Worden
Marilisa Worden
Marc Worden
Jasper Lee Tornack
marian Botsford Fraser
Anita Shearan
Mary Farris
Adina Brown
Chad Bonello
Marco Bonello
Pappy Bonello
Nippy Bonello
Piccola Bonello
Leigh Bonello
Belinda Bonello
Tamara Ka
Kely Lyons and Bruce Lyons
Rio Sweitzer
Jen Arnold
Pippa Hamilton
Fee, Aurora and Amber Young
colaurdart@rogers.com
Kendra Whisler
Valerie Duong
Aline González
Codie Ax
Jada Reese
Amanda Powell
Marion Grenier
Jennifer Smith
Kayleigh Ginger - Ryder
Jr Bourne
Eric Blomberg
Kim Eifler
Jonas Blomberg
Niko Blomberg
Mattias Blomberg
Linda Ragsdale
Tanya Voormeij-de Zwart
Jim de Zwart
Eva de Zwart
Thomas de Zwart
Robin de Zwart
tony bykerk
Sarah, Curt, Parker and Colin
Carrie O'Bray
Patti Stevensoni
Pam Connell
joy jubenvill
Tannis Benedict
Chad, Gretal and Rhodes Willett
Eric Green
Nancy Ethan Zada Smith
Aidan Devine
Alan Scarfe
Xochi Blymyer
Kaaren de Zilva Cuthbert and Johnny Cuthbert
Brian Frankish
Mary Young Leckie
Emerson Tenney
Leslie Urdang
Jon Tenney
Heather Whitehead
Roger and Pam Brownsey
Joyce Matthews
Sarah Botsford
Pippin Hurdle
Elaine Loree
Lidia Patriasz
Nancy Lee
Heather and Ron Woodall
Keona
Christina Atkinson
Andrew Rainsley
Fin Rainsley-Ray
Annie Rainsley-Ray
Diana Ray
Chris A-F
Nathaniel A-F
CB Brown
Kai Scarfe
Helen Wallwork
Greg Cope and Coral Louie
Murray Atherton
Jayden A. Orion
Mamaleah Bloom
Rhiannon van Lidth de Jeude Roemer
Taliesin van Lidth de Jeude Roemer
Markus Roemer
Emily van Lidth de Jeude
Breelana Gallaher
Peter Brown