Bay of Islands to Tonga

Leg 2

XXX

MEET THE TEAM

Mission Leader

Emily Penn

Emily Penn

United Kingdom

Director and Co-Founder

As co-founder of eXXpedition EMILY has seen first hand how much plastic ends up in our ocean. She has spent the last decade exploring the high seas from the tropics to the Arctic – enabling scientists, filmmakers and interested individuals to gain access to the most remote parts of our planet.

She has organised the largest ever community-led waste cleanup from a tiny Tongan island, trawled for micro-plastics on a voyage through the Arctic Northwest Passage, rounded the planet on the record-breaking biofuelled boat Earthrace, and worked on a sailing cargo ship trading western supplies for coconuts.

Emily splits her time between running eXXpedition and developing upstream solutions to the ocean plastic issue with corporate partners, scientists and government bodies. An experienced public speaker, Emily gives talks around the world at conferences, universities and global companies about her adventures and issues relating to our oceans, human mindset and future society.

You can find more information on Emily’s projects at www.emilypenn.co.uk.

Emily is sponsored by:

Learn more about Emily's journey here:

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Guest Crew

Partners & Sponsors

Thank You

eXXpedition South Pacific is made possible with the support of all our generous sponsors:

Leg Itinerary

  • 11th May 2026
    Leg 1 guest crew arrive.
    Bay of Islands

In Collaboration with our Local Partners

Thank You

Voyage Updates

* CLOSED * We are looking for a Communications and Community Manager

*** APPLICATIONS CLOSED *** Job role: Communications and Community Manager at eXXpedition C.I.C. Location: Hybrid (1-2 days per week in London) About eXXpedition eXXpedition C.I.C. – led by ocean advocate and skipper Emily Penn – was founded in 2014 on a mission to help people understand the true ocean plastic and toxic pollution problem, so […]

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Snaps from Sea

Leg 2 with XXX