Caribbean III: Curaçao to Aruba

The final leg of our Caribbean cluster island-hops through three very different places in close succession. From lively Curaçao, a short sail brings us to Bonaire, home to one of the most successfully protected marine environments in the region. Bonaire’s National Marine Park covers its entire coastline, and the community here has long understood that the health of the reef and the health of the island are the same thing. Which makes it a particularly compelling place to conduct our land-based research.

From Bonaire, we make the short crossing to Aruba, where we continue our research ashore. Taken together, these three islands – neighbouring, connected by the same currents, but governed and managed in entirely different ways – tell a tapestried story about what difference political will and local action can make. The plastic in the water doesn’t know which island it came from. The question is who takes responsibility for it, and how.

S/V Sea Dragon is a 72ft, 90,000lb displacement steel hulled sailing vessel built in the UK in 2000. She is one of 11 yachts built for the Global Challenge Race – one of the longest, most demanding ocean voyages ever made with an upwind, west-about 32,000km circumnavigation.

The boat provides a superb platform for rugged capability, capacity, and efficiency with a naturally low environmental footprint. The British Maritime and Coastal Agency rate Sea Dragon to the highest standard of Category 0 All Oceans. Designed to thrive in the Southern Ocean and safely handle the world’s worst sailing conditions, the boat is also specifically set up for volunteer crew with limited sailing experience while reaching cruising speeds of up to 10 knots – she is a genuine ocean explorer.

Sea Dragon can accommodate up to 11 guest crew in comfortable sea berths. There are two heads with showers, a large well-stocked galley, and a comfortable salon with seating for the entire crew. With extensive sails, fresh-water making, tenders, medical supplies and almost 1kw of wind/solar power, the boat is equipped with everything needed for extended passage making are remote exploration.