eXXpedition will set sail down the wild west coast of Greenland for the next leg on its mission to deliver the first global study mapping ocean plastic pollution back to its sources on land.
The all-women sailing expedition will depart on 12th July from Ilulissat in Disko Bay, where massive icebergs calve from one of the world’s most active glaciers. The crew will sail south, visiting the remote communities of Qeqertarsuaq and Sisimiut, before arriving in the capital, Nuuk.
Led by British environmental organisation eXXpedition in partnership with the University of Georgia, the expedition will continue their joint mission to map where ocean plastic comes from and identify the most impactful solutions. While on board, the crew will conduct water sampling and analyse microplastics using state-of-the-art scientific equipment. They will also visit coastal communities along the way, conducting shore-based research into litter, products and waste management infrastructure, in collaboration with local experts.
“When you sail into the glacial waters and midnight sun of the Arctic, you expect to find the ocean as it should be: wild, pristine, untouched,” said Emily Penn, eXXpedition Founder. “But our research tells a different story. These are some of the most remote waters on the planet, thousands of miles from big cities and ocean gyres, yet we still find plastic in the water and along the shores. There is nowhere left the crisis hasn’t reached. And that is why we need people from every background driving solutions from every angle.”
Following three successful expeditions from New Zealand to Tonga in April and May this year, this is the fourth 2026 expedition. The first three expeditions saw 30 guest crew sail 1,740 nautical miles, conducting 22 water samples, 232 litter & coastal transects and analysing 429 pieces of plastic. They engaged with 191 local community members, and generated 29 news stories across 7 countries. The data will be analysed and findings published by the University of Georgia later this year.
The expedition vessel, 72-foot yacht SV Sea Dragon, will be skippered by Ineke van der Weijden. The science mission will be led by Dr Winnie Courtene-Jones, a marine environmental biologist specialising in the long-term fate and impacts of plastics on ecosystems. She will lead a multidisciplinary crew of eleven incredible women, including scientists, advocates and communicators from around the world. Together they will deliver the expedition’s three core pillars: to conduct scientific research, to share their stories and learn from each other, and to inspire their networks to take action.
The eleven guest crew members are:
Catherine Rogers, Health Mentor, UK
Elizabeth Starnes, Nurse Practitioner, USA
Kateryna Peinecke, Sustainable Energy Scientist, Canada
Katy Bear Nalven, Marine Conservationist, USA
Katja Heinzlmaier, Academic, Austria
Lyssa Manning, Marine Conservationist, USA
Natalie Foote, Operations and Strategy Leader, USA
Shannon Osaka, Climate Reporter, USA
Sofia Nogués Segura, Communications Expert, Spain
Stephanie Peters, Environmental Strategist, UK
Waverly Wadsworth, Environmental Engineer, USA
To follow the eXXpedition Arctic’s progress, you can read their blogs here.
Thank you to our partners
These expeditions are made possible by crew contributions, sponsorships and partnerships. Thank you to our current partners: Kensington Tours, University of Georgia, The Commonwealth, PerkinElmer, Finisterre, 1% for the Planet, Chandler and Partners, 5 Gyres Institute, and Panexplore.
Find out more here.
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