DEEP GREEN WILDERNESS
Creating ambassadors for the Northwest Coast one whale at a time
VOYAGES
"We can't care for something we don't understand. This is the purpose of why we explore and why we voyage."
Nainoa Thompson
Each year from April - October you can find us plying the waters of the Salish Sea and coastal North Pacific on our vessel Orion looking for whales and promoting conservation.
Our voyages range from a four-hour trip on Puget Sound through multi-week student led whale research voyages and filming expeditions. Regardless of the trip length, all Deep Green Wilderness programs incorporate the following principals.
Physical engagement with the environment: We accomplish this by sailing a traditionally rigged sailboat. Our students are constantly paying attention to the wind, weather and water. All onboard must work together with their hands and minds to make Orion go.
Scientific understanding through research: We use scientific inquiry onboard to foster understanding of the environment. Ongoing boat-wide research and the students' individual projects create a rich interdisciplinary environment that affirms our students' interest in science and encourages them to ask questions and deeply explore many subjects.
Creative inquiry and communication: Deep Green Wilderness students develop multiple ways of understanding and creatively communicating their experience by developing inquiry directed art projects. Photography, video, watercolor, drawing, storytelling, and writing are all ways that our students creatively explore the Salish Sea and share their experience with others.
Political and social engagement through environmental policy: Students are encouraged to think critically about the risks and benefits posed to the environment and stakeholders by human interactions with the Salish Sea. Students make suggestions about how their research could inform policy decisions and how to communicate this information and to whom.