Blue Ocean Sails (BOS) is a developing non-profit, educational organization, based in NE Florida, whose mission is to support, facilitate and assist students, educators, citizen and research scientists in all endeavors associated with marine science education and research. BOS is worthy of our interest and support.

Friends of Blue Ocean Sails – this is the first quarterly newsletter summarizing the ongoing development and activities of Blue Ocean Sails (BOS).


QUICK LOOK ASTERN – Blue Ocean Sails enjoyed a very successful Ocean Sampling Day 2016 in June coordinating with NOAA/AOML and the European OSD Consortium to bring OSD/MyOSD to NE Florida. The local area response was beyond enthusiastic at all levels and volunteer sampling groups from Flagler College, St Johns River State College, Sea Grant 4-H Marine Ecology Club and University of Florida, Whitney/Osborne Laboratory conducted ocean water sampling from both coastal and offshore sample sites, processed samples and shipped them to Europe for microbe DNA analysis.
OSD 2016 was a great kickoff to the Blue Ocean Sails primary mission – support, assist and facilitate marine science research and education for students, educators, citizen and research scientists. Throw in a 6 hour offshore sail on Sea Breeze, our Irwin 43, and you see in OSD 2016 a perfect example of what Blue Ocean Sails strives to be.
PRESENT POSITION – Blue Ocean Sails is currently in discussion with the St Johns County school district exploring options to bring the NOAA Global Drifter Buoy Program into the classroom for both elementary and secondary students. Blue Ocean Sails will set sail from St Augustine, FL this October and deploy a NOAA drifter buoy 75 to 100 miles offshore in the core of the Gulf Stream incorporating classroom lesson plans and STEM activities for students and teachers.
Work continues to upgrade Sea Breeze’s systems to improve her offshore capability for hosting students, educators, citizen and research scientists onboard in local waters and for a 3 to 4 week cruise to the Abacos, Bahamas next year – hopefully supporting a yet to be developed survey/research project in support of deserving students, educators and/or scientists.
ON THE HORIZON – Blue Ocean Sails seeks to develop an active Apex Predator Tagging program in association with the National Marine Fisheries Services ongoing program. Growing out of relationships formulated during OSD 2016, Blue Ocean Sails also seeks to begin discussions soon with Flagler College, Whitney Marine Science Laboratory and the Florida Microplastic Awareness Project exploring opportunities to support, assist and facilitate ongoing programs, projects and studies.
As Blue Ocean Sails continues to gain significant operational traction, enthusiastic support is coming from all levels of the marine science community. I haven’t yet begun to outline the unending variety of programs on the drawing board designed to champion marine science at all levels; programs such as ScholarShips for Students, Dolphin Sails, Ocean Awareness Sails, Students – STEM – and the Ocean, Marine Baseline Studies, Extended Offshore/Inshore Research Sails, Ocean Literacy Sails, Skippers for Science and much more.
CHARTING THE COURSE – Blue Ocean Sails is growing – and we need you! Please see the letter below requesting anyone interested in becoming actively involved with organizational and program development to please contact me ASAP. Options for active involvement include becoming an advisor to Blue Ocean Sails and even sitting as a member of the inaugural Board of Directors as we move towards formal incorporation and apply for 501(c)3 non profit status.
Blue Ocean Sails is excited to get even more involved – supporting, assisting and facilitating marine science education and research! We offer free use of a 43′ offshore capable sailboat that can be your “research vessel”! Tell us how we can be of best use supporting your projects and programs and consider volunteering to help formalize the organization and its programs.
BLUE OCEAN SAILS IS GROWING – and needs you!
Are you interested in marine science, marine science education, sailing or the ocean? If you are that person, please contact me. I’m seeking discussion with individuals interested in contributing ideas, discussion points, thoughts and relevant input in order to help shape the continued development, direction and growth of Blue Ocean Sails.
We now need the ideas and involvement of others who are passionate about marine science, education and research in order to continue the growth and development of Blue Ocean Sails as a viable, contributing educational organization.
You don’t need to be a research scientist or tenured professor to provided valuable ideas, input and suggestions. You only need to have a passion for the ocean and a desire to volunteer to help steer the development of a non-profit, educational organization focusing on marine science education and research along with sailing and boating activities.
Near term, I envision talking with interested individuals over the next couple months, discussing ideas and gauging interest levels. Then the next step will likely be a group meeting of interested individuals as we begin to discuss options for forming a board of directors and advisory committees. Formal incorporation of the organization will follow as appropriate.
While BOS is initially St Augustine based, the vision is to develop an organization that serves the marine science community both far and wide. As such, Im casting this net far and wide. Please don’t think you can’t participate if you live outside NE Florida – it’s a big ocean; it touches us all.
This is an opportunity with a wide range of involvement – from as little as tossing in a few ideas, all the way to sitting on the inaugural Blue Ocean Sails Board of Directors. You decide how interested you are, how you’d like to participate – there will certainly be something for every level of interest and involvement.
Contact me if you’re interested in helping with the development of Blue Ocean Sails. I’ll answer your questions and provide an executive summary of our progress and plans thus far.
Please get involved – I need your ideas – I need to talk with you!
Best regards,
Mike Alyea
Blue Ocean Sails
St Augustine, FL
www.facebook.com/BlueOceanSails
FMSEA/NMEA member since 2016
770.871.1770