2024 Blue Futures Pathways Expedition

TThe health of our oceans depends on thriving ocean communities and an engaged generation of youth tackling future challenges with innovative ideas. The Blue Futures Pathways expedition, from St. John’s to Iqaluit, was designed to strengthen these initiatives.

Traversing nearly the entire Atlantic coastline of Canada, the Oqwatnukewey Eleke’wi’ji’jit (MV Polar Prince) once again served as a floating classroom for a diverse group of young Canadians entering the Sustainable Blue Economy. Unlike the flagship offerings, this SOI Foundation expedition had a tighter focus on the technical applications of ocean science, marine R&D, communications, and seafaring.

Students spent hours constructing and deploying ROVs to explore the ocean, physically navigating the ship with the captain, and operating aerial drones for research. With Inuit and Mi’kmaw participants on board, we also explored ways to blend cultural knowledge with Western science.

The journey had it’s challenges, including harsh ocean conditions, unexpected circumstances, and even a ship malfunction which forced us to adapt the program on the fly- flexibility is the key! Many landings had to be modified as well due to high winds. The expedition became more than just a learning opportunity; it was a lesson in resilience, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Ultimately, this journey was a rare chance to listen to each other and to the Earth, as we work toward a sustainable future for our oceans.

Read more about the expedition here!

Credits

Organization: SOI Foundation

Role: Expedition Filmmaker, Multimedia Educator

Purpose: Hands-on learning experiences for young people entering the Sustainable Blue Economy.

Location: Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, Newfoundland & Labrador (Iqaluit - St. John’s)

Vessel: Oqwatnukewey Eleke’wi’ji’jit (MV Polar Prince)

Onboard Media: Myself, Graham Perry, Dustin Patar, Rosie Poirier

Home Media: Craig McCallion, Mac White

2024

Multimedia Educator

Storytelling and communications was a large focus for the education program this year on the ship. Emphasis was placed on how educators use storytelling to aid their work in the Sustainable Blue Economy, along with ways that students can practice the foundations of communication.

We started our program by explaining to the students how the communications that our team was gathering would aid the SOI Foundation to do their advocacy work. We then asked students to imagine what they would want to record to share their story when they got home. We devised a map where student content could be added to and shared with everyone at the end of the journey.

Further along in the expedition, we brought out the cameras and tasked students with setting up an interview with an educator of their choosing, deciding what questions they might want to ask them to learn more about their career. This was a chance for students to find the stories hidden on board the ship. Then they turned the cameras around and interviewed each other. We ran this workshop again with photographer Rosie Poi, and again with a news reporter.

Several students were also certified drone pilots, and so we practiced the fundamentals of flying UAVs in an ocean context. As the Advanced Pilot on board, I led these sessions with a focus on safety. We drafted detailed flight plans, took the units apart, scouted for weather, and practiced safe take-off and landing. This culminated in a student led whale monitoring simulation.

Read more about the final youth storytelling resentations here.