Fundraising Background

We devoted many months to planning and preparation and continued with over five months of work at sea in an effort to raise awareness about marine environmental problems issues and help protect our ocean ecosystems. We want to show others how determination and effort can turn an ambitious idea into reality. We took out a loan in order to purchase our sailboat, a 1981 Tartan 37 that we named Jörmungandr. The classic keel-centerboard sloop is just over thirty-seven feet long and was equipped with a wind generator, solar panels, a 55 hp diesel engine, a below-deck autopilot system, and an abundance of safety equipment. Well-designed, used sailboats hold their value very well, making this a comfortable investment for us. We sold the sailboat in St. Augustine, FL at the conclusion of the expedition in order to repay the loan.

 

Crowdfunding

We reached our initial Kickstarter fundraising goal of $18,500, and by the end of our crowdfunding campaign on December 4th we had raised over $24,000. The fantastic news reached us by satellite phone in the midst of our offshore voyage from North Carolina to the US Virgin Islands. All money went directly toward the project. Expenses included outfitting the boat, the purchase of research and film equipment, boat maintenance and repairs, required fees and licenses, and the production of the documentary. We are blown away by the enthusiasm we’ve received to date for this project.