Arctic Climate Expedition 23 Jun - 5 Jul 2025
You can be a catalyst for change - A Changemaker.
This can be your Legacy. Apply to join BIG ACE. As a member of an elite team, you will have the opportunity to give your expertise and voice to the noble mission of preserving the Arctic Wilderness, to ensure a healthy habitable planet for future generations. Seize this opportunity to make a meaningful difference and be an Ambassador for the Arctic.
BIG ACE
(BEARS, ICE, GLACIERS, ARCTIC CLIMATE EXPEDITION)
23 June to 5 July 2025
AN EPIC CLIMATE CHANGER PROJECT BY OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC
CELEBRATING DR SYLVIA EARLE'S 90TH
THE Ocean Geographic "BIG ACE - the Bears, Ice, Glaciers, Arctic Climate Expedition, June 2025" is a monumental project to celebrate the lifetime achievements of Dr. Sylvia Earle. 2025 is Sylvia’s 90th birthday year. This epic project calls for an assemblage of 110 global citizens on a mission to the Arctic, the frontlines of climate change.
Each participant, a change-maker in their own right, contributes their unique expertise for a collective cause by using their SUPERPOWER* to be a VOICE for the imperilled polar bears, walruses, Ivory gulls, puffins, glaciers, and sea ice threatened by climate change.
The united narratives aim to draw global attention to the dire circumstances in the high Arctic, with a unified voice – to call for the reduction of carbon emissions and avert catastrophic consequences. The Arctic, where warming occurs at a rate four to five times greater than the global average, undergoes exponential degradation. The loss of 90% of multi-year sea ice since 1979, thawing permafrost, and melting glaciers are now wreaking havoc on the planet, leading to species extinction, rising sea levels, and diminished quality of life worldwide.
BIG ACE serves as the nexus where individuals from all walks of life, spanning age groups, cultures, nationalities, talents, expertise, and genders, converge to witness the Arctic's breathtaking beauty and fragility. United by passion, beliefs, and knowledge in ocean-related matters, the convergence of these changemakers collaborate to advocate for the conservation and preservation of our shared natural heritage.
You can be part of this pivotal Arctic summit to save our environment for future generations.
At the heart of BIG ACE lies a commitment to passionate storytelling in diverse disciplines, harnessing the power of each changemaker's voice to captivate mass audiences with the wonders of the Arctic wilderness. This literary epic aims to make climate dissertation more accessible and mobilise people of all ages, educational backgrounds, and abilities to protect our planet for future generations.
Climate change in the Arctic extends beyond rising sea levels. Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gases, exacerbating global temperature rises. Diminishing sea ice threatens over 1,000 species of algae, Ivory gulls, puffins, walruses and polar bears, disrupting the food chain. Shifting from snow to rain fundamentally alters Arctic ecosystems, impacting food webs, biodiversity, and food security. These developments affect local communities’ eco-tourism and also the global economy.
Guided by experts, the BIG ACE’s changemakers will witness climate change perils in motion during the June 2025 expedition. They will then share their experiences and stories with the global communities. This approach empowers the next generations to take action and encourages informed choices to mitigate climate emergencies. BIG ACE's narratives aim to eliminate barriers to education and contribute significantly to science and social media communication. The expedition will produce mini-series films, music, fine arts, poems, prose, posters, city exhibitions, reports, lectures, photography, books, and educational materials.
WHAT SETS BIG ACE APART FROM OTHER POLAR EXPEDITIONS:
THE HEART OF THE BIG ACE MISSION lies in fostering a collective appreciation of our planet's fragility and beauty, as participants from diverse backgrounds and expertise converge to advocate for the conservation and protection of our natural resources. Through a blend of first-person narratives and expert insights, the mission amplifies the voices of nature, inspiring a global movement toward environmental stewardship and sustainable living.
Distinct from conventional polar expeditions, BIG ACE stands out in its commitment to accessibility, mobilization, and inclusivity. By leveraging a variety of multimedia platforms, including films, essays, music, art exhibitions, educational materials, and more, the project endeavors to engage a wide audience, instigating meaningful conversations and spurring action to safeguard the planet for future generations.
Focus: BIG ACE offers firsthand experience and knowledge of the climate crisis to a broader audience, fostering greater mobilization.
Team: This expedition isn't confined to scientists and researchers; it comprises global citizens from various professional backgrounds, making the narrative and action plans relatable, compelling, and diverse.
Access: The products from BIG ACE aim to speak for the wilderness of the Arctic and engage a wide audience, ensuring accessibility and inspiring action to protect our natural world. This unites humanity in the endeavor to preserve our existence and that of our ocean planet.
Organized by the Ocean Geographic Society of OceanNEnvironment Ltd aboard the MV Sylvia Earle, an expedition ship operated by the carbon-neutral company Aurora Expeditions, BIG ACE pays homage to Dr Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue and Time Magazine's first Hero of the Planet.
What may be your SUPERPOWER for BIG ACE?
Write a story, write a children's story, write a reportage, produce a 2 to 5 mins short documentary, produce a fiction film, record a podcast, write a poem, write a Haiku, write a song, sing a song, paint a picture, paint a mural, make a sculpture, make a figurine, shoot a photo story, give a presentation, give a talk, design a poster, perform a dance, start a campaign, lobby for change?
Expedition Route
The route for the BIG ACE High Arctic Odyssey begins from 78°N Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and navigates northward, to go beyond 80°N in pursuit of the remaining Arctic ice shelf. Weather permitting, the journey proceeds eastward towards Kritoya, circling around Austfonna, one of the largest glaciers on the planet.
The primary objective of this extraordinary expedition is to encounter and observe a diverse range of Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, walruses, puffins, ivory gulls, reindeer, and Arctic foxes, as well as the awe-inspiring sights of sea ice platforms and calving glaciers. Notably, Svalbard is home to an astounding 2100 glaciers, contributing to an unparalleled natural spectacle.
Throughout this remarkable voyage, the expedition team will witness firsthand the impact of the climate crisis in the high Arctic environment, with invaluable insights provided by seasoned naturalists and climate science experts.
The Arctic Climate Expedition (BIG ACE)
EXPEDITION SHIP: The Sylvia Earle
VOYAGE: Svalbard – High Arctic
EMBARK: Longyearbyen
DISEMBARK: Longyearbyen
CHARTER FLIGHT: OSLO-LYR-OSLO
DURATION: 13 days / 12 nights
START DATE: 23 June 2025 (2 nights – Oslo and 1 night Longyearbyen)
EMBARKATION: 26 June 2025
DISEMBARKATION: 5 July 2025
Expedition Ship - The Sylvia Earle
Our expedition ship was newly built in 2022 and is named in honor of Dr Sylvia Earle herself. This purpose-built vessel was designed for Aurora Expeditions Australia to enable expeditions to even the most remote places on Earth.
Its revolutionary ULSTEIN X-BOW® allows the ship to cross oceans more comfortably and efficiently, and with expansive observation decks. The Sylvia Earle offers the perfect base camp for adventures at the outer limits of human exploration and accommodates an average of 132 expedition members per voyage within 70 comfortable cabins. The ship also features a modern lecture lounge, a science center, multiple observation areas, Zodiac launching platforms, a restaurant serving exquisite meals, a gym and wellness center, Jacuzzis, a mudroom, and many other amenities.
PRE-EXPEDITION: TBA
STAGING HOTEL: Radisson Red, Oslo
POST-EXPEDITION: TBA
The Expedition package compromises:
23 June: Arrival in Oslo.
24 June: Pre-Expedition Conference
25 June: Fly to Longyearbyen & check in hotel
26 June: half day culture and wildlife tour
26 June: embark on the Sylvia Earle
5 July - Disembark Sylvia Earle and flight to Oslo
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Inclusions
Transfer from airport to hotel on Day 3.
- Three night’s hotel accommodation including breakfast, 2x Oslo, 1 x Longyearbyen (twin share)
- Sightseeing tour of Longyearbyen, before embarkation (weather permitting).
- Transfer from the pier to the airport in Longyearbyen on Day 13.
- Return charter flights between Oslo and Longyearbyen.
- Onboard accommodation (twin share) during the voyage, including daily cabin service.
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during the voyage.
- Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner.
- Captain’s Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.
- All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
- Educational lectures and guiding services are provided by the Expedition Team.
- Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctors and medical clinics (initial consultation).
- One 3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
- Complimentary use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
- Comprehensive pre-departure information.
Essay Writing Workshop – 35 spots – Free
Fine Art Painting Workshop – 20 spots – Free
Photography Workshop – 30 spots – Free
Scuba package – Premiere (about 12 dives) – USD 1398
Scuba package – Lite (about 6 dives) – USD 698
Kayak package (suits included) – USD 998
About Dr Sylvia Earle
Dr Sylvia Earle, a Rolex Testimonee fondly referred to as Her Deepness is the recipient of more than 100 national and international honours and awards. These include being named Time Magazine’s first Hero of the Planet, a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2014, UNEP Champion of the Earth, Glamour Magazine’s 2014 Woman of the Year, member of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, and winner of 2009 TED Prize, the Walter Cronkite Award, the 1996 Explorers Club Medal, the Royal Geographic Society 2011 Patron’s Medal and the National Geographic 2013 Hubbard Medal.
Sylvia was the first woman to become chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is currently President and Chairperson of Mission Blue and the Sylvia Earle Alliance.
Known as the mother of our world’s oceans, she is an oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer with an insatiable passion for underwater exploration and marine conservation. Sylvia still currently holds the record for a solo dive to an astonishing depth of 1,005 meters into the deep sea.
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