Paola Dyboski-Bryant: EXXpedition 2020: Cook Islands to Tonga

It is with huge sadness that I need to let you know that EXXpedition Round the World has been cancelled.
We were hoping that this, like so much else, would simply be postponed. Sadly, it’s not to be.
We’re now waiting to find out what refunds there will be on our sponsorship. It’s a difficult situation.
There is good news though.
Since March, and despite world-wide lockdown, myself and the incredible international team of women that was assembled for this voyage have been busy. We’ve connected and become a wonderful community of sea-sters.
The oceans of plastic are still there to be tackled, and we have not stopped. We’ve all been working on our individual projects, group projects, academic learning and supporting each other in our work.
We’re all determined not to give up. Whilst we may no longer be sailing with EXXpedition, our work, as women driving change will still continue. And we have some super exciting plans in the pipeline.
EXXpedition and my part in it was only made possible by your support, and I continue to be incredibly grateful. I’m determined to use this platform to continue to make a difference.
With much love,
Paola

Today I should have been sailing out of the Cook Islands, heading to the open ocean on SV Traveledge with my eXXpedition 'seasters'.

Instead this bunch of amazing women and I hooked up online and had the best of video chats. It was heartwarming and inspirational.

We will sail together - our voyage now postponed for a calendar year. The plastic will still be there, and our drive to work on solutions will be even stronger.

And who knows, maybe we will be sailing and studying in a world even more hungry for change, and we'll report back to say that yes, the lockdown even reduced the plastic in our seas. Now how cool would that be!

In the mean time - let's keep making positive changes, let's work on being smarter with plastic. Lots more adventures to come, I'll keep you posted :)

Even though nothing is yet certain, and the situation still unfolding, with everything that's happening it's hard to see my leg of eXXpedition going ahead.
I'm planning as if we're still going, still working on the issue of plastics in toys, plastics in oceans, working on creating video content etc.. yet covid19 has come out of the blue to change all of our worlds. The plastic and the mess we've created will still be there once the virus has passed, and I will keep you posted as to what happens with the voyage and the research, but as my son Ziggy so rightly put it, this virus slowdown may actually be what saves the planet. Big love to you all

International Women's Day. What a way to celebrate. This is from the crew of eXXpedition - and their beautiful welcome when they arrived in Easter Islands. This is a planet to treasure!
All being well I should be joining the ship in seven weeks! (coronavirus permitting) x

So moving to see a welcome like this for in Rapa Nui. Gracias, Paula. ⛵💙 . Repost by .repost: Tremenda y emocionante bienvenida de .chile nos vinieron a recibir con canoas y ritos traducionales y esta princesa Rapa Nui que nos hizo llorar con su música .... Gracias y por su cariño a pesar del puerto a punto de cerrar por la tormenta y la marejada ... . . . .

I want to keep sharing. It's so moving to see a welcome like this for #exxpedition #leg7 in Rapa Nui. Gracias, Paula. ⛵💙 . Repost @paulaexxpedition by @media.repost: Tremenda y emocionante bienvenida de @plasticoceans.chile nos vinieron a recibir con canoas y ritos traducionales y esta princesa Rapa Nui que nos hizo llorar con su música .... Gracias @camila_ahrendt y @kayak_rapa_nui por su cariño a pesar del puerto a punto de cerrar por la tormenta y la marejada ... . . . . #eXXpedition #oceans #womensailing #chile #mujeresquenavegan #oceano #sustentability #sailinggirls #mujeresconstruyendohistoria #vela #microplastic #plastico #mujeres #womeninscience #leaders #research #scientists #yatch #oceana #oceanoslimpios #shotoniphone #gopro8 #sailingforscience #expedicion #makingtheunseenseen #captain #ABgirls #dontcrackunderpressure

Blog post up :)
https://drzigs.com/blogs/news/exciting-news-from-paolas-exxpedition

Whilst the storm rages outside, I'm busy enjoying my Valentine's flowers, bubbling (of course) planning my eXXpedition adventures.
Hard to imagine that 10 weeks from now I'll be at sea in the South Pacific helping to trawl, count, measure ocean plastics.
Excited and got the butterflies.
Such a huge honour to have been selected, and such an opportunity to help make change.

If you'd still like to sponsor me you can do so here: bit.ly/Paola_Exxpedition

You can also pop over to visit my sponsors here: www.babipur.com 😍

Woohoo!!

JUST HAD SOME SUPER EXCITING NEWS!!
Watch this space - I can't wait to share.
Sometimes the plastic issues seem far too huge to deal with - but I've just been reminded of the power of collaboration. TOGETHER we can change the world! Woohooo!!

OMG SO EXCITING!!
Just come off a crew call with eXXpedition and the women I'll be sailing with on my leg of the voyage.
What an amazing group of individuals - and totally inspiring to think of the sailing, the science we'll be uncovering and helping to share, and the shere scale of this plastic pollution problem that needs tackling.
I still need to do more fundraising - so will be doing a sponsored beach clean on March 7th - and will be taking bookings for giving talks to businesses and schools about the project. If you want to get involved please get in touch!!
You can sponsor me here:

Campaign to End Ocean Mircroplastics Pollution organized by Paola Dyboski-Bryant Paola Dyboski-Bryant Campaign to End Ocean Mircroplastics Pollution Hi, my name is Paola. I've had the huge honour of being selected for . A wome

Imagine if 2020 really is the decade of the planet and we start by sorting this mess out. Join me for eXXpedition together with an amazing team of women we look to come up with solutions.
I'm also still looking for sponsors and collaborations - so do please share with any businesses or organisations who you think would like to get involved!

The plastic polluters won 2019 – and we're running out of time to stop them Further steps have been taken to clean up beaches and seas in 2019 – but much more needs to be done