Aula Oceánica a Vela Galapagueña: Reconnecting Galápagos Children to Their Ocean Home

After years living in the Galápagos Islands, I discovered a heartbreaking paradox: children surrounded by one of Earth's most remarkable marine ecosystems rarely experience it. Many have never snorkeled in the marine reserve or felt the ocean's wonder. If you cannot protect what you do not love nor love what you do not know, how will they become the stewards of this Natural World Heritage Site?

This sparked Galápagos Infinito, our initiative to give every island child meaningful ocean access. Today, rising threats such as climate change, plastic pollution, overfishing, and invasive species, endanger these ecosystems. Nurturing a generation that feels personally connected to their ocean home is the greatest ally to conservation efforts that will require more than science and protected areas.

Introducing the Aula Oceánica a Vela Galapagueña (the Galapagos Sailing Oceanic Classroom). This concept has been tested through chartering a monohull private sailboat. We are taking our journey to the next level, by transforming a polynesian-inspired sailing catamaran into a permanent mobile educational platform and living classroom where local children will experience their islands first hand, learn from the sea, and develop identity and stewardship.

Over the course of the school year, we will reach 450 students aged 10–12 across 20 schools on the four inhabited islands. Students will sail protected waters, observe wildlife, practice seamanship, and take part in exploration stations in remote coastal beach sites - snorkeling, exploring the intertidal zone, beach clean-up and nature journaling to develop and deepen their ecological understanding and stewardship.

Our goals:

Equip the sailing catamaran with educational spaces: library; microscope; hydrophone; weather instruments; ocean monitoring station;
Reinforce safety features onboard while working with children;
Develop the currículum, hands-on modules, stewardship and storytelling components;
Train local educators in experiential marine education;
45 day trip with 10 students onboard + 1 teacher & 2 educators + 2 crew per day.

Community Partnerships: Building on five successful years of implementing the Galápagos Infinito program we work at the intersection of conservation, education and tourism with a focus on showcasing Galápagos as a regenerative tourism destination were the sector which represents 80% of the economy gives back to the community by ensure equitable access to the protected areas. We also focus on building inter-sectorial partnerships with the public sector (Galapagos National Park Directorate, Galapagos Government Council, District of Education); the private sector (tourism boat operators), other grassroots organizations, and community with parents and teachers.