On June 16, the crew of One Ocean set sail across the Gulf of Alaska. The crossing took approximately 6–8 days before reaching Dutch Harbor. The forecast called for unusually calm seas for the week ahead—smooth sailing all the way!
Fans of the Around the Americas Expedition can follow their route at: ww.oneislandoneocean.com.
The crew reported that they had limited connectivity once out in the Gulf. “Our Starlink works within about 20 miles of shore, but beyond that we lose coverage—unless we want to pay over $2,000/month for offshore service (we don’t!). Instead, we use data as needed for essential updates. And we indeed need that data for the live classroom session with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants that was held on Monday, June 23, 2025. During the session, we deployed our very first SWIFT buoy from One Ocean!” Teachers registered for the presentation and students were able to ask the crew question live while we transited the Gulf of Alaska.
The Surface Wave Instrument Float with Tracking (SWIFT) is a free-drifting system that measures waves, winds, turbulence, and ambient noise at the ocean surface. Students will be able to follow the buoy and explore its data for up to a month. The Around the Americas SWIFT Buoy Deployment Program is sponsored by Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana and partnered with the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab. Curious what kind of data it collects? Check out this link: 🔗 SWIFT Buoy Data Viewer.
A Look Back Before the Crossing. Sailing to Juneau was incredible. We left Haida Gwaii and headed outside to Sitka, Alaska, braving intense weather and heavy seas. By the time we turned toward Frederick Sound, we were all relieved to get out of the rough stuff. The conditions improved dramatically and so did the whale sightings! We could barely sip our tea before another whale was spotted by our resident whale whisperer, Grace Dalton. (If you haven’t read her blog What the Fluke, you’re missing out!)
Just outside of Juneau, we raised our new spinnaker in perfect wind. As the drone flew overhead, a cruise ship passed by, an unforgettable moment. It was especially meaningful for our captain, who watched the iconic North and South America spinnaker fly again in the same place it did during his 2009–2010 voyage. A true full-circle moment.
Juneau was a whirlwind. In just four days, we hit up Ace Hardware, Costco, and Fred Meyer, stocking up for the next eight weeks and tackling the final to-dos from our major refit. We’re feeling dialed in, but the amount of work it’s taken to get here has been immense.
The crew squeezed in one last round of safety drills: setting up lee cloths in the bunks, attaching ocean signals to our life jackets, and finalizing our crew watch schedule before casting off from Elfin Cove. The crew took turns serving 6-hour shifts during the day, and 4-hour shifts at night for the week-long crossing.
Stay tuned for reports from Dutch Harbor, Unalaska!
Jennifer Dalton and
The Crew of One Ocean
Photos: One Ocean Crew
