Youth Sailors launch “Tide Turners – Stewards of the Sea” initiative

The SVG Sailing Association has launched Tide Turners – Young Stewards of the Sea, a 1-month youth-led environmental initiative aimed at strengthening monitoring, awareness, and protection within the south coast marine managed area.

The official launch on Friday, March 6, 2026 at the Vincy Sail Club, Coconut Grove, brought together youth sailors, community members, partners, and supporters committed to safeguarding the marine environment of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The SVG Sailing Association said in a release that during the event, five young sailors spoke about their connection to the sea and the environmental changes they have observed while sailing along the South Coast, highlighting the important role young people can play in protecting the marine environment. The educational consultant Joshua Gooding, and project manager Anne Weinhardt, also introduced the goals of the Tide Turners initiative and thanked Louise Mitchell for inspiring the development of the project.

The initiative is funded by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund, whose support makes it possible to engage young sailors and schools in meaningful environmental action, the SVG Sailing Association outlined.

Tide Turners empowers youth sailors to become active stewards of the ocean through environmental education, biodiversity monitoring, shoreline clean-ups, and community engagement. Participants will help record observations on marine wildlife, coastal changes, and pollution, contributing to valuable community-based environmental knowledge.

Guests and participants at the launch were also invited to write pledges for the sea, committing to simple actions that help protect the marine environment.

The initiative has already begun its practical activities. The first educational workshop took place on the morning of Saturday, March 7, 2026 introducing 18 participants to marine biodiversity, environmental monitoring, and responsible ocean stewardship.

Over the coming months, Tide Turners will continue to engage young sailors and local schools in activities such as environmental monitoring sessions, sailing-based observations, and coastal clean-ups. The data collected will be compiled into a community environmental report, which will be shared with relevant government agencies and conservation partners.

The SVG Sailing Association said it hopes the programme will inspire a new generation of young Vincentians to take an active role in protecting the ocean that surrounds them.