Sailing Expeditions Worldwide

What We Do

Pangaea Exploration operates expedition and research charters throughout the world’s oceans. In between these voyages, we offer up our superb platform and our excellent crew to the public for sail training and adventure sailing voyages.

If you’ve ever dreamed of crossing an ocean, visiting remote tropical islands, or just taking an out of the ordinary sailing vacation, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. Our guests are normally split 50/50 between sailors looking for a bit of blue water and adventurers who have never stepped foot on a boat in their lives. We offer adventure sailing voyages ranging in length between 1 and 4 weeks, anything from coastal cruising exploring islands to crossing oceans and learning celestial navigation.

In our work as a research vessel, we have worked with some of the world’s leading researchers and institutions. Work conducted on board has spanned from microplastics to coral, and water sampling to whales. We were an integral part of discovering the existence of microplastic pollution in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, have supported many diving trips, whether to find un-charted seamounts off the coast of Brazil or help in the search for “super reefs” in the Pacific. We have been a film platform for television programs on humpback whales and marine toxicology, as well as spending time in fresh water, sailing to the center of the North American continent through the Great Lakes.

Our Mission

At Pangaea, we strongly believe in the importance of connecting people with the sea. To that end, we have two main priorities: research expeditions and adventure sailing voyages. First, we provide a more affordable and eco-friendly platform for researchers to reach remote regions. Traditionally, these types of projects would need to be conducted on board large ships, costing up to 10 times more per day to operate and consuming more fuel in an hour than we do in a year. Secondly, we feel strongly that if people get a chance to get out on the ocean and experience it the way we do, they will better understand the importance of the sea. With this in mind, we offer adventure sailing voyages that provide this opportunity to people who range from complete beginners to experienced sailors.

Our Crew & Experience

We have been operating Sea Dragon throughout the Atlantic and Pacific for the past 10 years building an excellent reputation for safe, effective & efficient sailing voyages. Our experienced crew has covered over 200,000 nautical miles – not only developing a strong background in sailing education but also the skills to effectively and safely sail anywhere in the world. With sailing experience from Chicago to Stockholm, Africa to Patagonia, Greenland to Japan – our crew are excited to have you on board and share their knowledge of the world’s waterways.

Sea Dragon

We sail throughout the world’s oceans aboard Sea Dragon, our 72ft expedition yacht. Sea Dragon was built as one of twelve steel ships for the British Steel Global Challenge, the toughest yacht race in the world. She has circumnavigated the world twice – both times upwind in the southern Ocean. Sea Dragon has gone through extensive refits in order to be more suitable as a teaching and research platform while maintaining her true rugged heritage. Sea Dragon can carry up to 15 people on unsupported voyages up to two months in length in any of the world’s oceans.

Ship's Log

Arrival in Tahiti

After spending several weeks in the middle of the Pacific, the crew has found a new appreciation for the vastness of the world’s largest ocean. Without the hustle and bustle and dramas of land life we have learned to live simply and become creative with our entertainment. We are now overly excited by any signs of life that we encounter, completely mesmerized by watching flying fish glide across the water and utterly captivated by sightings of birds soaring around us. Eager to make bird friends, one morning many hours were spent singing to the boobies circling our mast encouraging them to “come a little bit closer” and “come sail away” with us. Pleased with the musical performance by the talented bird whisperers, the concert ended in a success and two boobies were perched on the bow. We also had another guest of honor that afternoon, a beautiful bluefin trevally fish came for a fun speedy ride in the wake of our bow for hours, just as dolphins playfully do.

After two days of no wind and no sailing, we were desperate for the wind to return. We might have slightly started to lose our minds waiting for the wind as we formed an upside down reading club where we were reading books out loud and upside down with hats and sunglasses upside down as well. The heat and boredom also led to more frozen canned food experiments.

Alas, in the middle of the night, the wind returned. It was light yet consistent, slowly nudging us in the right way toward Tahiti. However, the ocean had other plans in mind for our last 48 hours at sea thinking this might be the last opportunity for some excitement. Within 20 minutes the wind dropped from 20 kts to 5 kts and it continued this way for awhile, the only consistency being that it was rapidly changing and testing our reaction times. By Thursday night, the ocean was in full rage. Our night was filled with lightning and thunder storms, sideways downpours of rain and 30+ knots of wind. Thankfully by morning the ocean calmed down a bit. Just after sunset we were able to see the glow of the city lights of Papeete! Having to wait until daylight to make our approach, we did a few tacks and soaked up our last few hours of beautiful starry sailing off the coast of Tahiti. We thought it might be fun to try to draw a fish in the tracker online but decided to give the crew down below get a chance of having some rest instead. As the sun rose and cast its light down it revealed the spectacular jagged green peaks of Tahiti and Moorea. After 1208 miles from Kiritimati, and a total of 2576 miles from Oahu, we have finally made it! Now time for some Mai Tais and land showers to celebrate.

Adventure Sailing

Expedition Charters