Blogger of the Day-Jimmy Truong, MSc Candidate/ Tough Tree Planter!
Montreal-Toronto Expedition
Freshwater Research and Scientific Communications Course
Crew size: 14
Jimmy Truong, MSc Candidate, collecting a water sample using a van Doorn water sampling device.Blogger of the Day:Jimmy Truong- MSc Candidate
Blogger of the Day: Jimmy Truong
MSc candidate and intrepid Tree Planter Extroardinaire
Jimmy Truong joined us on board last Saturday, only 4 days after he returned from 2 months tree planting in Northeastern Ontario.
This fall, Jimmy will be returning to the University of Toronto to begin his Masters of Science program, under the advisement of fellow Sea Dragon crew member, Paul Helm.
Read today’s blog to find out how Jimmy will use his experience aboard Sea Dragon to supplement his future research on Great Lakes contaminants.
The Montreal – Toronto expedition is unique in that it has 3 renowned fresh water scientists onboard who have enriched the experience for us.
Professors Sam Mason and Bill Edwards lead a class on the history of the Great Lakes Ecosystem
Today we learned about the “industrial heritage” of the Great Lakes – Saint Lawrence Waterway, which is a PC way of saying that these waters were once, and still are the waste yard for human progress and excess. Dr. Bill Edwards gave us a brief history today about the formation of the Great Lakes, touching on their misuse and maltreatment after the creation of the canals and locks and the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
These waterways were crucial in the division of British and American territories during the war of 1812, and important for the economic development of this region. The region was once full of shipbuilding, fishing and manufacturing industries that left their traces in the contaminant profiles of the lakes.
What stuck with me from this talk was what we learned about the topography of the lakes. All the water from the higher Great Lakes drain in to the St. Lawrence and into the Atlantic Ocean. This was impressionable because Lake Ontario, having the lowest elevation, receives drainage from all the other lakes through Niagara Falls. This means that in addition to all the runoff that goes into Lake Ontario, there are additional contaminants from the drainage of the other lakes, which makes Lake Ontario one the dirtiest of the Great Lakes. This was troubling to learn for me because I’ve lived along the shore of Lake Ontario my whole life and have swam in its waters since I was a child.
Depth Profile of the Great Lakes Ecosystem, showing the drainage towards Lake Ontario. Image courtesy of Ohio's Department of Natural Resources Website.
This brief lecture brought me back to why I hopped on board the Sea Dragon. I came here to learn more about Dr. Mason’s sampling techniques for micro plastics, but also to collect my own samples to do preliminary tests on Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs) in the Great Lakes.
Organophosphates have been a major concern in the past when they were used as pesticides and leeched into our waterways. They are currently being used as a replacement for recently banned and controlled Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) flame retardants.
Flame retardant sources inside the home. Image taken from sourcewatch.org.
Sea Dragon begins to transit the locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
The history of the Great Lakes shows the incredible ingenuity of man with the construction of dams and locks. It also demonstrates the lack for foresight of the unforeseen consequences to progress. Opening up the Great Lakes to the ocean allowed in invasive species such as the zebra mussel that have caused irreversible damage to the Great Lake ecosystem.
We see this lack of foresight into the future today in the microplastics that Dr. Mason has found as well as with the unraveling story of the OPFRs making their way into our water.
This journey is about discovery but also one of hope. In order to fix our mistakes we must discover them and find ways to mitigate them. I hope that the work we are doing here on the Sea Dragon will serve as an example that more studies need to be done on chemical products and their replacements, before they are deployed.
As the mounting evidence that microplastics from face exfoliants and replacement flame retardants are being washed into our waters, we need to realize that industry and government need to follow the precautionary principle to make sure that we keep our waters clean. I hope that our scientific work and the advocacy and educational programs that Pangaea Explorations does can educate the public about the consequences of our petrochemical dependent lifestyles and that we should demand more from chemical industries and more government regulation.
🌊⛵️ LAUNCHING > our 2027 expeditions are officially live
From transiting the Panama Canal to crossing the vast Pacific, next year’s Panexplore journeys are built for those ready to go beyond the ordinary. Think remote islands, open ocean passages, and hands-on sailing aboard SV Sea Dragon.
Whether it’s the Galápagos, Tahiti, or a passage through the remote Palmyra Atoll and Kiritimati—this is your chance to be part of something unforgettable.
Berths are limited and will fill fast—start planning your 2027 adventure now.
#Panexplore #SailingExpedition #OceanAdventure #SailTheWorld #OffshoreLife
We sail straight into it.
Join us this summer. Multiple Arctic and sub-arctic trips to choose from.
#greenland #iceland #adventuretravel #arcticcircle #panexplore
Follow the wake of the Vikings. ⚔️
1,100 nautical miles of raw North Atlantic between Greenland and Iceland, where ice gives way to open ocean and the horizon feels endless. Learn to navigate one of the wildest stretches of water on Earth.
Whales surface beside you.
Nights barely darken.
And somewhere out there… you realize you’re doing something most people only dream about.
⚓ Nuuk → Reykjavík
📅 July 23 – Aug 9, 2026
💰 $9,990
🔥 18 days | real offshore miles | no experience required
Led by an elite expedition crew + National Geographic photographer @briandoylephoto onboard — this is hands-on, high-latitude sailing at its finest.
👉 Limited berths — link in comments.
#PanExplore #VikingRoute #NorthAtlantic #ExpeditionSailing #BluewaterSailing
Top crew for our trip “Lost in the Bermuda Triangle” Apr 4 > Apr 24 from Key West, Florida to Bermuda!
With Skipper @emilycaruso1 Mate @nicoleegraham and Deckhands @shyahcat_sunflower & @benpearce11
Some say they might stop in Fort Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral along the way! Let’s see what the weather brings them!
Fair wind crew! Have a safe passage ⛵️
Cross the Arctic Circle. ❄️
This is not just a trip—it’s a rare chance to explore Greenland’s remote west coast, sailing from Nuuk to the iceberg-filled fjords of Ilulissat aboard SV Sea Dragon.
Expect towering icebergs, endless daylight, and raw Arctic landscapes that feel untouched by time. You’ll be part of the crew—standing watch, trimming sails, and learning real expedition sailing in one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.
Short, powerful, and unforgettable—this is Arctic exploration at its purest.
📍 Nuuk → Ilulissat, Greenland
🗓 July 2–8, 2026
⚓ Limited berths available
No experience required. Just curiosity and a sense of adventure.
👉 Link in bio to claim your bunk
#ArcticCircle #GreenlandExpedition #AdventureSailing #BluewaterSailing
Follow the ice. ❄️
Step aboard SV Sea Dragon for a 1,200-nautical-mile Arctic passage from St Pierre & Miquelon to Nuuk, Greenland—where the North Atlantic transforms into a world of icebergs, whales, and endless daylight under the midnight sun.
This isn’t a cruise. This is raw expedition sailing.
Stand watch. Trim sails. Navigate cold, wild waters as part of a true offshore crew—learning real seamanship in one of the most remote and breathtaking environments on Earth.
From rugged coastlines and seabird-filled skies to your first glimpse of Greenland’s ice-strewn horizon, every mile is earned—and unforgettable.
⚓ 17 days | 1,200 NM
📍 St Pierre & Miquelon → Nuuk, Greenland
🧭 Arctic Circle. Iceberg alley. Real ocean miles.
Dream bigger. Sail farther. Explore where few ever go.
#ArcticExpedition #AdventureSailing #Greenland #BluewaterSailing #ExpeditionLife
NYC to the edge of the North Atlantic - where it gets real. 🌊
Set sail from the skyline of New York and head north into colder waters, longer days, and wilder coastlines. This 900-nautical-mile expedition takes you through the Gulf of Maine, along Nova Scotia, and up toward the remote French islands of St Pierre & Miquelon.
Think shifting weather systems, tidal currents, offshore miles, and the kind of sailing that actually teaches you something. Whales, seabirds, maybe even icebergs drifting down from the Arctic.
This isn’t a cruise. It’s hands-on North Atlantic sailing—watch systems, navigation, real seamanship, and a crew that becomes your team.
📍 May 21 – June 4, 2026
⚓ 15 days | 900 nautical miles
💰 $8,990
For those who have been waiting for something a little colder, a little tougher, and a lot more unforgettable.
Limited berths—claim yours today.
#NorthAtlantic #AdventureSailing #BluewaterSailing #OffshoreSailing #SailingExpedition
Two chances to sail Bermuda. Which one are you taking? ⛵️
🌊 Lost in the Bermuda Triangle
Apr 4–24, 2026 → Key West to Bermuda (1,200+ nm of real offshore sailing)
🗽 Landfall at Lady Liberty
May 8–16, 2026 → Bermuda to NYC (cross the Gulf Stream + sail into the skyline)
Hands-on. Wild. Unforgettable.
Limited berths — don’t wait.
👉 Link in bio
#sailaway #bermuda #adventuretravel #adventuresailing #panexplore
Dreaming of crossing the Atlantic? Read about real people’s intense preparation experience on other yachts…
Then decide to book with us! 😅
Read @yachtingworldmagazine article featuring @panexplore SV Sea Dragon and our 1st Mate @phoebe.unfurled 🔗 LINK in Bio
💌 YOU’RE INVITED! Join us for @panexplore 1st Open Boat Tour this year in Key West, FL on April 2nd from 4.30pm to 6.30pm - it’s FREE to attend, do RSVP tho!
🔗 RSVP link in BIO
#openboat #SailingAdventure #OffshoreSailing #SailingTrip #AdventureTravel
Flame retardant sources inside the home. Image taken from sourcewatch.org.
