Commons Seas' mission and approach today has been shaped through a combination of our founder Jo Royle’s previous career at sea skippering expeditions and trans-ocean yacht races including voyages across the Atlantic, Pacific and down to the Antarctic together with a decade of ground-breaking work.
"During their 128-day journey, the six-member crew lived in a cabin of just 20 feet by 15 feet (6 meters by 4.5 meters), took saltwater showers, and survived on a diet of dehydrated and canned food, supplemented with the occasional vegetable from their small on-board garden. Along the way, they fought giant ocean swells, 62-knot (70mph) winds, temperatures up to 38C and torn sails. The crew briefly stopped in Queensland last week, after battling a brutal storm off the Australian coast." The Guardian
Plastiki: showcasing circular design and raising awareness of ocean plastic pollution.
The Plastiki was a groundbreaking campaign from 2010 that reached millions of people showcasing circular design potential and raising awareness of the impending ocean plastic pollution crisis.
Common Seas was a key partner in designing and building Plastiki - the world’s first closed-loop design ocean-going sailing boat, using only sustainably sourced, reusable or recyclable materials. To demonstrate the potential in the circular design, the boat was sailed for three months, skippered by Jo Royle, 8,000 miles across the world’s largest ocean – the Pacific. Twelve thousand used plastic bottles provided the boat's buoyancy and attracted the curiosity of the world’s media. Plastiki’s partners included: Hewlett Packard, Inmarsat, Nike, Khiels and IWC.
Jo Royle speaking at TEDx Talk