A Season of Change… and Success
At EcoMaris, the end of the navigation season is always synonymous with a mixture of joy and melancholy. It marks the end of many adventures - but with a sense of accomplishment. This year is no different, but for one thing: 2023 was a year of change for our team.
In the program department, Native River offered us more rare and precious discussions. Opportunity Road welcomed twice as many women as last year, while Capstan filled up in record time, with a more diverse clientele. As for our next major initiative Giving Back the St. Lawrence, it is now ready to set sail following our experts’ hard work.
Our captain Alexis training a Capstan group to the rudiments of sailing.
When it comes to our ships, the EcoMaris 1 had its holds and exterior paintwork refurbished before the start of the season. Meanwhile, the EcoMaris 2 underwent gigantic renovations throughout the year, at Montreal's Bickerdike Basin. Our new ‘eco-cruise ship’ will continue its transformation over the winter, proudly displaying its freshly painted fresco.
L'EcoMaris 2 au bassin Bickerdike de Montréal.
The year 2023 was also rich in collaborations. We joined forces with Toronto-based Broad Reach Canada for the amazing Ships2Shores project. This initiative allowed us to welcome 5 cohorts of 12 young people who are developing a volunteering project (this includes our first group of teenagers). With a focus on diversity, Ships2Shores is primarily tailored to young BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ youth and youth living in precarious conditions.
Our joint projects have also taken us to Brion Island for a second year in a row. In collaboration with the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory, we resumed our work off the Magdalen Islands to advance research on white sharks of the gulf.
If you thought we wouldn't dare going further east... think again! Our alliance with the Karavaniers agency brought us to the striking coastline of Newfoundland.
Participants in Ships2Shores 3, dedicated to 13-17 year-olds.
Ships2Shores 5 participants on the bowsprit, under the watchful eye of our sailor Marine!
A great reward after a hike in Newfoundland... to see the EcoMaris in the distance. With the Karavaniers group.
Marco puts his boat next to ours to bring us some bait, just across, Île Brion.
Finally, let’s not forget that in 2023, patents were awarded to several of our crew members, our website and visual identity got a complete make-over, we produced a new HR policy and our St. Lawrence Reporters project is well on its way – not to mention a brand new newsletter (available in French for now).
After a season of change and success, we're setting our sights on a future that promises to be as memorable as the past year. If you'd like to make a direct contribution to our operations for the coming season, please visit our donations page. We'd be very grateful.
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