Clipper Round the World Yacht Race's video: Ocean health data research initiative The Clipper Round the World Yacht Ra

The Clipper Race is collaborating with UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), with the opportunity to engage in citizen-science research to aid in the better understanding of the state of ocean health, the conservation of the world's oceans and the impact of warming oceans on climate change. Cutting edge Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) drifter buoys are being deployed by Clipper Race Crew into some of the most remote oceans on the planet. These advanced ocean data collection buoys sit on the ocean’s surface with a canvas tube, called a drogue, which enables it to travel with the surface layer of water. Every hour each ocean data buoy pings back its GPS position, barometric pressure and sea surface temperature. Once activated, the buoys immediately start transmitting data and all of this information goes into weather forecasting models, to be utilised by weather and climate scientists around the world. Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) drifter buoys were put aboard four Clipper 70 ocean racing yachts during the 2019-20 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The buoys were deployed into the Southern Ocean during Leg 3 of the race by teams Unicef, Seattle, WTC Logistics and GoToBermuda during their 4,750nm voyage from Cape Town, South Africa to Fremantle, Australia. They had been donated to the South African Weather Service by NOAA (The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), who the Clipper Race had previously worked with on the Ocean Acidification Programme during the 2017-18 edition. You can learn more about the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race here: https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com