Sail for change

Exchange@Sea 2025

Sail for change

Yesterday, Josien Hendricksen of The Ocean Movement and  Isa Schipperheijn from Klimatorium joined the Dutch tall ship Eendracht for a unique 10-day sailing journey along the coasts of Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands. They join young participants from five European countries, who will learn how to sail, explore new cultures, and work on sustainable solutions to plastic pollution.

The Ocean Movement and Klimatorium, will guide the participants in hands-on citizen science: they will conduct microplastic research, organize a beach clean-up, guide them to create their own plastic-free cosmetics, and dive into the world of ocean protection.

Exchange@Sea 2025 is an Erasmus+ youth exchange open to everyone aged 15–25, that combines adventure, action, and international friendships.

Where sailing meets science

The voyage begins today in Denmark and follows the North Sea coastline to the Netherlands, with a stop in Belgium. Along the way, the participants will learn how to sail a tall ship—steering, hoisting sails, tying knots—and dive deep into hands-on plastic pollution research coordinated by The Ocean Movement and Klimatorium.

From Esbjerg to Ostend (August 9–12)

The journey kicks off with an interactive presentation by Josien (The Ocean Movement) and Isa (Klimatorium). The participants get to know the crew, hear inspiring career stories, and learn about the TREASURE project, citizen science, and the growing problem of microplastics in our seas.

Driftwood science: release of the wooden blocks

In Danish waters, each participant will release a biodegradable wooden block into the sea. These drifters will help researchers understand ocean currents and plastic dispersion. We’ll watch a short video, discuss previous results, and make sure we capture the moment with photos and videos.

Plastic quiz

Before diving into stakeholder perspectives, the participants get to test their plastic knowledge in a fun, competitive quiz led by Josien—with bonus questions from Isa.

Microplastic sampling begins

While the participants are on watch rotation, they will collect seawater using a Manta trawl. We aim for 5–6 samples total. Each sample is a small piece of a global plastic puzzle, feeding into international databases and helping researchers build a clearer picture of ocean pollution.

Stop in Ostend (August 12–14)

Beach clean-up challenge

In Ostend t’s time to hit the shore. We’ll host a short beach clean-up, with some fun twists: who can find the most items of the same type? What’s the weirdest plastic item? A simple action, big impact.

We will also visit the Marine Station Ostend (MSO) where we will get an exclusive tour of the VLIZ Marine Research Station. Here the real science happens. Split into small groups, we will explore the labs and get to analyze one of our samples under a stereomicroscope.

From Ostend to IJmuiden (August 14–18)

Plastic-free cosmetics workshop

During this workshop, we will be making our plastic-free toothpaste and deodorant using natural ingredients. With coconut oil, essential oils, and the Plastic Free Future app, we will hopefully start a new morning routine!

Plastic game – Role-playing session

In this dynamic stakeholder role-play designed by Klimatorium we will take on the role of a policymaker, company, activist, or scientist. This way we will step into different perspectives and explore the real-life complexity of solving the plastic crisis.

Final mini-presentation

When we near our final destination, we’ll gather to share all the samples collected and analyzed. With maps and visuals, we will reflect on what we’ve learned—and what we can take forward beyond the voyage.

You can follow this unique journey of Josien and Isa on our social media channels!

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