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International Yachting Community - Thank you!

RICHARD HACKETT • Dec 21, 2021

We wanted to take a moment to thank the silent heroes that have allowed Sea Mercy to have the incredible success and impact on the people living on the remote islands of the South Pacific. Without your support and belief in our "Sailing with a greater purpose" concept since 2012, the thousands of remote island communities that we now serve would have little hope or resources available to them in their battle for a future.


OUR YACHT OWNERS & CAPTAINS


We started as a single volunteer vessel in Tonga, and have grown to over 100 volunteer vessels that are now part of the Sea Mercy community. When there was no government vessel able or willing to help, you raised your hand and sent your yachts and Superyachts (your homes) into dangerous waters to help deliver emergency aid to the devastated remote island communities following Cyclone Ian (Tonga 2014), Pam (Vanuatu 2015), Winston (Fiji 2016), Harold (Vanuatu 2020) and Yasa (Fiji 2020) to name a few. Through our Floating Health Care Clinic programs you have delivered over 350 professional medical, dental and eye care volunteers, treated over 30,000 patients on some of the most remote island communities. Communities that do not have access to even basic health care services. You have given of your talents and time to help rebuild schools, homes, lives and futures when there was no one to help. When you could not participate personally, you gave financially to buy medicine, food, shelter, filters, desalination units, and tools and equipment for other members of our fleet to deliver. You’ve incorporated our Give Sight & Light program into your Regional & World Rally’s to make a difference wherever you sail. You are why the international yachting community is one of the most benevolent and respected communities in the world.


Thank you.


OUR CORPORATE & FOUNDATION SPONSORS


When things seem the darkest for the people living on the remote islands, you have always been there to help us bring hope and a future. You have sponsored thousands of reading and near-sighted glasses that have changed the lives of so many students and adults living on the remote islands. You have helped purchased emergency food, shelter and medical aid and donated portable desalination units. You even bought us a Landing Craft that has changed the face of our emergency response and recovery efforts, allowing us to deliver the lumber, roofing, drinking water and equipment needed to rebuild the lives of those living on the devastated islands. You have not only believed in, but you have invested in Sea Mercy’s vision.


Thank you.

Maui Fire Response - SV Oceans

By RICHARD HACKETT • 13 Sep, 2023
Lahaina, Maui - August 8th - Whether the emergency is local or international, Sea Mercy vessels and volunteers are always ready and willing to respond to meet the need.

SMART Rain-Tarp (for shelter & water)

By RICHARD HACKETT • 20 Jan, 2022
Imagine the logistical savings in precious fuel and disaster aid space if the first delivery by a disaster response transport vessel was two lightweight containers per family. Containers that would provide each family with emergency shelter, provide them with a renewable and ongoing drinking water and allow all future transport efforts to focus on delivering valuable supplies to rebuild their homes and communities (instead of water). That is a SMART solution.

Sight & Light - Oyster World Rally

By RICHARD HACKETT • 20 Jan, 2022
8 years ago, Oyster Yachts approached Sea Mercy with the question of how Sea Mercy could help their World Rally members to 'Sail with a greater purpose' during their circumnavigation of the world? Not just in the South Pacific, but at every stop and anchorage. Our Sight & Light program was a perfect fit and the past World Rally since then, their members have carried Sea Mercy's Sight & Light Kits to every country stop around the world.

Remembering the past in Vanuatu - Thatch Roofing

By RICHARD HACKETT • 07 Jul, 2020
With the possible arrival of metal roofing to replace destroyed roofs and homes still months, perhaps years away, the people living in Vanuatu are returning to the 'old ways' to rebuild their devastated communities following Cyclone Harold. Coconut Thatch weaving workshops are ongoing in every TC Harold affected community on West Santo Island. With few tarps provided since the cyclone (Covid-19 transport restrictions), traditional knowledge exchange among the islands of Santo, Tanna, Ambrym is real resilience. Thatch roofing is renewable, available and quite durable. It also is cooler in the hot times.

Making Every Donation Count - Effective Training

By RICHARD HACKETT • 06 Jun, 2020
Sea Mercy respects and values every donation that is given to help us meet the needs following a natural disaster and develop a plan for success to ensure that. Our view is not about the amount of aid that is delivered, but the effectiveness of the aid that we deliver. Although well meaning, so much international aid is either unneeded or sits unused through a lack of training. Our goal is to try and think through the challenges before us and develop a plan that will overcome them before the aid arrives.

Cyclone Harold Response

By RICHARD HACKETT • 22 May, 2020
It can be enough of a challenge responding to a Category 5 cyclone in normal times, but imagine trying to deliver aid during a complete Covid lockdown. Our incredible team of Sea Mercy volunteers in Fiji and around the world navigated those challenges and delivered life saving water, shelter and food aid to the devastated communities in Vanuatu.

Sea Mercy's Desalination Unit in Vanuatu

By RICHARD HACKETT • 19 May, 2020
It is exciting to see video coming back from Vanuatu showing Sea Mercy's desalination unit providing clean water for the devastated remote villages following Cyclone Harold. Patiently waiting their turn, the children bring their bottles to the front of the barge where salt water from the ocean is turned into fresh drinking water for a village and family. When we are done in this village, the barge will move to another and repeat this life changing and disease preventing process.

'No Plastic' approach to delivering clean water

By RICHARD HACKETT • 21 Mar, 2020
Sea Mercy is an NGO that is always stepping outside of the ‘status quo’ circle when it comes to our disaster response, health care and economic service deliver programs for the remote islands of the South Pacific. Our effective, self-sustaining and no plastic approach for delivering emergency drinking water following a natural disaster is Water Filtration, Water Generation, and Water Catchment.

Sea Bridge One

By RICHARD HACKETT • 21 Oct, 2019
When a non-profit charity asks you to design a low cost, versatile and sustainable service delivery vessel to serve thousands of forgotten remote island communities spread across the South Pacific, you realize the design needs are far different. Such a request would not be an easy assignment for any naval architect or builder; however award-winning sailing yacht architect Gerard Dykstra of Dykstra Naval Architects and shipbuilder Louis Hamming of Vitters Shipyard came together to donate their time and expertise to design the multipurpose Sea Bridge One vessel for Sea Mercy.
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