Taking Washington by Canoe

June 30-July 15, 2008 http://www.miami2maine.com/ On June 30, I depart to paddle 500 miles from my home in New Jersey to Washington, DC, with a message in a bottle for coastal Congresspeople. Last summer, I paddled my outrigger canoe up the East Coast to share my passion for restoring our oceans. This summer, I am back on the water, with an urgent call to action: take the crucial, first step to help our endangered oceans to pass Oceans 21. Oceans 21 (HR 21) is a federal bill that will lay the groundwork for effective national action to give our ocean resources the attention they deserve. We depend on the ocean for food, recreation, and jobs, but now pollution, overexploitation, and habitat degradation are pushing the world's oceans into a silent state of collapse. Ocean deterioration has lead to more beach closings, fewer fish for commercial and recreational fishing, and dangerous chemicals in our seafood. We don't yet have the tools to meet this challenge. We need to act now to turn the tide with important tools provided by Oceans 21. The time is ripe to take action. I hope to garner support for this bill which is being voted on in subcommittee this July. A vote for a strong Oceans 21 is critical for the future of our oceans. I will be visiting several areas along the intracoastal waterway where I will share my experiences and message of hope for our oceans and the people who love them.