Duncan Copeland & Larissa Clark

Duncan Copeland and Larissa Clark, the British-Canadian duo behind the not for profit "Free Range Ocean", have turned their 50-foot sailboat, Freeranger, into a mobile platform for marine conservation. Since launching in 2023, the couple have combined forty years of experience in environmental campaigning and communications to bridge the gap between the sailing community and scientific research.

Their mission centres on "Adventure Science," utilising their global voyages from the Pacific Northwest to French Polynesia and New Zealand to collect vital data for multi-institutional researchers. On a recent 3,900 nautical mile transpacific crossing, they contributed to over half a dozen citizen science initiatives, focusing on ocean plastic tracking, marine mammal observations, and coral reef health.

Beyond data collection, Duncan and Larissa are dedicated to outreach. They host seminars, mentor early-career researchers, and have pioneered a global Ocean Citizen Science Directory to encourage other sailors to become "ocean guardians." Currently navigating the South Pacific, they are collaborating with local partners in Samoa and Fiji on skills building projects for female conservationists. By proving that low impact cruising can advance global marine knowledge, Free Range Ocean inspires the boating community to sail with purpose and protect the waters they call home.