In July, Sally Ann Ranney, the President and Co-Founder of Global Choices, embarked on a journey to the Central Arctic Ocean. The trip was organized by Ocean Geographic’s founder, Michael Aw and Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue. The ship used for the expedition is named the Sylvia Earle.’ As the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and named by Time magazine as its first Hero for the Planet in 1998,’ and a member of Global Choices’ Advisory Board. This vessel pays tribute to Sylvia’s long-standing conservation efforts for marine protected areas and ocean wildlife and is owned and operated by Aurora Expeditions.
Participants included scientists, conservationists, cold water divers, policy experts, photographers, other concerned individuals and youth from around the world who care about the plight of this sensitive part of the world. The epic launched from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, the northernmost inhabited island in the world. Sailing to 82 degrees North before encountering pack ice, at which point the vessel turned around, they encountered a variety of sea birds, polar bears, walrus and other wildlife. At the conclusion of the trip, Ocean Geographic published a declaration and report from the trip, including protection of the Central Arctic Ocean and the remaining sea ice that shields us from the sun’s heat and radiation is imperative.
Below are some photographs of the journey with Sally Ann’s comments and insights.
Kayaking through chards of sea ice, leftovers from calving glaciers, is “like floating through diamonds.” Photo: Aurora Expeditions
In the Central Arctic Ocean, air and water temperatures are unseasonably and scary warm. Amazing to see it firsthand. The ice is thinner than it was just a few years ago, and ever more precious. The sea ice has less reflective capacity than the older, thicker ice (4-6-8 ft), which, since 1979 is 95% gone. It became painfully clear how important our work is for the Arctic and for the world, because “What Happens in the Arctic doesn’t Stay in the Arctic.” because everything is connected to everything. Photo: Sally Ann Ranney
Created by one of the journey’s participants, reminds us of the relationships we choose with nature. Photo: Sally Ann Ranney.
Waterfalls of meltwater cascade off glaciers. Water flows invisibly inside the glaciers and then pushes its way out by creating a hole in the ice wall, or it forms a river on top of the ice to then fall over an ice-cliff. Photo: Sally Ann Ranney.
Celebrating a surprise birthday party on board the Sylvia Earle with new and old friends and colleagues from around the world. Photo: Dan Laffoley.
Polar bears can weigh up to 1,700 pounds. This bear was very curious about us, coming within 50 yards of the boat….as close as he could and still be standing on ice that can support him. The majority of the sea ice we experienced is only 1-2 ft thick. It’s become difficult for polar bears to hunt seals, their primary food source. Photo: Sally Ann Ranney.
Before and after: The glacier is the Blomstrandbreen glacier in Svalbard, Norway, which was photographed in 1918 by the Norwegian Polar Institute. A more recent photograph of the same location, taken in 2024 by photographer Christian Åslund, dramatically shows the ice’s retreat over the last century. (WHAT I FOUND)The same glacier depicted in a lithograph from the early 1900s (left) and a photo of the same glacier today. Both thickness and extent radically changed as local and global temperatures have risen. Global Choices has called for a minimum 10-year (extendable) Moratorium on all industrial and commercial ambitions in this highly sensitive ocean and has launched a petition to rally global support.
On ship deck Sally Ann Ranney with Howard Bilton. owner of Howard’s Folly.
From left to right: Sally Ann, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Saanya Jain and Michael Aw, founder and CEO of Ocean Geographic with the Explorer’s Club flag that went with the group to the edge of the Central Arctic Ocean. It was returned in a short ceremony to The Explorers Club in NYC during Climate Week in September 2025, Ms Ranney is also Chair of the Conservation Committee of The Explorers Club.
