The 4 Best Eco-Friendly Ocean Adventures

When it comes to adventure, there’s nowhere more exciting than our planet’s oceans. There’s also nowhere more imperiled. The threats come from so many fronts—from overfishing to plastic pollution to warming temperatures—that you need to ask more of your marine adventures. You need salty trips that pull double duty: putting you into the wildest depths of this dynamic environment and providing actionable ways to give back.

What’s more, experiencing this kind of cause-driven adventure can change you for the better, too. The right amounts of adversity and awe grant you a new perspective—one you should celebrate with a wine to match. Juggernaut Wines also intentionally seeks out challenges when it comes to growing conditions, whether it’s hillside vineyards with thin, well-draining soils where vines burrow deep in search of moisture, or coastal vineyards where fog, wind, and limited sunlight create stress—seemingly hostile conditions that bring out the best of each vine. Under duress, a hardy vine diverts resources into the grapes, ensuring that the resulting fruit yields complex and flavorful wine.

Seek that rugged experience in nature to bring out the best in yourself as well. Chart your next course with unique adventures that explore the world’s ocean waters in active, forever-memorable ways—and that can ultimately help save these precious ecosystems.

For Wildlife Lovers 

Seeing a whale from a boat off the Alaskan coast ranks high on many travelers’ bucket lists—for good reason. Witnessing the stunning display of scale, however, should be done responsibly. Before booking a trip, pick a whale watching company that operates safely: from a safe distance, on a boat with low noise pollution, at speeds of 7 knots or slower, and with appropriate protocols for encountering mothers and calves.

Another way to vet outfitters is to see if they’re Whale SENSE–certified. The program is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation and highlights companies that adhere to responsible practices, so you can choose a whale-watching experience that doesn’t cause negative repercussions. In Alaska, check out certified operators like Allen Marine Tours Juneau or Seward Ocean Excursions to witness the magnificence of seeing whales, bald eagles, and other wildlife in their natural habitat.

Closer Waters: You don’t have to travel all the way to Alaska to see marine megafauna. Whale SENSE has participating operators on the East Coast, from Maine to New Jersey to Virginia. On the West Coast? Certain paddling outfitters benefit from instant access to whale-watching hot spots, like Outer Island Excursions in Washington’s San Juan Islands or Avila Beach Paddlesports’ setup in central California, which has seen near-shore migrations of humpback, gray, and even orca whales in recent years.

For Surfers

Ever dreamed of surfing in South Africa? Go one step further and give back while you’re there. Through Surfpop, you can share your love of surfing with local children around Cape Town, help tutor them, and cultivate your wave-riding skills at the same time. If you’re a shark lover, the town of Gansbaai, known as the great white shark capital of the world, is only a few hours away. There, you can document shark activity—and see sharks, seals, and penguins while you’re at it—which can help prevent the unnecessary slaughter of 100 million sharks annually.

Want a more intimate look at these creatures that share the water with surfers? Adventurous travelers can book a once-in-a-lifetime cage-free dive with sharks on the famed North Shore of Oahu with conservation-minded outfitter One Ocean Diving.

Closer Waters: Beginner surfers should consider Costa Rica for its friendly breaks like Tamarindo and Nosara. The small, ocean-oriented, and biodiverse country holds 3.5% of the world’s marine life, with 30% of the country protected. Though Costa Rica is packed with worthy eco-tourism options, surfers who want give-backs with their cutbacks can volunteer with the Sea Turtle Conservancy at the black sand beach of Tortuguero.

The give-back partnership with 4ocean benefits ocean health and allows Juggernaut to help protect the magnificent predators that capture the bold spirit of its latest additions: a chardonnay from grapes grown on the far Sonoma Coast, where great whites roam; and a sauvignon blanc from the renowned Marlborough region of New Zealand, off a coastline known for orcas.

For Divers

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world, but it’s being decimated by a changing climate and polluted waters, having already lost more than half its coral. Thankfully, many dedicated organizations fight to protect it through plastic pollution control, coral nurseries, and responsible stewardship. Wonder at the beauty of the reef while helping to preserve the delicate ecosystem by becoming a marine conservation volunteer. Learn to dive with programs that give your days of reef exploration more structure by collecting info in rapid monitoring surveys.

Closer Waters: For a Northern Hemisphere adventure steeped in sustainable practices, visit the 3,100-acre Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center to kayak or canoe through the largest salt marsh in Maine. Learn about the marsh’s importance for wildlife, and volunteer for hands-on conservation activities like managing invasive species and planting native plants. If you’re a coral reef lover on a budget, head to Florida’s Key Largo and join the Coral Restoration Foundation dive team to help with nursery work or planting coral fragments back onto the reef.

For Beachgoers

Want an out-there beach with a little edge to explore? Check out the ocean-rich country of Norway, where 80% of the population lives less than seven miles from the sea. Its coastal waters are full of cold-water coral, fish, seabirds, and marine life. Still, even this far north, they’re threatened by both climate change and human activity. Volunteer to help clean up the beaches, like the stunning Helgeland coast, with Norges Miljøvernforbund (NMF). The environmental organization, whose name translates to the Green Warriors of Norway, has been working to fight marine pollution since 2017. Grasp what’s at stake with a hike to Kvalvika Beach, where the ocean dramatically meets towering cliffs and lush meadows.

Closer Waters: Head to Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay and the Tides Inn, nestled on a tributary called Carter’s Creek. In 2022, the inn completed a $3.6 million shoreline restoration project to restore its oyster reefs, which had been destroyed by overharvesting and pollution. Today, guests can launch hikes on the shoreline trail or sunset kayak cruises from one of the inn’s 70 rooms. They can also participate in volunteer experiences on the property—like repopulating baby oysters—through local nonprofit partner Friends of the Rappahannock, which works to protect the region’s aquatic and wildlife habitats.

Juggernaut Wines believes that overcoming challenges builds character, both for people and grape vines. Founded in 2018, Juggernaut Wines grows grapes in extreme conditions to create wines of untamed character and unrestrained complexity. Juggernaut Wines harnesses the power of nature to produce wines as expressive as the powerful alpha predators adorning its labels.

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