SCCF is thrilled to host “Her Deepness” Dr. Sylvia Earle, who along with Jane Goodall, is considered to be one of the most important conservationists of our time. A legendary oceanographer, Earle will be the guest speaker at SCCF’s 2nd Annual Paul McCarthy Lecture at the Sanibel Community House on Feb. 7, 2020. Doors open at 5pm for light bites and refreshments. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm.

Earle will share her knowledge and passion for our oceans as well as her perspective on the future of our cherished Southwest Florida waterways.

“I met Sylvia while doing international policy work on fisheries and she truly is a force of nature. She’s hands down the most powerful voice for marine conservation of our day,” said SCCF CEO Ryan Orgera. “We are very fortunate to have her share her wisdom and insight on Sanibel.”

The McCarthy lecture series was conceived by the Boler Family Foundation, which underwrites the speaker fees and expenses, as a way to honor a dear family friend, Paul McCarthy, founder of Captiva Cruises and an active presence on the islands for years.  Feb. 6 would have been McCarthy’s 68th birthday and those who knew him can attest that he would be ecstatic to have Earle on our islands.

A National Geographic explorer-in-residence since 1998, Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 1998, she was named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet. She is also part of Ocean Elders, a group dedicated to protecting the ocean and its wildlife.

Having grown up in Dunedin, FL, on the Gulf coast, Earle is deeply concerned about our coastal waters.

One of Earle’s most poignant statements is “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it. Because they do.”

Earle currently leads Mission Blue to unite a global coalition to inspire an upwelling of public awareness, access and support for a worldwide network of marine protected areas. Called “Hope Spots” they are intended to safeguard the living systems that provide the underpinnings of global processes, from maintaining biodiversity and yielding basic life support services to providing stability and resiliency in response to accelerating climate change.

The Florida Gulf Coast is one of her designated Hope Spots.

Tickets are available at Eventbrite.