National Ocean Challenge Program Welcomes New Wave of Fishers

Photo courtesy of NOCP

The 2022 National Ocean Challenge Program (NOCP) is just two weeks away, and participants are gearing up for this once-in-a-lifetime immersion experience. From July 5 through 27, participants from across North America will learn invaluable life skills while boating on the ocean off Kodiak, Alaska.

“[The program] looks like an incredibly unique opportunity to grow my faith and challenge my limits,” shared a recent college graduate and participant from Canada. “I also think that this is an amazing experience to gain more confidence in my own abilities and gain a better understanding of who I really want to become.” 

Participants, aged 17 and older, get to experience the ocean as a training ground, developing character and confidence through seamanship, experiencing the heart of stewardship, and cultivating greater faith through experiencing God’s love through nature. Led by NOCP Directors Lucas and Tasnah Bercy, the program also has team leader and Captain-In-Training (CIT) roles available every year for qualified participants.

“NOCP seeks to continue Father and Mother Moon’s tradition and legacy of growing the character and faith of young people through leadership training on the sea,” the program’s website details. “Through internal guidance and connecting to their words and experience, participants have the opportunity to walk in Father and Mother Moon's shoes and experience all the lessons that the ocean has to teach.”

Lessons stem from a range of activities, including a morning service introducing each day’s theme, full days out in nature and on the ocean learning the basics of boating and fishing, as well as how to jig and troll for Pacific salmon, halibut, rockfish, and ling cod. The challenges — along with the personal growth and rewards of participating in the program — are compelling for many young adults.

“I continued to build my life of faith by doing CARP,  YAYAM, and being a part of my community's council,” said a recent high school graduate from Arizona. “Now God is calling me to Alaska and I’m determined to respond ... It’s an environment to discover more about myself, raise leadership skills, and invest in the future of my community.”

Throughout the program, participants rotate using four boats, learning from the senior captains who spent many years on the ocean with True Parents. The captains often share stories and lessons, as well as fishing techniques and their unique styles. Evenings full of testimonies from local members, educational activities, and personal reflections enhance the overall experience, camaraderie, and spiritual nourishment of the group.

“This will be my first year attending NOCP,” shared a young Unificationist from New Jersey. “My main reason for participating is to get back on a path toward my purpose and find God, myself, and my role again by challenging and surrounding myself with God's raw creation. I have been lacking in practicing my faith in the past years ... I want to take action for myself.”

True Parents launched the first Ocean Challenge in Gloucester, Mass., in 1981 to foster faith by utilizing the vast ocean and fishing as a spiritual training ground. They later started “Ocean Challenge Alaska” in 1986, where more highlights of the program emerged over the years, including river fishing, team reflection, beach bonfires, a hatchery tour, Kodiak city tour, and a fishing tournament with prizes held at the end of the program.

“I really want to inherit and connect to True Fathers love for the ocean,” shared a participant from California. “Whether that be through swabbing the deck, getting seasick, or maybe even catching a king salmon, I’m interested to see how I respond in this new environment. And I hope that I can humble myself and appreciate the power and beauty of the ocean through this experience.”

NOCP participants become certified in CPR/First Aid and “About Boating Safely,” offered by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. All staff and participants will provide a negative Covid-19 test prior to traveling to Alaska.

You can learn more about the National Ocean Challenge Program and sponsor a participant here