A Private Dinner with Renowned Explorer Jean-Louis Étienne

We are delighted to invite you to a truly unique event aboard the PERSEVERANCE vessel for dinner with legendary explorer, physician, and environmental advocate Jean-Louis Étienne. Famous for his expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica, Captain Étienne was the first person to reach the North Pole alone and co-led a remarkable 220-day trans-Antarctica crossing by dogsled. With the oceanographic sailboat PERSEVERANCE, Captain Étienne now focuses on documenting Antarctica's fragile ecosystems and advocating for their protection.

PERSEVERANCE will be docking in San Diego en route to the Southern Ocean, and Jean-Louis Étienne, along with his wife, author-adventurer Elsa Peny-Étienne, have graciously offered to welcome us aboard to share their stories of adventure. This is a rare chance to spend an evening with someone whose life reads like an adventure novel, hearing firsthand about polar survival, groundbreaking expeditions, and why protecting our oceans matters more than ever. This special evening, coordinated by recent Columbia University graduate Zoe Lerouge-Hemar, will feature a full-course gourmet dinner with wine pairing, prepared by PERSEVERANCE's French chef. This is also an opportunity to support ongoing scientific research aboard the vessel, as proceeds will fund future expeditions.

The details of the event are as follows:

• Date: Thursday, October 16 at 6:30 PM
• Location: Aboard the PERSEVERANCE, at the Embarcadero, San Diego
• Cost: $210 per person
• Capacity: Limited to 12 guests only
• 100% of proceeds will go directly to ocean conservation research

To secure your place, please RSVP by October 11 at 5 PM. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Zoe, PERSEVERANCE Partnerships Coordinator, or Anna, CAASD Board President.