Hold Fast X strengthens resilience, life quality, and direction among children and young people through ocean culture.
Research shows that purpose, mastery, and belonging are key drivers of wellbeing and long-term motivation. Hold Fast X translates ocean culture, from expedition experience to the historic “Hold Fast” mantra, into structured tools that help young people build confidence, perseverance, and belief in their own dreams.
At its core is the HoldFastX Masterclass: Evidence-informed methods combined with lived experience from practitioners working in some of the world’s most demanding ocean environments. Contributors include cave diver Jill Heinerth, freediver Li Karlsén, solo sailor Ella Hibbert, pipeline photographer Christa Funk, and endurance ocean rowers such as The Maclean Brothers and Seas the Day. Their experience is translated into practical frameworks for sustaining motivation, navigating uncertainty, collaborating effectively, and pursuing meaningful long-term goals.
Formats include:
- Curriculum-integrated workshops and structured modules
- Expedition-inspired learning formats
- Pop-up events and experiential learning arenas
- Maritime craft traditions building collective perseverance
- Digital masterclass integration ensuring accessibility and scalability
As an operational seagoing base, Taste of Salt enables year-round production, HFX labs, and strategic Ocean Decade activation. Operating directly from ocean environments strengthens the authenticity of the training, while supporting scalable digital formats that expand youth engagement beyond borders.
By integrating research, ocean culture, and high-performance experience, Hold Fast X contributes to Ocean Decade priorities in ocean literacy, capacity development, and empowering the next generation to shape sustainable ocean futures.
Cover photo: HoldFastX ambassador Li Karlsén, world record freediver under Greenland ice. © Alexander Dawson.