— The North Atlantic Coast
Purpose Doesn't Retire.
Nova Gold Foundation guides veterans, first responders, and retired officers through healing, career reintegration, and renewed purpose — rooted in the sea.
— Our Story —
What began as a treasure hunt.
Around 2009, Jeff MacKinnon, retired U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Griego, and an ever-growing group of veterans, first responders, and maritime adventurers came together through a shared passion for exploration, diving, history, and service.
The real treasure was never the shipwrecks. It was the sense of purpose, camaraderie, and healing that came from working side by side toward a meaningful goal. Nova Gold Foundation was born from that realization.
— What We Do —
Three pillars. One mission.
Therapeutic Expeditions
Veterans and first responders work alongside maritime professionals on meaningful expeditions, replacing isolation with purpose and a continued sense of mission.
Secondary Career Pathways
Apprenticeships and mentorship in marine operations, hydrographic surveying, maritime archaeology, and more, transforming recovery into long-term opportunity.
Heritage Recovery & Preservation
Responsible recovery and conservation of Canada's underwater cultural heritage, protecting history for future generations while creating hands-on training opportunities.
— A Unique Opportunity —
There is nothing else like this.
Most veteran programs offer counselling, recreation, or job placement. Nova Gold offers something different. Veterans, first responders, special operations personnel, law enforcement officers, archaeologists, and marine scientists from Canada and the United States come together on real expeditions, recovering historically significant artifacts from shipwrecks that have remained untouched for centuries.
The work demands exactly what service demanded. Teamwork, discipline, trust, and purpose. For many who struggle after leaving uniform, that's precisely what's been missing.
Nova Gold doesn't simulate mission. It creates it.
Purpose. Service. Heritage. Recovery.
