Day 4

Our location as of noon today: Latitude: 2223.99 North, Longitude: 16128.85 West
Welcome to our Spanish speaking friends! (See translated update below!!)
We’re thrilled to have so many schools with us again. Some of you joined the ORV Alguita on her last voyage from Los Angeles to Hawaii, and some of you are just signing on. We look forward to sharing our experiences with all of you, and would love to hear from you as well – send us your questions, comments, or thoughts and we will do our best to respond.

For our new students a brief word about the purpose of this journey:
We’re heading to an area of the ocean called the North Pacific Gyre to collect data on the amounts of plastic debris in the surface waters.
To collect this information, we use a Manta Trawl – like the one you see here in this photo:

The Manta Trawl has a fine mesh tube at the end, which collects anything larger than .333 microns. We launch the Manta Trawl off of our boat, and drag it along the ocean surface for up to 2 hours. When we reel it in, we find all sorts of interesting creatures –jellyfish, salps, copepods, lantern fish, etc., along with increasing amounts of plastic. We preserve these samples in a jar with formalin, to take back to our labs for analysis.

Back in the lab, our volunteers separate out all of the plastic particles, so we can compare the weight of plastic to the total weight of the biomass. This gives us a ratio of plastic to plankton, and gives us an idea of just how much plastic is accumulating in our oceans and potentially competing with plankton as a food source.

So far, we’ve seen evidence of plastic in all 6 samples, though we won’t know exactly how much until we return.

The Algalita Marine Research Foundation has been studying plastic debris in the North Pacific Gyre for over ten years. What makes this voyage different is that were heading to an area that has never been sampled, where we may possibly find the largest accumulation of debris ever seen.

Crossing the Pacific Ocean in the winter means we may hit some rocky weather…. However winter is also the time of year when debris accumulations are predicted to be the highest. This trip will help us prove this theory.

We’ve now been at sea for four days, sailing day and night to reach our next destination. There’s a lot of work to do on board – raising and lowering the sails, collecting samples, taking turns navigating while other people sleep, repairing problems on the boat, and blogging our experiences for you to share.

But there’s also plenty of down time – to read, fish, prepare meals, catch up on sleep, look for whales and seabirds, and enjoy being in the middle of the ocean – here’s our Captain, Charles Moore, taking an unusual bath off the back of the boat!

By tomorrow morning we will be in Necker Island, one of the southernmost Islands in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument (NHWMNM). Check back tomorrow to see what we find in our samples, and to learn a bit more about the Hawaiian Islands MNM.

Aloha and thank you from the ORV Crew!
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Bienvenidos a nuestros amigos Hispanohablantes!

Nuestra ubicacion al mediodia hoy: Latitud: 2223.99 Norte, Longitud: 16128.85 Oeste

Nos da un placer enorme que tantas escuelas nos acompanen de nuevo. Algunas de ustedes participaron con el ORV Alguita en el ultimo viaje de Los Angeles a Hawaii, y algunas acaban de juntarnos. Nos anima la oportunidad de compartir nuestras experiencias con todos ustedes, y nos encantaria recibir noticias suyas – escribenos tus preguntas, comentarios u ideas, y hacemos todo lo posible para responder.

Para nuestros estudiantes nuevos, les contamos un poco sobre la intencion de esta investigacion:
Nos dirigimos hacia una region del oceano que se llama el giro del Pacifico Norte para recoger datos sobre la canditad de plastico en el oceano.
Para recoger ese clase de informacion, usamos un equipo que se llama la Draga Manta, como ves aqui en la foto:

La Draga Manta tiene un especie de red muy fino que colleciona cualquier cosa que sea mas grande que .33 micronos. Botamos la Manta desde la embarcacion y lo arrastramos por la superficie del agua. Cuando la sacamos, encontramos unas cuantas especies de criaturas fascinantes – las medusas, las salpas, copepodos, peces brilliantes y mas, pero tambien vemos unas cantidades crecientes de plastico. Preservamos las muestras en unas jarras con formol, y los traemos a nuestro laboratorio para analizarlas.

En el laboratorio, nuestros voluntarios separan todos los particulos plasticos para que podamos comparar el peso del plastico al peso del plankton. Con eso, averiguamos la proporcion de plastico a plankton, y nos da una idea de cuantos particulos se estan accumulando en nuestros oceanos - a lo mejor estan en competencia con el plankton como una fuente de alimentacion.

Ya hemos visto pruebas de plastico en todas las muestras hasta hoy, aunque no sabremos exactamente cuantas hasta que volvamos.

El Algalita Marine Research Foundation lleva diez anos investigando el asunto del plastico en el giro del Pacifico Norte. Este viaje es distincto a los otro en que nosotros vamos a una region que todavia no se ha estudiado, en donde es posible que encontremos la accumulacion de basura mas grande que hay.

Cruzar el mar pacifico en el invierno significa que capaz tropezemos con tiempo algo dificil…..pero el invierno tambien es cuando la accumulacion de basura puede ser mas grande. La investigacion que hacemos nos ayuda en comprobar ese teoria.

Ya llevamos cuatro dias en el mar, navegando dia y noche para alcanzar nuestra destinacion. Hay bastante trabajo en el barco – alzar y bajar las velas, recoger las muestras, participar cada uno en hacer la navegacion para que los otros duerman, arreglar problemas con el barco, y escribir en el blog para que ustedes compartan el viaje con nosotros.

Pero tambien hay tiempo para relajar – leer, pescar, cocinar, dormir, buscar las ballenas y las aves marinos, y disfrutar estar en el medio del oceano – aqui ves nuestro Capitan, Charles Moore, banandose un una manera graciosa detras del barco!

Esperamos llegar por la manana en la Isla Necker, una de las Islas mas surena del Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument (NHWMNM). Si vuelvan manana, pueden ver lo que descubrimos en nuestras pruebas, y aprender un poco mas de las Islas de Hawaii.

Aloha y gracias de la tripulacion del ORV Alguita!

The calm before the storm

Our noon position: Latitude 21 39.297 N, Longitude 160 32.787 W.

Day three. Heading North, and beginning to notice plastic debris on the rise. Upon sunrise, we spotted a small, rocky island in the distance, named Kaula, off Kauai to which we headed seeking wind protection for our first sampling of the day. We reached the Island by late morning – a stark, barren yet beautiful half caldera lunarscape protruding sharply from the sea. The only signs of visible life were a dense cloud of Noddy Terns hovering atop the crest, along with an incongruous group of old rockets, which appeared ready to launch, possibly a vestige from the cold war.

Here Marcus, Herb, Jeff, and Joel examine our first sample for plastic content.

Our first three trawls, to the naked eye, yielded scattered pieces of plastic, a few visible nurdles, and a host of colorful organisms - numerous Vellelidea “blue buttons”, copepods, salps, Portuguese Man O War, and other miniscule creatures. We won’t know for certain how much plastic these samples contain until we bring them back to our lab.

Taking advantage of relatively calm seas before some predicted squalls, we set out 2 final night trawls, and noticed a marked increase in plastic particles. And we're still hundreds of miles from the convergence zone…..

Crossing the Pacific – In February?

As promised yesterday, a bit more background on the research goals guiding this mission. And answers to a question repeated by several concerned friends and family:

· "Why did you choose the middle of winter to cross the North Central Pacific?"

The primary goal is to test the hypothesis that marine debris concentrations will be highest in the winter, when the current-driven surface convergence zone is formed. This concept was put forward in a recently published paper, Marine Debris Collects Within the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone. Question: What is a convergence zone? Why would these change during different seasons?

Finding and removing marine debris, especially discarded fishing nets, is an extremely costly process. So coming up with ways to better predict where these debris concentrations might occur is of great interest to marine research and conservation organizations.

DELI – the Debris Estimated Likelihood Index – was designed for this purpose. Using chlorophyll concentrations and sea surface temperatures – two factors among others that correlate to debris concentrations, DELI is expected to locate debris concentrations in our vast, seemingly infinite ocean.

As these studies were conducted by aerial surveys, sampling in the winter would have been extremely difficult if not impossible. Winter storms disperse surface debris into the water column, while whitecaps and confused seas obscure vision from above. So although debris concentrations are likely highest in the winter months, no one has yet been able to verify this. Until, possibly now…..

Though trash is mainly what we’re looking for, wildlife sightings are always a welcome addition. Today we spotted two humpback whales – a mother and her calf, two Laysan Albatross, a red-footed booby, (shown here) and countless invertebrates in our samples.

Our last sample for the day collected at 9 pm, we raised our Genoa jib, and are cruising steadily through the night, heading for two more islands in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Monument to collect samples before we reach our main research area.

We should reach Nihoa Island tomorrow morning, and Nekker Island the following – anecdotes and photos to follow.

Aloha from the ORV Alguita Crew, thank you for your support…and if you have any good banana recipes, send them our way - we have a raft of bananas all set to ripen simultaneously!

Jeff saves the day

Day 2: 1/22/08
Our noon position: Longitude: 2024.570 N, Latitude: 15813.145 W

Continuing on our westward course. Steady winds have been propelling us along at 6-10 knots – a fair clip for those unaccustomed to thinking in nautical terms. Question: how do we calculate a nautical mile? Weather conditions should remain constant for a few more days, 4-5 foot waves, gently heaving swells dotted with whitecaps, warm, sunny skies.
Though today held relatively little in the way of debris – winds were still too powerful to sample - it was far from uneventful. Beginning with our Sashimi catch for the day…We hooked a sizable bull Mahi Mahi that took considerable patience, 4 crew members, and serious muscle to reel in. Having never seen Mahi Mahi outside of a restaurant, I was struck by its beauty - bright iridescent emerald-yellow, with a flat, bull-shaped head.

Upon finally hauling it on deck, we noticed a perfect bite mark, tell tale signs of a cookie cutter shark. Question: how big are cookie cutter sharks, and what is their primary prey? Perhaps we hooked his dinner right from his mouth…..

Ship happenings
Boats require constant maintenance, as all boat owners know. Today was no exception. Faulty welding back in Hilo had burned a hole in our hull, into which a steady stream of water was trickling. “This could be a problem” is not a phrase one hopes to hear from the Captain….
Fortunately, our nimble boat monkey Jeff was able to fix the problem, squeezing into an uncomfortably tight space, and patching the hole with epoxy glue. Many high fives and relieved smiles were thrown his way. Kudos!

Lessons Learned
Though we may not have had direct encounters today with marine debris, the lessons drawn from today’s main events – catching a fish, and dealing with boat repairs, can be applied metaphorically to larger issues.

The Mahi Mahi was a reminder that we depend entirely on the natural world for our food, our sustenance, and our survival. The ocean appears limitless, yet as we will see in a few days, our human impact travels far and wide;
And the boat repairs reminded us that everything requires maintenance - our bodies, our vehicles, and most importantly, our ecosystems. (Question for students: what is the second law of thermodynamics? How might we apply this to the statement above?). If we want to continue coexisting on this planet, we need to begin treating it with the care we often reserve for prized personal possessions.
Tomorrow, we'll provide some more background on what we plan to study in the gyre. In the meantime:
Aloha from the Captain and the Crew of ORV Alguita.

School Introductions

Here is a map of all of the schools currently participating in the Ship-2-Shore Education Program. Sign your school up in the comments section below and you will be added to the map!


Welcome aboard to all the schools participating in this exciting research voyage!!! Please introduce yourselves in the comments section below.

First Day at Sea!!!!

And were off!

We left Hilo last night, January 20, at dusk, just a few hours shy of nightfall. A full moon cast a bright, silver sheen over the gently rolling swells, making the first night watch a stunningly beautiful spectacle.

Our first planned sampling spot lay just off the southernmost point in the United States; Kamilo Beach. Kamilo beach is also the most polluted beach in the United States, a considerably less glamorous yet no less interesting selling point for this crew. Just a few days before our departure, we’d braved the 2-hour, treacherous drive out to Kamilo to see for ourselves.

What we saw there must be seen to be believed. A picturesque, volcanic coastline, far from any visible development, clear blue waters and spectacular beaches – entirely covered in plastic debris.

Can you find it on the map using the coordinates on the GPS in the picture?

It is precisely spots like this that exemplify the need for a better understanding of how far reaching the marine debris issue really is. And a powerful visual reminder as to why were embarking on this month long journey…..

Somewhere around midnight, we witnessed an active lava flow erupting from the slopes of Mauna Loa, rousted from our rocky slumber by the Captain. The view was well worth the wakeup call – a fiery red glow emanating from the coastline.

By sunrise, the wind was blowing 35 knots, too powerful to begin sampling, so we continued on, taking a highly productive detour to try our luck at scouting out some sashimi. As the photo here suggests, mission accomplished: Jeff with the first of 6 small Ahi, known as Shibi, filleted in less than 5 minutes. And consumed tonight for dinner.

Satisfied with our haul, we began fishing for plastic. We out set the Manta Trawl to collect samples off the leeward side of the Island, an area one would expect to find little in the way of plastic debris due to the wind currents. We found however clear evidence of small plastic particles, along with a host of fish eggs and Copepods. There is truly no “pristine." Here is a link to an Ocean Conservancy slide show addressing this issue http://www.shiftingbaselines.org/slideshow/index.html

Later in the afternoon, we prepped for our first dive, a chance to test out our equipment and refresh our scuba skills during calm seas. The area was relatively barren of life, save for countless Jellies and Salps of various shapes and sizes. Joel, Jeff, and Marcus practiced working the underwater video equipment, Anna had a much needed “brush up” dive, and Charles spotted the most interesting creature of us all, a large ctenophore.

We’re now on track again, westward bound. In about 4 days, we should reach one of our main study areas, an area yet to be sampled for plastic debris. Though just one day into our journey, the reality of finding trash in such remote areas of the ocean underscores the message: There simply is no “away” in a throwaway culture.

Aloha from the Captain and Crew of ORV Alguita.

Meet the crew

The crew, less than 24 hours before final departure.

After several days – and for some of the crew weeks – of prepping, boat tweaking, shopping, and stashing unbelievable amounts of supplies, we're finally ready for takeoff.

From left to right: Marcus Eriksen, Nicole Chatterson, Joel Paschal, Anna Cummins, Charles Moore, Jeff Earnst, and Herb Machleder.

The smiling faces here reflect the fact that a) no one has lost their breakfast - yet, b) we haven't yet spent days upon weeks coexisting in a small space, and c) land is still within easy access.....

A word about the crew, all marine debris and/or sailing enthusiasts:

Marcus Eriksen, Algalita's Director of Research and Education, has been deeply involved in plastic marine debris issues since rafting down the length of the Mississippi River on a boat made from recycled plastic bottles. Marcus has given presentations about marine debris issues to schools and communities all over the country, and will continue his public education upon his return, with samples and data "hot off the gyre".

Nicole Chatterson - Algalita's operations assistant, and key support for this ORV Alguita voyage. Though she won't be on board (this time), Nicole's help with preparations has been instrumental. Nicole is finishing up her environmental studies in Long Beach, and plans to continue working for marine conservation in the future.

Joel Paschal - resident filmmaker and self proclaimed “freelance errand boy”. Joel previously worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he spent 4 months at sea studying marine debris. He “just couldn’t get enough of trash”, and volunteered to document the expedition, with a focus on capturing underwater footage.

Anna Cummins - Algalita's Education Advisor and lone female on board. While working for a marine conservation organization in 2004, Anna met Charles Moore and joined joined Algalita on a research trip to Guadalupe Island. She was forever changed by this opportunity to learn first hand about the far reaching, ecological impacts of disposable plastics.

Captain Charles Moore - Algalita's founder and world-renowned marine debris expert, has been studying the North Pacific Gyre for over 10 years. His determination was sparked by an accidental discovery of plastic quantities in the gyre in 1997. Charles anticipates finding evidence on this journey of plastic debris more alarming than anything yet seen.

Jeff Ernst - recently joined Algalita to assist with marine debris research, and to provide his key sailing skills, tireless energy, and marine debris know how. Jeff recently received his degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Hilo, Hawaii, where he took Charles' marine debris seminar, and crewed aboard ORV Alguita on numerous local trips.

Herb Machleder, our resident doctor, is a long time sailing veteran and Master Organic Gardener. Herb was a vascular surgeon at UCLA for many years, has sailed boats from Los Angeles to Northern Canada to Alaska to Baja, and brings key maritime-medical experience to this journey.

And last but far from least, Holly Gray, our key vessel and blog support. Holly doesn't appear in this photo, as she's busy running the education outreach programs while the rest of us traipse about. Holly ran both blogs on the last journey, and has done an incredible job getting schools "on board".

Anyone interested in having their schools involved in the journey should visit the Ship to Shore blog, where classes can both track Alguita's progress, and submit questions directly to the crew, which we will answer to the best of our abilities.

Posted by Anna

ORV Alguita preparing for sail off

On January 22nd, the ORV Alguita will set sail from Hilo, Hawaii for the North Pacific Gyre, on a month long research expedition to study marine debris concentrations. This will be Algalita's 8th Pacific crossing since founder Captain Charles Moore began studying the Gyre in 1999.

This next voyage will cover new territory, and may possibly yield new findings....

A primary focus will be to follow up on the results of a recent paper by Bill Pichel, Dave Foley, and Tim Veenstra - all three of whom have provided valuable information and resources for previous Algalita expeditions.



The paper, Marine Debris Collects Within the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone, debuts the DELI concept - the Debris Estimated Likelihood Index - which purports to predict where large debris accumulations occur, with a special focus on ghost nets.

During the winter months, currents tend to accumulate debris, which reaches its maximum concentration in the spring, before summer current patterns disperse it again.

The reported areas of high debris concentrations have thus far been studied only from air, in March and April. Algalita's coming voyage will venture further west than ever before, investigating possible concentrations North of Hawaii, and just East of the International Date Line.

It may be that the areas of the North Pacific Gyre with the highest concentrations of marine debris have yet to be seen or studied.

Additionally, this expedition will study deeper regions, venturing into the "mixed layer" to see how much plastic is found near the limit where light penetrates and photosynthesis takes place. Below this area, down around 500 meters, carbon (and possibly plastic particles) mixed into the ocean exists in what "oceanographers call the 100-year horizon . . . beyond which the water will not come into contact with the surface for a century. That duration is the international standard for commercial carbon-storage projects." (Science 30 Nov, 2007, p.1370)

By studying this region, Algalita will begin investigating the possibility of buoyant plastic particles' ability to affect atmospheric carbon sequestration, an issue of global significance.

To follow ORV Alguita's progress, check back here - images and updates will be posted on this blog over the next month.