Save the Oceans!

When we sailed across the Atlantic, we were astonished by the shear volume of floating plastics that are out there. We saw buoys that broke from their anchors, shoes, coolers, all sorts of things floating out there with us. We grabbed the pieces of plastic that were close to the boat, but some were too big for us to bring on board or even manage!

Our YouTube channel just hit 10,000 subscribers and we wanted to celebrate in a way that would make a difference! We have searched through different organizations that actually go out to sea and clean up the plastic that is out there. These organizations have the equipment needed to harvest and process the pieces of plastic that are floating out there and polluting our world.

We found one in particular that really strikes us as having the same goals and ideals as us, and we decided that we would create a fundraiser for them.

http://give.surfrider.org/riggingdoctor

The plan is simple: If each subscriber donates $1, we would be able to raise $10,000 for the organization. Why stop there? Why limit this just to subscribers? Everyone should be able to help out with this cause and pitch in to help clean up the oceans that we rely on to make Earth a habitable blue ball out in space!

Micro plastic

Maddie took this photo of a Portuguese Man-O-War while we were crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This photo was taken at approximately 35 degrees North and 35 degrees West, so pretty much in the middle of the ocean!

We were having a series of becalmed days and the surface of the ocean became smooth as glass. On the surface of the water, we noticed this fine dusting that extended all the way out to the horizon. While this photo is of the Man-O-War, the dusting surrounding it is very evident. 

Sadly, this dusting is not volcanic ash, pollen, or Saharan desert dust, instead it is tiny pieces of plastic that have been broken down into microscopic pieces. Large pieces of plastic that wash out to sea will break down into tiny pieces as the sun beats down on them. A small water bottle can pulverize into enough micro plastic components to cover miles of ocean surface. 

When I lived aboard in Baltimore, Maryland i the Inner Harbor, it would pain me to see plastic trash that was flushed into the harbor from the city. I used to collect the pieces of plastic that were in reach from the pier, but for every piece of plastic I would collect, more than a dozen would wash out into the Chesapeake Bay. 

The bay then drains out into the Atlantic Ocean where the plastic trash gets picked up the ocean currents and swept way out into the ocean. Over the years, the plastic trash will brake down and eventually turn into this micro plastic dust that covers the ocean.  

Sadly, as of yet, there is no clear way to remove all the plastic debris that is floating in the worlds oceans, but hopefully someone far more intelligent than I can become inspired to inventing a solution that will help reverse the terrible things humanity has done to the worlds oceans. 

In the meantime, we can all help to reduce how much plastic makes it out into the ocean. Something as small as not using a plastic bag from the grocery store or drinking out of the cup instead of using a plastic straw. It may seem like a small contribution, but that tiny plastic device that you were about to use once and for a few minutes is the equivalent of miles of ocean surface that is covered with plastic.