We drifted quite a bit over the night and had we spent a good part of the morning sailing and motoring back to the way point. During that time I was standing on deck scouting the surface of the water for plastic. About every 15 minutes I spotted a new piece.
It was a day for the kayak again. It started with Yoav pacing me. Ty was in charge of Seeker. After about 5 hours Maria took over Yoav’s job and was paddling to lead me in the right direction. We were progressing north west as the Kuroshio had changed from its more eastern direction.
Maria was very determined to pick up every piece of plastic she saw in the water. Her enthusiasm was pretty remarkable, she even fell in the water while collecting one of her treasure pieces!
Ben
MILES SWAM: 427 NM
HOURS SWAM: 144 HRS
MILES TO GO: 4573
10 thoughts on “[DAY 37] Spotting plastic”-
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Congratulations on passing 400 NM!! High fives for the team on the kayak; and Maria.. I so appreciate your determination. I am with you…. I’d try to clear as much as possible also.
Several years ago I headed the recycling program at my kids’ elementary school. One aspect of the program was to educate the students and their parents about using reusable materials for packing their lunches and snacks. It warmed my heart every time a family made the change towards environmentally conscious choices.
There are no adequate words to express my deep appreciation for your efforts bringing the matter of plastic pollution to such a large platform.
Thank you Ben, thank you Team!! Blessed be your journey!!
I wonder whether you will be encountering the “Pacific Garbage Patch” at some stage on your swim, Ben. It seems horrible to have a patch of plastic rubbish drifting around endlessly on ocean currents in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I hope we are collectively waking up across the globe about the tremendously negative impact our current consumerist lifestyle is having on our planet. Projects such as yours must make us all wake up from being locked into our current mind-set.
Hi Nina,
Thanks for Sharing your thoughts!
Therefore are sind efforts in South Africa yet
https://zerowastehome.com/2017/11/21/zero-waste-south-africa/
Blessed bei your efforts in Africa!
Blessed bei your sein Ben and all the Guys with you.
Bye Brigitte
Vielen Dank, Brigitte. Na, dann gibt es doch so eine Initiative bei uns!
Thanks a lot, Brigitte. So we do have such initiatives in our country!
I will definitely see if I can buy less stuff packaged in plastic. I am locked into the “supermarket” shopping lifestyle to buy my supplies and I don’t like it!
Hi folks,
In my neighbouhood, I have a store without anything packed in plastic. The customer has to bring his own box to get the goods home. A good way for relaxed shopping see here. I visited it twice weekly
https://unverpackt-kiel.de
Zero waste is possible!
Reading your blog inceases my efforts.
Blessings to your adventure Ben & team
Brigitte
Hi Brigitte
Germany is very advanced in that way. I have lived there briefly and visited many times, because my family comes from there. Living in a developing country that has many Third World aspects (South Africa), I am saddened that we can’t seem to live in a more conscious and sustainable way here, like in Germany or the US for example. We are slowly becoming more environmentally conscious here, but sadly there is also just too much poverty here and when people are trapped in poverty, it becomes a luxury to think of other things other than basic survival. But we must never stop trying!
Fantastic idea!
Queue the Jaws music.. the scary day is almost upon us, I hope you and your team act fast!! Best of luck!
Seems like we are drowning in garbage.
Visited Tel Aviv this week and swam over 10 km (in multiple sessions) in very clean water without any garbage. The lifeguard informed me that the municipality increased the enforcement and fines on that, and the good results appeared very fast!
Sadly, in my last session yesterday I saw a dead sea turtlethat, about 1.5 meters long, floating about 250 meters from the beach. They feed on jellyfish and it may have swallowed a plastic bag by mistake, so sad!!
I strongly believe that your inspiring journey is saving these animals everyday, and hope that lawmakers and governments will set and enforce such laws that will save the Oceans.
Hi Nina,
Thanks for Sharing your thoughts!
Therefore are sind efforts in South Africa yet
https://zerowastehome.com/2017/11/21/zero-waste-south-africa/
Blessed bei your efforts in Africa!
Blessed bei your sein Ben and all the Guys with you.
Bye Brigitte