How about a 20-day Pacific Garbage Cruise?

Algalita Marine Research Foundation has partnered with Pangaea Explorations to offer an opportunity to become part of a scientific study expedition. Voyaging from Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia, on board the 72 foot vessel, Sea Dragon, you will participate in studies being conducted on the impact of plastic waste accumulating in our oceans. Not only will you be contributing to science, you will have an "up close and personal" experience with the devastation being cast upon our ocean environment. What better educational tool to bring back with you than having seen it for yourself?

Research Objectives:

* Vertical Distribution of Microplastic - A series of stacked trawls will descend 5 meters below the surface to investigate the affect of sea state on the vertical mixing of microplastic particles.
* POPs on Plastic - Samples of plastic pollution will be collected in order to analyze them for the absorption of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
* Spatial Distribution of Plastic Pollution in the North Pacific Gyre - We intend to collect 50+ sea surface samples from the North Pacific Gyre to better understand the type and abundance of microplastic particles along a transect from Hawaii to Vancouver, BC.