Blog 4: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The wind continues to howl with headwind gusts up to 27 knots making it difficult to sail in the direction we need to go. So we tack getting nowhere fast.
Everyone knows when we "come-about" everything moans in unison with movement, including a few stomachs. Clanging like a really bad marching band as our world shifts to a new found position. We are healing (leaning) starboard side and I'm almost standing while sitting using my feet to brace myself. Walking is likened to the uneven room in Ripley's Believe It or Not Fun House. To walk toward the port side of the ship is like climbing Mount Everest-- step and reach for something to grab onto-- step and reach. It's a total body workout.
My jumping rope challenge is exactly that!! I had to improvise to a swinging rope that I jump over while holding on for dear life. As Anna Cummins assured me, "Your sponsors will understand. They wouldn't want you to risk your life." There are three locations large enough for me to jump without interruption. One is at the bow (bad idea!!) in front of the steering column at the stern and if we aren't healing, I can jump in a 2 foot space on the starboard (right) side. It's a challenge no doubt, but one I gladly take up in appreciation for the financial support that I have been given by those who support this cause. Better than a third of my goal has been brought in.
Regardless of the rough seas, we have done 12 trawls. Every trawl has collected plastic. (Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to share with you... in the mean time please visit www.5gyres.com). Yesterday, we also caught a mahi-mahi fashioning a bright blue, yellow and green dorsal fin with cobalt blue spots on its 29" metallic body.
We continue to eat well. Last night it was sushi with a shot glass of wine. We laughed as our "chef" donned a Rising Sun homemade bandana. Priceless.
We finished the night with me giving a talk about my Plastic Ocean Project and how it has transformed me from a wallflower to an advocate for a better planet.
More tomorrow.
This blog shares the research experiences and findings conducted at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW faculty and students) in conjunction with Plastic Ocean Project. Earlier posts share open-ocean sampling and adventures in the North and South Atlantic, the South Pacific and the North Pacific Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Outreach and education is the primary purposes to bring global awareness to an issue that has reached a crisis level in the marine environment.
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