A Portal to the Pacific
Ocean Plastics Expedition
3,542 nautical miles on a 134 ft brigantine across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.
Honolulu, HI to San Diego, CA in 4 weeks.
The mission: gain an enhanced understanding of the geographic distribution and impact of microplastics on Earth’s oceans.
Our trusty main
Nighttime view of the doghouse from helm. Red lights help to illuminate the ship without interfering with night vision.
Styrofoam block that was dip netted. Temporary home to gooseneck barnacles, algae, bryozoans, and crabs. Documentation of “rafting taxa” was in support of Smithsonian research.
Gooseneck barnacle, watercolor on paper
2.5” x 4”
Flying fish/ Exocoetidae, watercolor on paper
8.25” x 9”
Velella velella, Oil on board
10” x 8”
Juvenile Mahi Mahi, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Bubblewrap snail/Janthina janthina, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Lanternfish/Myctophid, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Flying fish/Exocoetidae larva, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Mussel from Woods Hole, MA 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Flying fish, 2.5" x 4", Ink on paper
Blue button/ Porpita porpita, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
By the Wind Sailor/ Velella velella, 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Gooseneck barnacle with microplastic gut contents inspired by Goldstein & Goodwin 2013 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3807592/
By the Wind Sailor/ Velella velella (Overhead view), 2.5" x 4", Watercolor on paper
Neuston Tow Processing
The Neuston Tow consists of deploying a large net with a cod end to sample the ocean’s surface for microplastic, copepods, gelatinous critters, and more. Splashdown is every morning and midnight for 30 minutes at 2nm/hour. Manual processing takes most of the time in between.
“The Anatomy of A Neuston Tow”
Watercolor on paper, 2” x 2”
Front row seats to lookout
Lookouts are posted 24/7 in case of weather, traffic, and obstacles. Best view in the house and conducive for introspection and singsong, but never whistling. Shot on GoPro Hero 10
On Watch
Calculating true wind in the doghouse to refine weather estimates
Daytime view from helm
