5.21.2009

Great Pacific Garbage Patch - North Pacific Ocean Gyre

Imagine this: 6:30 p.m. west coast time; lots of fog. Highway 101 between Crescent City and Klameth. A man and woman in a fuel efficient car, do a quick U-turn into the parking lot of a local youth hostel that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Right behind them another man and woman pull into the parking lot but on bikes. The first couple was headed north and the second couple was headed south.

They both inquire about room availability at the hostel. Unfortunately no male beds are available. As the two couples walk back down the path to the parking lot, the two women begin to chat.

"Where are you from?"
"LA," she says, "And you?"
"North Carolina."

"How long have you been riding your bike?"
"One month," she says. "We are riding from Canada to Mexico conducting talks about the pollution in the North Pacific Ocean Gyre."

"Really? I’ve heard about that. A bunch of plastic trash is swirling around in the ocean where the currents meet and it looks like an island because there is so much of it."

"That’s right. We are with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation," she says. "Last year we sailed a Junk Raft made up of 15,000 plastic bottles from Los Angeles to Hawaii to bring attention to the matter."

After that quick conversation and receiving some information about the ride, the two ladies parted ways.

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