2011 South Pacific Gyre Expedition
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Chile to Easter Island
April 15 - May 6, 2011 (approximate dates)
Easter Island to Tahiti
May 15 - June 5, 2011 (approximate dates)
“What about the other gyres?"
"What about the other gyres?" is a common question asked when discussing plastic marine debris. There are five subtropical gyres in the world. We have recent data from only one: the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Seeking to answer further questions about plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, Algalita Marine Research Foundation has traveled across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre on multiple expeditions in a decade of research.
Pangaea Exploration's Sea Dragon.
The South Pacific Gyre Expedition will be the last in a series of voyages conducting research in all five of the the world's major subtropical gyres. The 5 Gyres project is a partnership between Algalita in association with Pangaea Exploration. Algalita is the research arm of the project. All of the samples that are collected will be analyzed by Algalita and the data and research will be published under our name.
The objectives of their South Pacific Gyre research are:
- Marine debris surface sampling
- Fish ingestion studies
- Process all data and prepare manuscript for publication
The South Pacific Gyre expedition will depart from Chile and sail to Easter Island, creating a transect through the South Pacific Gyre, then onward toward Tahiti. The departure date is scheduled for April 15, 2011 and each leg will take approximately three weeks.
Ready for an adventure?
Opportunities to join this expedition as crew on Pangaea Exploration's Sea Dragon may still be available.
Contact the Algalita office for more information.
More about Algalita and 5 Gyres >>
