Algalita’s message traveling around the world. Day 18 – Travel day.

Our noon position: Latitude: 36 50.456 N, Longitude: 153 46.324 W

“…we need to usher in the age of reuse, and say goodbye to the age of extraction. There’s a new age dawning, and it’s the age of reuse.”-Captain Charles Moore, from the depths of the Gyre

We’ve now been at sea for almost 3 weeks - 2357 miles into our journey, 1716 miles to go. This will be by the ORV Alguita’s longest voyage without touching land, by 1000 miles… And though were completely cut off from the outside world, in a surreal, seafaring time warp, we learned today that interest in http://www.algalita.org has been pouring in from all over the world.

A recent article, http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-worlds-rubbish-dump-a-garbage-tip-that-stretches-from-hawaii-to-japan-778016.html , in the London Independent has sparked a surge of international interest in plastic pollution, prompting phone calls and emails to our office from the following countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, New Zealand, England, Canada, Australia, Northern Ireland, Chile, Sweden, South America, Spanish newswire, and on the home front, Oregon and Colorado. Many of these calls were requests for interviews with Charlie or Marcus. Both of whom will be very, very busy when we anchor in Long Beach. Clearly, the International community is primed and ready to hear Algalita’s message. The importance now of translating this interest into meaningful action, sound policy, and continued research and education is at an all time high…

Back to the here and now: Today was a straight travel day – no trawling, no standing outside on debris watch – gray skies and frothing seas kept the crew inside, reading, napping, and dealing with the challenges of preparing meals while trying to stay balanced. Let’s just say there is lots of spilling going on… We expect more of the same tomorrow, so check back for more reflections about the scope of the problem, and our responses to people's questions of how we're going to clean up this plastic mess out here.

Aloha and gracias from the Captain and crew of the ORV Alguita!