Alguita's Journey to the Center of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

ghost net in trash vortex photo
Photo via Drew Wheeler

The Pacific Garbage Patch is drawing in quite the rush of explorers and scientists, from David de Rothschild to Project Kaisei and the research team's efforts to explore clean-up options. It's also drawing in Algalita Marine Research Foundation's research vessel the Alguita. The crew is on a two-month mission to get to the center of the vortex, and they're already having some amazing, and sometimes worrisome, experiences. Thanks to updates from Drew Wheeler who is on board, we get to follow along.

Drew Wheeler, underwater videographer traveling aboard the vessel, is keeping everyone apprised of the going-ons of the voyage via his blog SCUBA Drew's Trash Voyage. His most recent post that appeared on Scientific American details some of the highlights so far.

It's amazing to read some of the random plastic items they're finding. But more interestingly, they're finding shallow water fish are starting to take to deeper waters within the flotsam.

The trip isn't all fun and games, though. For instance, ghost nets are posing a serious problem as they can get caught up in the ship's props. They've managed to avoid some, but not all. The crew had to take a nearly 2-hour time out to cut itself free from one such net.

Stop in at Wheeler's blog to check up on the progress of the research exploration, which hopes to not only document the vortex and what's in it, but also learn more about its impact on marine life.

Follow Jaymi on Twitter: @JaymiHeimbuch

More on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Following Algalita's "Junk" to the North Pacific Gyre
Charles Moore and Dirty Talk about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
First Great Pacific Garbage Patch Clean-Up Effort to Begin