Jon T. Howard - North Atlantic Gyre Exploration Expedition Blog #2

Today is a cold crisp day in LA after a badly needed rain last night. I am working on my list of things I am hoping to get from some sponsors and will start reaching out to them later today to assist me on my exploration expedition to the North Atlantic Gyre. I just spoke with Anna Cummins from Algalita Marine Reasearch Foundation about some logistics and she said Keen may be willing to give us some footwear as part of their sponsorship deal. That would be great because they have amazing stuff and I really need some proper shoes for the voyage. There is so much to do over the coarse of the next 3 and a half weeks especially with the Christmas holiday season thrown in. Besides all of todays planning, I am hoping to get down to the LA River sewer wash where it drains into the ocean today to shoot some video of the plastic build up after the first major rains of the season here in LA.

Planning and making arrangements

This is the first in a series of blogs that I will be doing leading up to and during my trip with Dr. Marcus Eriken and Anna Cummins of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation to explore the North Atlantic Gyre. I feel honored to be asked and I am very grateful that EcoUsable Inc. has given me this great opportunity to go on a once in a lifetime journey. Algalita is one of the worlds foremost researchers of the North Pacific Gyre and now are on a quest to research the 4 other gyres known in the world. So into the great unknown we go.... I will be joining a crew of 14 that includes researchers from AMRF and Pangaea aboard the Sea Dragon, Pangaea's 72 foot research vessel as we set sail from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to Bermuda on an 11 day voyage of exploration. We will be examining the role plastic pollution plays in transporting Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the marine environment. I have so much to do and thankfully I recently updated my passport. I have a list of essential things I need and I am looking for clothing & equipment sponsors to join me on the trip. I will post a list of necessities in the next few days....