Cleaning the Ocean One Drop at a Time

Just like every oceanic basin across the planet, the Java and Banda seas of Indonesia are plagued by plastic debris both large and small. Determined to do their part to keep the plastic at bay, SeaTrek Sailing Adventures is using revolutionary onboard technology that clean micro-plastics from seawater.

The initiative is part of a joint venture with Indigo V Expeditions, an international nonprofit environmental organization and pioneers of citizen sailing oceanography.

“Plastics in our environment is probably the biggest catastrophe we will face this century,” says Indigo V outreach director and co-founder Rachelle Lauro.

“Think of every little piece of plastic as a vessel, carrying pathogens and toxins and depositing them into every life-sustaining crevasse of the planet. Plastics make their way up the food chain and ultimately end up on our dinner tables.”

Indigo V is equipping SeaTrek’s fleet of traditional Indonesia pinisi sailing craft with a proprietary, sustainably powered, auto-sampling device that filters microplastics from seawater. Guests onboard the boats will have an opportunity to collect the filtrate and witness first-hand the effect that plastic is having on the environment.

“This program gives us and our guests an important purpose,” says Frank Hyde, director of SeaTrek Sailing Adventures. “The ocean supports all of us, and it is a pleasure to be able to help protect its health. Working with innovative and determined-to-help people like Indigo V gives us and our guests a lot of hope for the future.

“We’re very proud to be a part of Indigo V Expeditions’ vision for a clean renewable future,” continues Hyde. “As a sailor myself, it’s tremendously exciting to see the merging of oceanography, sailing, technology, and citizen science that allows us to help make major breakthroughs in solving this tremendously important problem.”

SeaTrek is taking steps to position itself as a conservation-oriented company driven by marine-based tourism. Hyde is heading up the effort by utilizing his 20-plus years as an architect, wooden boat builder, cruising sailor, and wannabe marine biologist. This mix of interests is what brought SeaTrek and Indigo V together.

For more information on this new collaboration, contact Michael Travers at michael@seatrekbali.com.