14 DECEMBER 2015
SALTWATER PROJECTS
A Fishy Christmas JOY TO THE MARINE WORLD
LEARNING AT SEA BEST PLACE TO BE
OLD WAYS NEW WAYS DIGITAL STORYTELLING
JUST ME AND THE SEA SAILING FREE
SALTYTALES
And so sets the sun on another Pelican year… Wishing all our ocean friends much peace and plenty of time in the water this Christmas. To those who have sailed with us- thank you for your participation and those that support us from afar- thank you for keeping up with the Pelican’s exploits. Hope the New Year is a good one for you and for the health of the Ocean! We hope to sail with you in 2016.
Ocean is more ancient than the mountains, and freighted with the memories and the dreams of Time. H. P. Lovecraft
!1
14 DECEMBER 2015
SALTWATER PROJECTS
To quote the UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme:
‘Already ocean pH has decreased by about 30% and if we continue emitting CO2 at the same rate by 2100 ocean acidity will increase by about 150%, a rate that has not been experienced for at least 400,000 years. Such a monumental alteration in basic ocean chemistry is likely to have wide implications for ocean life, especially for those organisms that require
!2
14 DECEMBER 2015
SALTWATER PROJECTS
North and South Saltwater Projects began 2015 with the Two Bays project in Port Phillip and Western Port Bay. This year the EPA oceanographer Randall Lee helped us to set up a micro plastics trawl. The most interesting (and troubling) aspect of the trawl was the prevalence of microfibers found when the samples were analysed. These microfibers escape into the water system through washing clothes made of these synthetic materials (often the very clothes that encourage us to go adventuring). It was clear in early studies of this problem how big a contributor to ocean pollution these tiny fibres are. A single piece of synthetic clothing can release about 1,900 microfibers every time it is washed. It is known that these ingested fibres can accumulate in the body. Interestingly Randall Lee was involved in a study of micro plastics in the Tasman Sea this year and way out in the middle of the wild ocean, they found a similar quantity of micro fibres. Pelican1 had her annual spruce up on the slip in Bermagui to keep her in survey and in tip top condition. While in Bermagui, Pelican has been running whale watching tours which enable the vessel to connect with the local coastal community and give us some bread and butter between projects. Pelican was able to get up North to Cape York again this year for the Hope Vale/Pelican project that is now in it’s 11th year. It was great for us to work out of Cooktown from the new wharf that has just been completed. A far safer and manageable platform than the previous rust trap. This year we also worked for the first time with the Yuku Baja Rangers from Archer Point and sailed with women from Wujal Wujal out to their Sea Country at Hope Island.
!3