Three keen Aussie kayakers recently completed a two and a half week journey from Victoria to Tasmania. In the treacherous waters of Bass Strait, the three women collected various types of plastic waste on behalf of The Hidden Sea and the ReSea Project!
Image: We Paddle / Facebook
The Three Women Kayaked In Deep, Treacherous Waters!
Are you a fan of kayaking? Whilst many of us love a leisurely afternoon kayak, the thought of kayaking over 320km in deep, treacherous water is not very pleasant. This is exactly what 3 Australian women set out to achieve in mid-February, and they emerged victorious in early March!
Anna Taylor, and twins Sorcha Flett and Morven Flett, spent six months preparing for the kayaking trip of a lifetime by learning from experts about the challenges associated with kayaking across Bass Strait.
Being passionate about the health of our oceans, the women decided to team up with The Hidden Sea to collect plastic waste along the way. This mission was a complete success — the 3 women arrived safely in Derby, Tasmania on March 8th.
Image: @patrizio___ / The Hidden Sea
The Kayakers Teamed Up With The Hidden Sea To Collect Plastic
The Hidden Sea is an Australian wine brand that is dedicated to saving the sea. The Hidden Sea works with the ReSea Project to remove and recycle ten plastic bottles from the ocean for every bottle of wine that is purchased!
“When we heard about The Hidden Sea and the amazing work they’re doing to clean up our oceans, we wanted to help in some way, so along the journey, we’ve been pulling out as much plastic as possible,” said Anna Taylor.
“For every bottle of wine they sell, $1 goes to the company to remove a kilogram of plastic from the ocean. Our role was to raise awareness and illustrate how plastic waste can end up anywhere in the world, even in pristine wilderness,” she said.
Image: Naja Bertolt Jensen / Unsplash
What Plastics Did The Kayakers Find In Bass Strait?
The three kayakers came across plenty of natural wonders on their journey. One thing they didn’t expect to find in this pristine wilderness, however, was an accumulation of plastic waste! “As avid kayakers with a deep love and respect for the ocean, it’s horrifying to see how far plastic waste has reached what should be pristine and untouched waters,” said Anna.
Anna noted the amount of fishing boat waste, like abandoned buoys and ropes. The 3 women were also quick to mention the amount of plastic bottles and plastic toothbrushes they found.
“And, microplastics,” said Anna. “Little teeny, tiny bits that are full of toxic stuff that float around the ocean. Accumulated, it’s a lot of plastic. If you didn't look, you wouldn't know it was there. It’s there — it gets there, and it sits there,” she said.
Image: We Paddle / Facebook
The Women Are Advocating For Better Choices Around Plastic Use
After seeing an unusual amount of plastic pollution in one of the world’s most pristine, untouched environments, the three women vowed to make individual changes in their own lives to minimise plastic waste.
Anna said that it’s all about the choices we make. “It’s not the plastic that’s evil! People make it, people buy it, people use it, and people discard it — it’s all about choices. Nowadays you can choose the biodegradable and compostable plastics, or none where possible. I’ll be making some changes there, that’s for sure,” se said.
“We can all do our bit, can’t we? We can all do better,” concluded Sorcha Flett.
We love that these extraordinary women not only kayaked unassisted across Bass Strait, but also managed to collect and analyse plastic waste to support the work of The Hidden Sea and ReSea Project!
For more incredible stories and environmental initiatives just like this, check out our Eco News category and the blogs below.
11 Million Oysters Are Cleaning Up New York’s Hudson River
Indonesian Activists Create Museum Made From Plastic Waste
New Ocean Cleanup Device makes It Possible To Clean The Great Pacific Garbage Patch!
