A boat made from plastic bottles has completed a four-month voyage from San Francisco to Sydney Harbour. The vessel, known as the Plastiki, took the 9,000 mile journey in an attempt to raise awareness of the environmental dangers of plastic waste.
In total, 12,500 bottles make up the boat which is manned by a crew of six, and hundreds turned out in Sydney to witness its triumphant docking. Environmentalist and expedition leader David de Rothschild said the trip had been a great adventure. He added that it is important for the wold to kick its addition with throwaway plastic.
Before washing up in Australia, the Plastiki travelled via Western Samoa and New Caledonia after first launching from San Francisco in March. On its travels, the boat also sailed over the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – an area of waste five times the size of Britain, just below the surface of the sea between Hawaii and California.
The sails and mast of the boat are made out of recycled materials and the thousands of bottles are attached to the catamaran’s pontoons with organic glue.
Mr de Rothschild said a UN report about the dangers that plastic waste poses to the world’s oceans was the inspiration for his trip. Now back on dry land, the iconic ship will be displayed at the Maritime Museum in Sydney.
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