“There’s a garbage patch out in the ocean that’s twice the size of Texas!!” Well, not really, that’s a bit of a myth perpetuated by popular media. BUT there really is a big problem with marine debris that affects beaches, the ocean, and marine life. Here’s a link to a great blog about the myths and truths of marine debris, based on research by Dr. Angel White of Oregon State University: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/01/10/207318/dr-angel-white-it%E2%80%99s-mid-course-correction-time-for-the-plastics-in-the-ocean-issue/.
Marine debris has become a source of great concern; it isn’t just unsightly on the beach, it causes injury and death to many marine organisms (see photo below of the remains of an albatross with marine debris in its stomach). Beyond that, however, marine debris has become a fascination, a source of art, a science, and a purveyor of myths. One of the most common myths is that the Eastern Pacific gyre is actually a “garbage patch” twice the size of Texas! In fact, there are several areas with a high concentration of debris, but they are not the size of Texas. Most of the pieces of debris are small and partially submerged. Dr. White and NOAA’s Carey Morishige both state that the Eastern Pacific Gyre, while “capturing” plastic debris, is more like a dilute soup of small pieces of plastic than “a skim of fat that accumulates (or sits) on the surface” (Morishige). This may be even creepier than a garbage patch, for how can we clean up a dilute soup of tiny pieces of plastic? A Unit of Texas really doesn’t work for measuring the amount of plastic in the ocean. On the other hand, this myth has captured the interest of many people and organizations, so if it has convinced us to clean up our act, maybe it isn’t such a bad myth.
While the damage done by marine debris is quite depressing, many agencies, organizations, and individuals are taking positive action. Children have started campaigns to pick up debris and artists educate us through debris sculptures (see http://www.washedashore.org/). Maybe each person who logs this cache can CITO a few pieces of debris each time you are at the beach and go visit the Washed Ashore Project in Bandon!
In honor of reducing plastic marine debris, please do not leave small plastic swag in the cache container. I’ll try to keep the container stocked with the more natural swag items. Enjoy, and again, please be careful, especially with small children!
You are looking for the Seal Point Trail, which is often hidden by vegetation from the highway. It is a short (0.2 mi) trail to a bluff. If you park at the listed parking waypoint and cross the highway to the west side, you will find the trail right next to a residential fence. Northbound travelers should park at the listed parking waypoint and cross the highway (carefully!!). Southbound travelers can park: at about 1/10th of a mile to the north; right at the trail, but to the south of the driveway; or a little further to the south there is a larger pullout.