Garbage?

June 4th @ 7:30am – As we’ve cruised along the ocean floor, I have been amazed at the variety of life… brittle stars, rockfish, sea pens, crabs, and innumerable invertebrates. I am in awe of each new thing we discover… except one.

Out on the approach to the abyssal plain on a dive a couple of days ago, was a garbage bag, complete with some kind of wrapper with the English words ‘enriched’ and ‘natural’. ROPOS was unable to pick up this piece of litter for fear of spreading it around further, but we did stop to consider if it was possible. It might’ve made the Guinness Book of World Records for the deepest trash collection. That bag and its contents will, unfortunately, still be there decades, and possibly centuries from now.

Amongst the beauty and calm of the deep seafloor is a potent reminder of the need for all of us to take better care for our oceans.

Blog post and photo by Scott Doehler 
Marine Educator