The ocean reality

Its currents, its plight

The ocean is large and resilient, but it is not too big to fail. What we are taking out of the sea, what we are putting into the sea are actions that are undermining the most important thing the ocean delivers to humankind – our very existence. ~ Dr. Sylvia Earle

Our world’s oceans are inundated and overwhelmed by human trash and plastics every second. Data from long term studies puts the amount at about 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year.

Map of the canals from Lake Okeechobee through Palm Beach County to the Atlantic Ocean.

Photo A

Shows our inland Army Corps of Engineers manmade canals. These canals bring trash and plastics from the inland communities to inundate our Intracostal and a percentage drifts out to our Atlantic Ocean.

Map labeled The Loop Current, with arrows through the Gulf of Mexico and along Florida.

Photo B

Shows the Loop Current which includes the Gulfstream which carries the trash to our shores from as far east as West Africa after it leaves the main Atlantic Gyre.

Map of the Gulf Stream and the currents of the western North Atlantic.

Photo C

Shows the currents in our local Atlantic Ocean.

World map marking the five ocean gyres and the garbage gathered in them.

Photo D

Shows our planet’s 5 ocean gyres and their respective garbage patch.

Diane Buhler and Amanda Waite with a yellow octopus drift card, and a map of where that card was found up the coast.

Photo E

Shows our founder and Amanda Waite of the Angari Foundation deploying drift cards from the C-51 canal in West Palm Beach and this octopus decorated card was found in Sebastian! 112 miles to the north! So, this card traveled through the Lake Worth lagoon, out the Port of Palm Beach inlet and up the Gulfstream to land 112 miles to the north!!!

Also in this section: Sea turtle facts and the beach reality.