Sunday, January 23, 2011

Rubber ducky, you're my friend!

Hi Sea Fans!

I've been writing up fun worksheets about ocean currents and you won't believe what I found! 

On the 10th of January 1992, a cargo ship travelling from China to America hit rough seas and lost 20 of its containers. One of those cargo containers had packages of rubber [plastic] ducks and other toys in it.  This container got a hole in it when falling off the ship and 29,000 rubber bath toys dropped into the ocean to begin a journey which, for some, is still ongoing.

Photo: gaetanlee

Over 15 years, these toys travelled the ocean currents, washing up on beaches across Alaska and the west coast of the United States.  By 2007, the toys began appearing on beaches in New England. Little did the toy manufacturer know in 1992 that their product would become part of one of the most simplistic, but data-rich ocean current experiments to date. (From a Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Newsletter)

Isn't it amazing how something can travel countless miles around the globe just using the oceans currents!


Try something fun - print this map and then take a toy and follow one arrow to another to another to another ...etc and see how many countries you could visit if you were to float along in the ocean currents of the world.  Some of those rubber ducks travelled a long way!

Have a great week Sea Fans!
Cheers
Abby
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