Ahh, welcome to my first blog post! Currently, I am learning about the Vortex Swim with my AP Biology teammates. What is the Vortex Swim exactly? The Vortex Swim is Ben Lecomte’s journey through the Plastic Vortex, located between the states of Hawaii and California (300 nautical miles). The purpose of the swim is to raise awareness of the amount of plastic found in this highly polluted area. This area in the ocean is known as the ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ due to its high concentration of plastic debris. I want to you to be as curious as my teammates and I on Lecomte’s journey on saving the world.
This swim has brought to my attention the severity of plastic pollution in our Earth. Our world is a precious place that we should take care of. We should take care of all organisms on the planet because biodiversity is important to the functions of all ecosystems. Each species has an important role that cannot be replaced by another when they are extinct. Learning about how the plastic we use in our everyday lives have accumulated into tonnes of plastic in the ocean has made me recognize how much humans are abusing other ecosystems that are vital. I want to be part of Lecomte’s journey on spreading awareness of this issue. Below, I attached a video that had truly moved me to understand the effects of plastic pollution on our ecosystems, especially our aquatic ecosystems.
After learning about the Vortex Swim, I have been interested in learning about how the vortex pulls the plastic in a specific location. In the video “The Vortex Swim – Ben Lecomte“, Lecomte stated that “Ocean currents… have pooled [plastic] together into a sort of ‘soup’ of rubbish.” I am curious as to how these currents are able to pull all these amounts of plastic into The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I am also curious about the aquatic life there and how much they have been impacted by the accumulating plastic. I hope the Vortex Swim has sparked your curiosity as much as it has mine.
My curious questions are:
- How do the currents in the Plastic Vortex pull the plastic in one specific area?
- How does plastic break down in the ocean and what organisms are responsible for breaking plastic down?
- How is biodiversity and aquatic life impacted by the accumulating plastic in The Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
- What equipment did Lecomte and his crew use to collect data?
Do you think Ben Lecomte will do another challenge soon?
Check out Ben Lecomte’s #TheVortexSwim challenge on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thevortexswim/?igshid=a8ixwl7dsly6
Learn more about the Vortex Swim: https://benlecomte.com
Citations:
Icebreaker, director. The Vortex Swim – Ben Lecomte | EN. YouTube, YouTube, 14 July 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzLFuhEyI0c.
The Leatherback Trust, director. Removing a Plastic Straw from a Sea Turtle’s Nostril – Short Version. YouTube, YouTube, 12 Aug. 2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2J2qdOrW44.
Arabella Krystienne's AP Biology Blog 
Hi Arabella. I really enjoyed your blog post on the Vortex Swim, as it gave me further insight into why the cause of plastic in our ecosystems is so important. As you have so eloquently stated, the large buildup of plastic in the ocean poses a threat to the health of the organisms living there. Without the health of these organisms ecosystems are robbed of very crucial roles carried out by them. With that being said I would like to make me own addition to your curious driving questions: what is our next step as earthly citizens if or when these organisms do go extinct?
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