Face masks protect against aerosolized toxins from algal blooms, study finds
Intense blooms of toxic algae are becoming common occurrences along the coast of Florida and elsewhere. Results from a new study found that wearing the face mask everyone has become accustomed to during the COVID-19 pandemic may help protect against these airborne toxins too.
WATCH: Solar boat completes emission-free voyage to Alaska
Father and son team David and Alex Borton have completed what they believe to be the first-ever solar-electric voyage from Bellingham, Washington, to Juneau, Alaska. The duo undertook the journey in their 27ft wooden hull solar-powered boat, Wayward Sun. The electric boat is powered 100 per cent by solar energy with no fossil-fuel combustion engine […]
Decimated by famine, Florida’s manatees face an uncertain future
2021 is already the deadliest year on record for Florida manatees. Scientists and activists are scrambling to avert further disaster On a bright morning in July, a crowd gathered on a boat ramp in St Augustine, Florida, awaiting the arrival of a young male manatee named Gerard. The marshy Matanzas River gently flowed around oyster […]
Interactions with killer whales, follow the safety protocol
Since 2020, a new phenomenon has been detected in the behaviour of killer whales. They now come into contact with boaters, interacting with sailboats in particular. What attitude should we adopt and how can we protect ourselves against these interactions? Explanations with Paula Mendez Fernandez, engineer at the Pelagis Observatory.
MDL taps into circular economy with recycling contract renewal
MDL Marinas has renewed its recycling and waste disposal contract with leading waste management specialist SUEZ recycling and recovery UK. Tapping into the circular economy, MDL says the new contract enables it to increase the amount and type of waste it can recycle, from food to ferrous metals, which will then be transformed into new […]
Japan celebrates Ocean Day
Ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Japan’s Ocean Day is being celebrated across the nation on July 22, 2021. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a steamship trip to the Tohoku Region of Japan (located in the northeast of the country) in 1876. It has been declared a national […]
‘I’ve seen 40 on one dive’: invasive lionfish threatens ecosystems in Med
A removal project aims to reduce numbers of the unwelcome arrival that has quickly become prevalent Non-native lionfish have become increasingly common in parts of the Mediterranean in recent years, threatening local ecosystems and posing a hazard to humans through their venomous spines. Marine biologist Prof Jason Hall-Spencer first saw a lionfish off the coast […]
Finsulate, boatfolk and five others partner to launch Cleaner marina
Seven sailing organisations, including boatfolk, Finsulate and the Ocean Cruising Club, have joined forces to champion marinas as guardians of cleaner waters, and have launched a free, online resource Cleaner marina. The founding partners boatfolk, savvy navvy, Ecoworks marine, Clean Sailors, the Ocean Cruising Club, The SeaCleaners and Finsulate have teamed up with the aim […]
Ibiza and Mallorca marinas employ eco water-cleaning robot
Marina Ibiza and Marina Port de Mallorca are the first ports in Spain to use Geneseas, a water-cleaning robot. The device travels over the water surface capturing pollutant waste while also continually analysing the water quality. According to the developer, its solar panels permit 100 per cent sustainable operation. It is controlled remotely using a […]
Fossil fuel free Antarctica voyage
A crew has completed a three-month, 4,000-mile voyage to Antarctica in a resorted 28ft steel hull sailboat using only sail and a Torqeedo all-electric auxiliary propulsion system, which was recharged by solar and wind energy underway. Manuel Pardi, who recently returned to his home port of Buenos Aires after the three-month voyage in his sailboat […]
