Where In The World Is Scott?

Project Kaisai

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:41:03 +0000

Project Kaisei is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco and Hong Kong, established to increase the understanding and the scale of marine debris, its impact on our ocean environment, and how we can introduce solutions for both prevention and clean

The main focus is on the North Pacific Gyre, which constitutes a large accumulation of debris in one of the largest and most remote ecosystems on the planet. To accomplish these objectives, Project Kaisei is serving as a catalyst to bring together public and private collaborators to design, test and implement break-throughs in science, prevention and remediation.

Kaisei means “Ocean Planet” in Japanese, and is the name of the iconic tall ship that was one of the two research vessels in the August expedition. The other was the New Horizon, a Scripps Oceanography vessel that was arranged via a new collaboration between Project Kaisei and Scripps to provide additional research on the impacts of debris in the gyre. Each vessel obtained a wide variety of samples from this part of the ocean which are now being analyzed. What was evident was the pervasiveness of small plastic debris that was found in every surface sample net that was used for regular sampling over 3,500 miles between the two vessels

Project Kaisei will launch its second Expedition to the North Pacific Gyre in August, where it will send multiple vessels to continue marine debris research, and in particular, to test an array of marine debris collection systems. Debris collected will be used to further study the feasibility of converting this to fuel or other useable material.

Project Kaisai

http://www.projectkaisei.org/

My friend Janine is one of the main organizers of this voyage. She is working along side a hand-picked crew to prepare the ship for this three-week venture. Here are a few shots of the ship in port in the San Francisco bay area. Project Kaisai plans on returning through San Diego for the start of the tall ships festival in September and then back to San Francisco.

This is their location as of August 18th.

This is where the shit is collecting.

This is what is looks like.

Yea, it really has ropes (lines).

Arg matey.

Japanese for go collect some shit in the ocean.

Janine next to the ship.

Neighbor boats at the dock.

Amazingly beautiful yacht.

Next door this 1940s tug boat being refurbished by a group of guys.

Control panel.

Another boat down the dock.

Hopefully they won’t have to use this.

Rope monkeys will be climbing these.

Returning from last year’s voyage.

Kaisai in port getting ready to leave.

Kansai in full sail.

San Francisco

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:38:39 +0000

Stopped off in San Francisco for a day on the way to the Kaisai. Here are a few points of interest.

City in the fog.

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Bay Bridge.

San Francisco Port.

City scape.

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Golden Gate Bridge.

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From a distance.

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Golden Gate Bridge.

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B&W version.

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China Town.

China Town gate.

More San Francisco

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:36:16 +0000

Here are some other crazy things I saw in San Francisco.

Practicing being held up by this guy on the bike.

Sculpture outside City Hall.

Down at the harbor.

Palace Hotel.

Great woman at great door.

Hotel Room

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:35:01 +0000

Looking out the window from the 35th floor room at the hotel.

Quite the view.

That’s the Giants playing the Dodgers in the back lighted area.

Don’t jump.

Cable Car Museum

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:34:03 +0000

Had to visit the Cable Car Museum. This is where all of the cable cars get their power throughout the city. This one power house spins the cables on the three cable lines. There is quite a hum in this building as miles of cables spin through at 9.5 miles per hour.

Powerful wheels spin the cables.

Another view.

Looking back.

Models of vintage cars.

Restored car.

One of the first cars.

Cable car truck assembly.

Alcatraz

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:31:08 +0000

Boated by Alcatraz on the way to Saulsalito. Quite the sinister place.

Great shot with the sun on the glass.

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Right across the water from the island.

China Town

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:27:41 +0000

Here are some of the crazy things I spotted in stores in China Town.

Jewel encrusted lobster.

Chinese guards.

Market decorations.

Clothes.

More clothes.

And then this.

San Francisco Transportation

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:27:04 +0000

There are a lot of cool transportation choices in San Francisco. I did them all.

Old school street cars.

Cable cars.

Turning around.

Another old school street car.

I’m going up that street on the cable car.

Shoot past.

Waiting.

This was very steep.

Disconcertingly steep down.

Lombard Street

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:22:11 +0000

Of course I had to do the tourist things like Lombard Street. So here it is.

From the top.

In the middle.

All the way up.

Chinese Second Line

Scott — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:21:37 +0000

Coming from New Orleans I thought I’d seen it all. But I was wrong. While walking through San Francisco, I stumbled upon a Chinese funeral procession with a second-line marching band. They weren’t playing “A Closer Walk With Thee” or “Amazing Grace” but it was culturally cool.

Getting ready to march.

Empty your spit valve.

Stopping traffic for blocks.