Author: Jeremy Neech

In 2021 we spotted a request for boats to contribute to a citizen science project conceived by Dr Howard Dryden, whose goal it was to measure and investigate the levels of plankton in our coastal and oceanic waters.  The data gathered was to provide evidence of how chemical pollution and widespread microplastic distribution in the sea are causing plankton volumes to decline. Phytoplankton (plants) and zooplankton (animals) are the building blocks of the marine food chain, and also absorb 60-90% of the worlds carbon dioxide, and produce at least 50% of the oxygen we breathe.  Their value to the planet’s health and mankind’s future is critical. We agreed with the GOES Foundation team that although we were not regularly able to trawl deep oceanic water our coastal data would be helpful, and we would undertake daily trawls using a special filter kit provided by GOES to collect samples while out sailing. Emily managed the end to end process on board, dropping the sampling kit overboard and then at the end of the day once the water had drained through leaving the sampled filter paper with its evidence, photographed the sample on board with a microscope attached to a laptop. The images and data were recorded online and then submitted for review. It’s been a new opportunity for Pilgrim to trawl for scientific research purposes, and contribute to a better understanding of the health of our marine world, and provide a topic of interest and discussion for the guests too. "on every trip, guests saw the sampling kit and asked me what it was and why it was onboard. I had loads of lovely conversations about citizen science and the idea of contribution.  It was very important to introduce the sampling into my day-to-day on Pilgrim. It made me feel like