Island of debris the size of TEXAS from 2011 Japanese tsunami is headed straight for the U.S.

The Daily Mail Online ^ | November 5, 2013 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Uncle Chip]

A floating island of debris the size of Texas has been crossing the vast Pacific Ocean to the western shores of the Americas since a devastating tsunami inundated Japan in 2011, says a new study.

Five million tons of wreckage - the remains of homes, boats, and other remnants of shattered lives in eastern Japan - were swallowed by the ocean that day in March, and more than one million tons of flotsam continues to head towards the west coast of the US.....

While the first documented debris from the tragedy has already been found in California, scientists fear these new findings mean there could be a lot more to come and it might arrive all at once.

Some of the more mobile items have been documented as washing up on the coast of California as early as 2011. In April, a 20ft boat ran aground at Crescent City, California. It was formally identified as a boat that belonged to the marine sciences program at Takata High School in the city of Rikuzentakata.

In all, 27 items from among more than 1,600 reports of debris have been firmly traced back to the tsunami, NOAA spokeswoman Keeley Belva said. The confirmed items include a small boat found in Hawaii waters, large docks that have washed ashore in Washington state and Oregon, and a motorcycle that washed ashore off the coast of British Columbia.

A soccer ball found on an Alaska island with a student's name on it was also traced to the city of Rikuzentakata. But distinguishing everyday trash from tsunami debris has proven difficult in most other cases......

[SampleMan]

How much plastic could have possibly existed in the small coastal strip effected (217 sq miles), much of which was agricultural. Now take that plastic and disperse it across an area the size of Texas (268,820 sq miles). The density is decreased by a factor of 1238. So, the plastic found in one house, assuming it all made it to the ocean and had no metal attached, would be distributed over an area 1238 times larger. That's not going to equate to looking out over a sea of plastic.

Note this population map of Japan and that very little of the effected shoreline is over 300 people per sq mile.

However, if it all comes ashore here, the density won't matter too much, as it comes back together. That said, there are 7863 miles of coastline on the U.S. West coast. If every bit of of the plastic comes ashore, and only in the U.S., sparing Canada and Mexico, we are looking at 1 sq mile of Japanese debris being spread across over 36 miles of shoreline.

Due to currents, some spots will accumulate a lot of trash, most won't.

[nascarnation]

You’re using logic and math.

Thinking elements largely unknown to MSM writers...

well done!

[Uncle Chip]

It’s an early warning moltorcycle.

We will know that the floating debris island has landed when a sea otter in Monterey is pulled over for speeding on that Suzuki.

[WePledge]

“I never knew motorcycles could float.”

That jumped out at me as well. I’ve put a few in the lake by accident and they never came up on their own.

[Sixpackplymouth]

I have been beach combing for 30 years.
Last year I found two sea encrusted Toshiba 100 watt light bulbs. One of them worked for about 45 minutes.
I think that makes it 29 of 1600 bits.

[The Truth Will Make You Free]

You are correct. That’s 3.73 tons per square mile, or .04 OUNCES per square yard, or 15 pounds per football field (120 x 53 yards).

[hal ogen]

Does that mean that we are all going to die tomorrow?????

[21twelve]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/26/harley-davidson-museum-opens-tsunami-motorcycle-exhibit/

Link has photo and article. Was in a container. HD traced it back to the owner and offered to restore it. Owner said to display it instead in its current condition as a memorial.

[21twelve]

“If every bit of of the plastic comes ashore”

I imagine most of the plastic will be eaten by beluga whales and other rare, endangered sea creatures.

[Bob]

One would expect that it could be seen on Google Earth (of course, that’s assuming it’s as bad as they’re making it out to be).

[Fast Moving Angel]

I hope millions and millions of tons of rubbish land smack dab into the pristine coastal waters of California, Oregon and Washington states. Would love to see tons of toxic sewage go into San Fransisco Bay. I loath the people in the left coast, spit.

I hope this isn't meant against ALL of us here on the left coast, particularly from the state who brought you Reagan and Nixon, among others. Not all of us are left-wing wackos deserving of your scorn -- it's just that the good ones are way outnumbered by the bad ones.

And as a side note, WHAT state has CONSISTENTLY topped the FReepathon donation list??? If it weren't for that spit-worthy state, you just might not have this forum to vent your rage.

[gundog]

I heard its’ name was Spalding.

[gundog]

Empty gas tank and well inflated tires.

[gundog]

There are hippies around Bandon, OR that have been making “art” out of flotsam and jetsam for some time. This will be a boon.

[GreenHornet]

Do we have time to manufacture a really, really, really big Hefty bag, and bring it down to the beach?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Uncle Chip.

Five million tons of wreckage... and more than one million tons of flotsam continues to head towards the west coast of the US... Some of the more mobile items have been documented as washing up on the coast of California as early as 2011... In all, 27 items from among more than 1,600 reports of debris have been firmly traced back to the tsunami

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[ROCKLOBSTER]

(motorcycles)...I’ve put a few in the lake by accident

Say What!

[LucyT]

[null and void]

A bad date?

[Myrddin]

The motorcycle was a Harley. It was inside a trailer. The trailer did the floating. It still had the license plate attached. Harley contacted the owner and got permission to put the recovered bike into the Harley museum.