THE PLASTIKI TO CALL IN AT MOOLOOLABA ENROUTE TO SYDNEY

THE PLASTIKI HAS SAFELY MADE AUSTRALIAN WATERS AFTER HER HISTORIC 7,500 NAUTICAL MILE VOYAGE TO BEAT WASTE.

Contrary to inaccurate media reports the Plastiki is not being rescued and has at no point during her entire 7500 nautical miles at sea ever been in any form of distress. As such the crew is still on schedule to reach their final destination of Sydney by the end of July after a successful expedition.

The Plastiki’s original plan was to sail into Coffs Harbour and rendezvous with a pre-arranged charter escort vessel. Due to the unpredictable nature of the Plastiki’s sailing capabilities and the prevailing weather conditions, the crew determined that it would be wise to seek an escort vessel sooner than later so as to avoid being sent any further north of their intended staging destination of Coffs Harbor.

After reviewing multiple options to find a suitable escort the Plastiki crew took the advice of the Queensland Water Police and identified the AVCG as a suitable escort vessel.

The 13 metre AVCG vessel, ‘The Mooloolaba Rescue’ rendezvoused with the Plastiki on Sunday afternoon and is now enroute to Mooloolaba. The Plastiki team has always viewed this as a straight forward charter situation, as has been previously required on all of the Plastiki’s calls into port. The Plastiki will be paying all costs incurred and in addition, will be making a donation to the AVCG not only in recognition of the good work that the AVCG provides along the Australian coast but in recognition of the AVCG’s generous support of the Plastiki expedition.

“We are thrilled by all the support that we’ve received from the local authorities as we were finding it hard to track down a suitable vessel to help us reach our pre-planned destination of Coffs Harbour. This has never been a rescue mission. Since successfully sailing into Australian waters on Saturday 17th July the crew has been in high spirits and is looking forward sharing its adventure and message of beating waste with the Australian public. To date we have made a number of routine and unplanned stops during the voyage and this tow and stop will be no different to those previously. Any exciting ocean adventure is always going to have to deal with many unknowns. I am confident that we should still be on course to arrive in Sydney for next weekend’s arrival celebrations,” David de Rothschild, expedition leader said.

“We are grateful to the AVCG and its capable volunteers for providing assistance. It has always been the intention of the crew to seek an escort vessel once it neared the Australian Coast and given the forecasted weather conditions we felt it prudent to seek a tow at this time to help ensure a timely arrival,” David de Rothschild continued.

The Plastiki and her crew will be moored up in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, Australian National Maritime Museum from next weekend.