Sarah Artis here – a high school friend of Oceangybe champion Hugh Patterson. My boyfriend Brett and I have had the pleasure of hosting Hugh and Bryson in our home in Thornhill, just outside of Terrace, BC, for the last couple days.

I’m uber impressed with the mission these guys are, and have been on, during the last few years. Sailing around the world; surfing and exploring; and spreading an environmental message about the dangers of plastics to boot. Wow!  Who wouldn’t want these guys as their friends?

Sooooo…this morning I got up somewhat early with my perfect seven-week old baby girl – I’m pretty sure the cutest ever – and drove to Uplands Elementary School with the guys. There they presented to a packed gym of students and teachers. This is the first time I’d seen the video about their trip and heard just how much plastic they’d found on their journey. It was a little overwhelming in a couple different ways. First, these guys inspired me and I’m sure a few of the kiddies and
other adults in the room to follow our dreams and focus on the positive. Second, no land or body of water is untouched by plastic waste – and many are covered with an unfathomable amount. On one remote island, within a ten metre area, the Oceangybe travellers found 339 sandals and 246 water bottles. That stat made me a bit sick.

So reduce, reuse, and recycle folks. In that order, please.

Now after a fabby dinner of salmon caught right here in the Skeena river, we are about to cozy down and watch a video.

Keep on truckin’ boys, or red vannin’ should I say. You are doing good work!

Bryson and Hugh with some Uplands Elementary School students.

Tons of the Uplands students had great questions.