In January 1992, 28,800 plastic bath toys, including ducks, turtles, and frogs, were lost at sea when a storm toppled cargo from a ship near the International Date Line. This unexpected spill turned into a global experiment, tracking their movement across the world’s oceans.
Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer, studying ocean currents, tracked the toys’ incredible journey. The first Floatees washed ashore in Alaska ten months later. By 2007, some had traveled 27,000 kilometers, appearing on beaches in the U.S., Europe, and even frozen Arctic ice before thawing into the Atlantic.
The Floatees’ durability, lacking holes that let water in, made them perfect for studying currents. Ebbesmeyer’s team predicted their drift patterns using computer models. They even offered rewards for toy recoveries in regions like New England and Iceland to refine their findings.
Sun and seawater faded many toys to white, yet they continued their journey, revealing the intricacies of ocean flows. Though not all were verified as official Floatees, their impact on oceanographic studies remains unparalleled, offering valuable data decades after their accidental release.
In January 1992, 28,800 plastic bath toys, including ducks, turtles, and frogs, were lost at sea when a storm toppled cargo from a ship near the International Date Line. This unexpected spill turned into a global experiment, tracking their movement across the world’s oceans.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/m7FxP0Eo0a
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) January 7, 2025