Norton Lowering Beach into Sea from S/V Kaisei
Norton Smith, our consulting engineer, has been inventing several different types of trawling prototypes that he built onboard. Today, Norton launched two capture devices in the North Pacific Gyre; one of these capturing devices is an example of biomimicry called, “Beach”. The beach prototype is a wooden inclined plane with sides that begin one foot below the water level and extend three inches above the water level. On the back end, there is a large net with a cod end. Water comes over the lip of the incline and has to pass out through the net. Norton sees the natural environment as a way we can use and understand natural processes to benefit, instead of manipulate, nature. In creating the Beach and other trawling devices, Norton considered the potential problem of harming oceanic biota in efforts to clean up marine debris. Nets, for example, collect plankton and other organisms as well as plastic and other debris. The intention is to build a device that will catch plastic while minimizing collection of biota. Furthermore, this passive device does not expend energy. The fist launch of The Beach was a success—catching a surprising amount of marine debris and few oceanic organisms.
Norton and "The Sweep"
Norton’s second device, “Sweep,” consists of two panels of non-porous tarp with floats attached on the top and weights on the bottom. One end is connected to a plankton net and the other end is attached to plywood doors holding the mouth of the net open. The whole apparatus is attached to a sea anchor (75 meters below the surface) to keep the Sweep relatively stationary. Again, Norton’s intention was to use inexpensive known technologies, such as those used in oil-containment booms, to collect marine debris in the plankton net. The Sweep received its name to reflect its purpose to sweep marine debris off the surface of the water.
Norton and "The Beach"
Norton became involved with environmental issues back when he started a recycling company with his brother, Neill Smith, in 1972 in Marin County, California. At the time, plastics were not recyclable but were a cause for concern because they do not biodegrade. Norton’s passion for preservation originates from his yearning to explore through adventure travel and preserving the environment through his entrepreneurial career. Recently, Norton has been working for a start-up company in Talent, Oregon called “Straw Jet.” They build prototypes of a machine that will make construction material out of straw. Since Norton has always been an innovative builder and inventor, Project Kaisei was an opportunity to combine his creativity with environmental issues.
Being a sailor most of his life, Norton has been exposed to the worsening of marine debris in our oceans over the last five decades. He will continue testing capture methods throughout the trip and plans to continue environmental advocacy the rest of the his life. He is very concerned about plastics in our oceans and, more generally, the health of the oceans, including the loss of the fish and productivity in the oceans. “It is not just plastics,” he states, “it is a combination of things, from over-fishing to pollution of estuaries.”
One of Project Kaisei’s goals is to show the contamination of the ocean to the world, so people can see the destruction of our natural world caused by our waste and our failure to account for the responsibly. Norton believes it is essential to create public awareness of the issues in hopes of promoting changes in our habits and means of disposing waste, plastics included. The ocean has been seen as an infinite dumping ground, but we are seeing evidence that this is not the case.
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