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'Plastiki' book captures boat's epic ocean journey (photos)

A year after David de Rothschild's all-plastic craft traveled from California to Australia, a new book examines the project close-up.

Daniel Terdiman
Daniel Terdiman is a senior writer at CNET News covering Twitter, Net culture, and everything in between.
Daniel Terdiman
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1 of 23 Matthew Grey

Sailing away

At 9:30 a.m. on March 20, 2010, precisely on time, the Plastiki, a "boat made of 12,000 plastic bottles," and the brainchild of banking heir David de Rothschild, set sail from a berth in Sausalito, Calif., just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, on its way to Australia.

The Plastiki was not just the world's first boat made buoyant by discarded soda bottles. It was also a statement about the world's garbage problem, and the fact that most plastic bottles are thrown away rather than recycled. The goal was to sail 11,000 nautical miles to Sydney, Australia.

Among the inspirations for the project was the Kon Tiki expedition, Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 trip across the Pacific in a boat that was a reproduction of an Inca raft.

And in keeping with tradition, the Plastiki paid even more homage to Heyerdahl. Among the six crew members was Olav Heyerdahl, Thor's grandson.

The Plastiki boat did eventually complete the journey, arriving in Sydney on July 26, 2010.

Now, de Rothschild has published "Plastiki--Across the Pacific on Plastic: An Adventure to Save our Oceans," his memoir of the project from beginning to end.

Complete with stories of the inspirations for the project, as well as memories of the construction of the boat, and of course, the journey itself, "Plastiki" is the definitive tome about a project that captured imaginations across the globe.

Here, in this photograph from the book, the Plastiki is seen sailing in open waters.

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2 of 23 Plastiki

David on Plastiki

In this photo from the book, David de Rothschild is seen aboard the boat, having just sailed underneath the Golden Gate Bridge on the date of departure.
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3 of 23 Plastiki

The whole world in his hand

In this image from the book, de Rothschild is seen standing on the Plastiki, balancing a globe in his hand.
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4 of 23 Plastiki

Nearing Fiji

In this image from the book, the Plastiki is seen approaching Fiji.
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5 of 23 Plastiki

In the waters off Fiji

In this image from the book, de Rothschild is seen snorkeling just off Fiji.
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6 of 23 Plastiki

On board Plastiki

In this image from the book, de Rothschild is seen having a good time aboard the Plastiki.
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7 of 23 Matthew Grey

During the journey

In this image from the book, de Rothschild (left) is seen talking to a fellow crew member while the Plastiki was at sea.
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8 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Waving good-bye

Here, Plastiki crew members wave good-bye from the boat just as it begins its four-month journey from Sausalito, Calif., to Sydney, Australia.
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9 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Sailing away

Just a minute after launch, Plastiki is already fading into the horizon.
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10 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Plastiki at Golden Gate Bridge

Here, we see the Plastiki just after it passed under the Golden Gate Bridge. Its journey to Australia would take just over four months.
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11 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Away from the dock

Plastiki, an all-plastic boat made with more than 12,000 plastic bottles, set sail from Sausalito, Calif., for Sydney, Australia, on March 20, 2010. Here, it is seen just as it begins to move away from the dock in Sausalito.
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12 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Vertical garden

The Plastiki featured what de Rothschild called a "vertical garden," which grew up the mast and allowed the crew to have fresh herbs and other veggies. Also seen here is the boat's Inmarsat communications system.
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13 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Many bottles

The Plastiki is made entirely out of plastic, including more than 12,000 bottles like these.
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14 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Smiling

Plastiki expedition leader David de Rothschild (left) talked to another crew member just minutes before the all-plastic boat set sail from Sausalito, Calif.
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15 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Three crew smiling

From the left, expedition leader David de Rothschild, co-skipper Jo Royle, and co-skipper David Thompson smiled for cameras just before departure.
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16 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

The boat

Fans of the Plastiki expedition can read all about the project at ThePlastiki.com. And now, they can read expedition leader David de Rothschild's official account of the project in his new book, "Plastiki--Across the Ocean on Plastic: An Adventure to Save our Oceans."
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17 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Solar panels

These solar panels helped power Plastiki on its journey across the sea.
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18 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Shoving off

At 9:30 a.m. Pacific time on March 20, 2010, the shore crew pushed the boat away from the dock, and its 11,000 nautical mile journey was under way.
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19 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

At dock

The Plastiki as seen from shore as it and its crew prepared for launch from Sausalito, Calif.
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20 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Bottles joined

The thousands of bottles were fused at the top and the bottom, and together, they kept the boat afloat.
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21 of 23 Daniel Terdiman/CNET

Barking over bottles

The dog wanted everyone to know just how much it wanted to go on the expedition. It didn't get to go.
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22 of 23 The Plastiki Expedition

Releasing the bottle

One side project that Plastiki expedition leader David de Rothschild helped out with during the journey was to help artist Jay Little track a message in a bottle across the ocean. Here, de Rothschild prepared to release the bottle into t the Pacific Ocean last April. The bottle has a special satellite tag inside that allows it to be tracked on a daily basis. It currently is somewhere near The Philippines.
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23 of 23 The Plastiki Expedition

The bottle

The bottle, including its satellite tag.

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