Flotsametrics and the Floating World - by Curtis Ebbesmeyer & Eric Scigliano (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published: New York: Collins, 2009.

Book Synopsis

"Ebbesmeyer's goal is noble and fresh: to show how the flow of ocean debris around the world reveals 'the music' of the world's oceans."

--New York Times Book Review

Through the fascinating stories of flotsam, one of the Earth's greatest secrets is revealed. In Flotsametrics and the Floating World, maverick scientist Curtis Ebbesmeyer details how his obsession with floating garbage--from rubber ducks to discarded Nike sneakers--helped to revolutionize ocean science. Scientist and environmentalist David Suzuki, host of CBC TV's "The Nature of Things," calls Flotsametrics and the Floating World "Science and storytelling at its very best." "A very enjoyable, if at times dark, book" (Nature), it is must reading for anyone interested in Oceanography, Environmental Science, and the way our world works.

From the Back Cover

Pioneering oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer seized the world's imagination when he and his worldwide network of beachcomber volunteers traced ocean currents using thousands of sneakers and plastic bath toys spilled from storm-tossed freighters. Now, for the first time, Ebbesmeyer tells the story of his lifelong quest to solve the sea's mysteries. He recounts how flotsam has changed the course of history. He reveals the rhythmic and harmonic order in the vast oceanic currents and uncovers the astonishing story of flotsam, altering the world's view of trash, the ocean, and our global environment.

Review Quotes

"This is science and story telling at its very best. Curt Ebbesmeyer's restless curiosity coupled with a keen mind not limited by "conventional wisdom" has led him down some fascinating alleys. Ebbesmeyer has exploited the results of accidents or our careless use of the oceans to glean priceless information about them. We should pay heed to the discoveries he has made." - David Suzuki, scientist, author, environmentalist, and host of CBC TV's The Nature of Things
"Our global ocean has a vast, invisible artery system that sustains its life--ocean currents. Curt Ebbesmeyer and Eric Sciggliano take us into this amazing world to explain and entertain us with the skill to make a complex issue fascinating to understand. Everything is connected and this book shows that we must treat our ocean with respect and not as a garbage can of civilization." - Jean-Michel Cousteau, Founder and President, Ocean Futures Society
"Flotsametrics and the Floating World might be better titled The Secret Life of the Ocean. In this jewel of a science story, Eric Scigliano and Curtis Ebbesmeyer illuminate the powerful mechanisms of currents, gyres, wind, and drifting debris that define the never ending motion of the sea ordinarily hidden from us. The beach will never be the same." - Brad Matsen, author of Titanic's Last Secrets and Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss
"As much genial personal memoir as pop-oceanography exposition...When science goes right, we discover how mid-ocean spills of hockey gloves or rubber ducks enhance oceanographic understanding; - The Guardian
"Light and lively...Shoes, messages in bottles, and floating rubber ducks have kept Ebbesmeyer's eye on the big picture. Besides, as readers will readily agree, they've been a lot of fun to study." - Natural History magazine
Whether you want to learn more about how the oceans tick or how we are affecting our environment, or to reminisce about science not being what it used to be, this is a very enjoyable, if at times dark, book. - Nature
"Lively as-told-to autobiography of a scientist who studied flotsam--floating trash--and revolutionized the study of the world's oceans...Ebbesmeyer spins a fascinating tale. Even readers with little interest in ocean science will be riveted...A captivating account of the man who turned beachcombing into a science." - Kirkus Reviews
"Part oceanography lesson, part memoir, this cheerful book examines Ebbesmeyer's life and work as a pioneering oceanographer (the first to work for Mobil/Standard Oil, in 1969) and connoisseur of beach-combed artifacts." - Publishers Weekly
"With a whimsical mood overlaying serious science, Ebbesmeyer's work will appeal to the environmentally minded." - Booklist