The Tara Oceans Expedition is a 2-1/2 year scientific expedition around the world's oceans sampling planktonic life. They left France in September 2009, and they're coming in to San Diego on Wednesday, October 26, having most recently been in Hawaii and the North Pacific Gyre, famous for its "garbage patch", where they've also been collecting samples for the Algalita Foundation as well (they're doing research on plastic in the oceans).

The lab I work with at the University of Arizona is one of some 21 laboratories in 10 countries that are affiliated with the project: aside from ship maintenance, refueling, etc., a key purpose of ports of call on the expedition is shipping samples at -80C out to all the labs.

Another key function while in port is school visits. The expedition has a big outreach component, although it's a lot stronger in France than anywhere else. (Part of my job is working on telling the story in our area. The lab website is my baby, among other projects.)

Tara will be docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego October 26 through November 16.

There is an event (by invitation) at Scripps on Thursday afternoon, and in the morning I'm going to get to tour the ship with a group of docents from Tucson's Biosphere 2.

For you San Diegans of a nautical and scientific bent (Amos!), if you're interested I'll see if there are any public events. (I don't know of any at the moment, the above are by invitation.) Barring that, they'll be on view and I'm sure they'll be provide some info at the Maritime Museum.

~ Becky in Tucson (heading to Long Beach tomorrow)