Multiple world record athlete, Tom Jones pushes body to extreme limits in Pacific Plastic Paddle 2016 March 24 2015

Imagine standup paddling from San Francisco, California to Oahu, Hawaii. This is how Jones plans to bring awareness and engagement to environmental stewardship for our world oceans.

Jones is training with AltoLab Altitude Simulator in preparation for the record journey. For four months, Jones will risk his life and push his body to extreme limits across a journey of 2351 miles across the Pacific Ocean.

With years of practice and record settings, he’ll be accompanied by the “Ocean Research Vessel” (ORV) who’s focus is research on the “Great Pacifc Garbage Patch.”

During the whole expedition, each mile is basically a quiet promise to ocean conservation, staying strong, and working together with science folks. The mission is not just about trying to set a world record, but it also wants communities to actually notice how marine pollution is growing and how climate-related problems keep showing up. We’ll post daily progress updates, do educational outreach, and share research observations so people can get a more real feel for what the Pacific ecosystem is dealing with.  

And honestly, the point is that by mixing endurance, some clever innovation, and environmental advocacy, the trip hopes to spark real, lasting action. At the same time, it supports solid data collection that can be used later for future conservation work and to push more responsibility when it comes to protecting the world’s oceans.