After 700 miles and 45 days of adventuring around the Mediterranean Sea, the Thalas expedition has returned to Monaco for a short break before embarking on two more expeditions, including their now-famous five year trip around the world.
The crew cast off on 10 October. Thomas and Audrey Capiten and their crew members, team of scientists and engineers returned to dry land after that in Port Hercule. Their voyage took them around the French Mediterranean, to Corsica, Marseille and many other stops along the French Riviera coast.
“Thalas’ journey aims to discover the world while participating locally and welcoming the actions carried out for the protection of the oceans,” states the Thalas website.
The expedition’s latest journal described an expedition to the nearby Bay of Villefranche, one of the most famous spots for plankton study through the area’s exceptional marine topography. The depth of the bay starts shallow, from 17 to 95m, but quickly drops into an underwater canyon with depths of up to 500m, allowing plankton to thrive. The teams visited the Villefranche Oceanographic Laboratory (LOV) and connected with Marin Cornec and Nathalie Vigier. They were also able to acquire special equipment to test for lithium in the waters.
Numerous conferences were held all around the Mediterranean in schools while the team produced information and awareness videos featuring all the “Heroes” (or people who actively work for the preservation of the oceans) they encountered during their journey.
Next adventure: 5,000 miles
Next up for the Thalas is a broader trip around the Mediterranean with a larger crew. Then, scheduled for 2023 is the big 5-year long trip with a goal of meeting 50 Heroes and travelling an astounding 35,000 miles around our planet.
Thalas is an environmental NGO which aims, through expedition programs, to discover, promote and support those involved in the preservation and knowledge of the marine world. Thalas is followed by more than 1000 schools involving 15 partner engineering schools and applying the research protocols of many scientific partners. The crew is currently getting ready to embark on their next adventures.
