The Great Rubber Duck Adventure: How 28000 Colorful Bath Toys Took the Pacific by Storm!

In 1992, a whimsical yet monumental event captured the attention of oceanographers, toy lovers, and environmental advocates alike. A cargo ship lost a container filled with an incredible 28,000 rubber ducks and other bath toys into the North Pacific. This incident sparked a wave of scientific curiosity and changed our understanding of ocean currents and marine debris. Let’s embark on this colourful journey and explore the remarkable escapades of these bath toys through the vast waters of the Pacific!

Tracking these Adorable Adventurers

As the rubber ducks drifted further into the Pacific, scientists saw a golden opportunity to study ocean currents. By understanding where these toys washed ashore, researchers gained insights into the path and speed of oceanic movements.

Between 1990 and 1992, pieces of the cargo landed on the shores of Alaska, Hawaii, and even the Arctic. In fact, over 500 ducks were discovered on the shores of Maine within just a few years. Each swim added valuable data, allowing scientists to track over 20 years of these bath toys' dispersal, helping us comprehend the flow of marine debris.

Route taken by the Friendly Floatees initially lost in the Pacific Ocean in 1992.

The Cultural Phenomenon of Floating Toys

The rubber duck saga didn't merely fascinate scientists; it also captured the hearts of many worldwide. The story inspired children's books, documentaries, and art installations. One standout work is Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer’s book published in 2007, "Flotsametrics and the Floating World." It reveals how seemingly minor events can lead to significant discoveries about our oceans.

Through this tale, children learn not just about rubber ducks, but also about the importance of caring for our marine environments.

The Journey so far...

10 JANUARY 1992: Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean nearly 29,000 First Years bath toys, including bright yellow rubber ducks, are spilled from a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean.

16 NOVEMBER 1992: Caught in the Subpolar Gyre (counter-clockwise ocean current in the Bering Sea, between Alaska and Siberia), the ducks take 10 months to begin landing on the shores of Alaska.

EARLY 1995: The ducks take three years to circle around. East from the drop site to Alaska, then west and south to Japan before turning back north and east passing the original drop site and again landing in North America. Some ducks are even found In Hawaii. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) worked out that the ducks travel approximately 50 percent faster than the water in the current.

1995 - 2000: Some intrepid ducks escape the Subpolar Gyre and head North, through the Bering Straight and into the frozen waters of the Arctic. Frozen into the ice the ducks travel slowly across the pole, moving ever eastward.

2000: Ducks begin reaching the North Atlantic where they begin to thaw and move Southward. Soon ducks are sighted bobbing in the waves from Maine to Massachusetts.

2001: Ducks are tracked in the area where the Titanic sank.

JULY TO DECEMBER 2003: The First Years company offers a $100 savings bond reward for the recovery of wayward ducks from the 1992 spill. To be valid ducks must be sent to the company and must be found in New England, Canada or Iceland. Britain is told to prepare for an invasion of the wayward ducks as well.

2003: A lawyer called Sonali Naik was on holiday in the Hebrides in north-west Scotland when she found a faded green frog on the beach marked with the magic words 'The First Years'. Unaware of the significance of her find she left it on the beach. It was only when she was chatting to other guests at her hotel that she realised what she had seen.

We know that the Friendly Floaties have made it to UK shorea and as far as Affrican and Australia...have you found on on your travels? If you have, we'd love to here your story!