Oldenburg. GPS equipped electronic drifters, affectionately called „Eddies“ by ICBM Research Group Marine Sensors staff, shall help to investigate the whereabouts of plastic litter in the southern North Sea within the research project „Macroplastics“ at the University of Oldenburg. One of these Eddies, after being lost for seven month, recently pitched up on the Norwegian island of Asmaløy.

They are meant to investigate the pathways through which litter enters the North Sea: special drifters. Besides about 70.000 wooden pads, each coming along with unequivocal lettering, electronic GPS drifters are deployed as well. Unlike the wooden pads the electronic drifters radio their position data back to Oldenburg. One of these Drifters, Eddy No. 14, was delivered to the sea on 1 March 2018 at 9.30 a.m., halfway between the German islands of Heligoland and Sylt. Dependent on wind and currents, it floated through the seas and broadcast his position to Oldenburg for about four months. On 13 June radio contact ceased at a position somewhere between Southern Scotland and Middle Jutland. Corresponding to its preadjustments, its batteries were exhausted. Having beached nowhere at that point, it had to be considered lost.

Even greater was the pleasure now, when an email came up at research group Marine Sensors: Eddy had been found among flotsam ashore the Norwegian island Asmaløy, close to Fredrikstad. Thoroughly packed by the Norwegian finder, he sent Eddy back to Germany on his own expenses, for a start.