Giant in the Pacific
Circumference: 110cm, hanging length: 80cm
I found this buoy floating in the middle of hecate straight while out on our fishing boat. It was covered in gooseneck barnacles and likely came from the trawl fishery. These hard plastic buoys are extremely durable as they are designed to withstand huge pressure differences. The blue poly line it hangs from I found on a beach near a salmon fish farm, this line is commonly used in many marine industries, including fish farms, because it is durable but is also made of plastic and degrades into tiny toxic pieces when exposed to the elements. I have tied it in a square (reef) knot and lashed the ends with sailing twine.
On this buoy I have painted a giant pacific octopus and three black rockfish in a kelp forest. Along the bottom are orange and purple ochre sea stars, vermillion seastars white plumose anemones and a large purple sunflower sea star.
10% of the purchase price of this buoy will be donated to the Ucluelet Aquarium’s marine debris research program