Plastiki Sets Sail for Sydney

The Plastiki, a promotional junket from banking heir David de Rothschild meant to raise awareness about the tragedies of plastic waste and potential solutions, finally set sail across the Pacific Saturday.

It has been moored in Sausalito and taking shake-out tours in San Francisco Bay and past the Golden Gate for the last few weeks, but with this nice spring weather, it is finally got under way.

The boat and crew will be sailing on a circuitous route to Sydney, Australia, planning to pass through the Eastern Garbage Patch, a swirling morass of plastic trash reportedly the size of Texas left in the eddies of Pacific currents.

Using a satellite connection, the team promises to update their Web site when able, and of course they have a Twitter account.

The public is invited to witness the passage under the Golden Gate Bridge from the Clipper Maritime Center at 9:30, though MoreMarin Buzz suggests there will be great views from the Marin Headlands and, of course, the bridge -- while the team says boaters should come "wave them off from the water."

Jackson West wishes the crew bon voyage!