Located about 40 miles south of San Franciso on California's central coast, Monterey Bay is home to one of the cutest and most iconic marine mammal species in the Pacific Ocean: the southern sea otter. Although this species is listed as "threatened," Monterey Bay continues to be one of their strongholds and much of the sea otters' success there can be attributed to the diligent work of our partner, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Read on to learn more about their important work and to see more of these adorable creatures.

Part of the 4ocean DNA has always been about giving back to organizations that share our vision of a clean ocean –– those organizations that are working in their own way to protect and preserve the great deep blue and all the creatures that live within it. We believe that giving back is not about what we do individually as a company but is about the end result of a collective set of ideas and actions working in conjunction for the desired outcome. That is why we have partnered with 1% for the Planet. Check out the story inside. 

We teamed up with the Miami Police Department Marine Division and their Youth Police Explorers to clean up Pace Picnic Island in Miami's famous Biscayne Bay, which is home to many endangered species and other fish and animals that need protection from ocean plastic pollution. And, wow, wait until you see some of the things that we found during the cleanup.

There is a man, an adventurer, an incredible athlete that is out in the middle of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch today free swimming in the vast blue expanse of the now infamous trash gyre to raise awareness about and help advance the science of plastic pollution in the ocean. This expedition is called The Vortex Swim and it is helping move the needle on the science of ocean plastic pollution. 

SeaTrees are a new concept in ocean conservation from SustainableSurf.org. These "regenerative" projects create an #OceanPositive effect because they protect and restore critical habits that sequester carbon at up to 5x's the rate of terrestrial forests. Learn more about SustainableSurf.org and what you can do to plant your first SeaTree.

The 4ocean team hit the water in an attempt to help break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Underwater Cleanup. It was a group effort that included people from all over the world coming together for one purpose –– to clean the ocean. Having pulled thousands of pounds of trash and debris from the ocean, check inside to see just how many people it took to set the new mark.

Each year we mark World Oceans Day on our calendar knowing that it's one of our biggest opportunities to reach millions of people around the world at once with our message of a cleaner ocean. This year, New York City, the United Nations, the Peace Boat, and Rockaway Beach played host to the 4ocean team for the weekend and as it turns out, World Oceans Day 2019 was an adventure beyond our wildest expectations.

Traveling 80 miles across the Gulfstream in the Atlantic Ocean can be a daunting task in a boat. Now think about making that same crossing on a paddleboard — intimidating, right? Now imagine that you have cystic fibrosis, an inherited disorder that causes damage to your lungs as well as other organs. Do you think you could make it?

If you guessed a group of incredibly dedicated and eco-aware 5th graders from Princeton Day School in New Jersey, you'd be correct! The students discovered 4ocean on the internet and began to research exactly what it is that we do. See how our inspiration is helping them raise awareness about the ocean plastic pollution crisis and how their effort has grown into something even bigger!

When one of our daily cleanup crew members from 4ocean Miami found a bird that didn't quite look right, he jumped into rescue mode and ferried the sick gull over to the Pelican Harbor Seabird Rescue Station for a little rehab and recovery. Check out the video of the story inside! 

It's always great to get out on the water with one of our 4ocean Captains to see how it is out there on the front lines these days. We got a chance to join Captain Denise Salas and her crew to get a bit of perspective and see how they are making a difference every day.

4ocean attended Surf Expo 2019 in Orlando, Florida. We had a chance to exhibit and speak with many people who care deeply about the health of the ocean. The energy and feedback were incredible. It was so exciting for us to spread 4ocean's message to the masses. Check out photos from the event and ride the wave that is the clean ocean movement with us!

Can you guess how many bottle caps are in this picture? These small pieces of plastic have been found at all of our coastline cleanups. They're an enormous threat to marine life that can easily ingest them. They become an even bigger threat as they turn into microplastics. So what can you do to help? Recycle them!