Scrap raft group readies for adventure

Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 12:00 am

By Elleda Wilson
Editorial Assistant

Tiny Neutrino wrote in about a rather intriguing project over at the Port of Ilwaco, Wash., by the Pacific Neutrinos, an outgrowth of the Floating Neutrinos (www.floatingneutrinos.com), builders and sailors of scrap rafts created mostly of recycled materials. "We currently have approximately 20 people involved in the actual construction, although not all at one time," Neutrino said.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Floating Neutrinos, they built the first scrap raft to cross the North Atlantic Ocean in 1998, Son of Town Hall pictured right.

"A scrap raft operates much as a boat or ship," Neutrino said. "We have floatation, cabins, most of the necessary items found in any house or boat for human habitation, including an innovative compost for human waste. We want to find that comfortable spot where humans can live with the world without messing things up, and without going back to some stone-age lifestyle. We power with sails, electric motors, and our newest and most exciting power source: kites."

Neutrino is especially grateful for the help on the project received from Cart'm Recycling Center in Manzanita, Green Dragon Thrift Store in Ilwaco, many Earth First! volunteers and the Port of Ilwaco.

He hopes Scrap Raft Rosie O'Doggie will be ready to leave Ilwaco on or before Aug. 1, stopping in Chinook, Wash., and Astoria "for at least a few days each, then moving on up the river to Portland."

In the meantime, volunteers are welcome. Neutrino says, "If you'd like to join us with the building or crewing, come on over" to the Port of Ilwaco.

To contact Neutrino, e-mail (pacificneutrinos@gmail.com)

Reprinted with permission of The Daily Astorian of Astoria, Oregon.