Highlights from the Tara stopovers in Rome, Marseille, and Barcelona
A view of Tara from the dockside in Barcelona, with the PRBB on the left. PHOTO: Jordi Casañas
On 12 September, Tara sailed into the Porto Turistico in Ostia, Rome, at the mouth of the Tiber, against a backdrop of blue skies and Italian sunshine. During the three-day stopover, scientists from EMBL Rome organised multiple public outreach activities, including group tours of the boat and a hands-on workshop to build a fluorescence microscope. There was also a scientific conference to discuss the links between the study of the oceans and life on Earth, a press conference, which was well attended by Italian journalists, and a reception for EMBL Rome stakeholders.
Tara in the Porto Turistico in Ostia, Rome. PHOTO: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
The outreach activities on the dock included games, such as DNA origami, and the opportunity to build a fluorescence microscope. PHOTO: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
Romain Troublé, Executive Director of the Tara Ocean Foundation, and Edith Heard, EMBL Director General, give their opening remarks at the scientific conference ‘On the waves of science’. PHOTO: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
Edith Heard, EMBL Director General, speaking at the press conference. PHOTO: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
Guests enjoying the stakeholder reception on the dock and aboard Tara. PHOTO: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
Finally, it was time to pull anchor and sail on to the next stop: the atmospheric port of Marseille. From 27–30 September, Tara was docked in Marseille harbour. Visitors on board included EMBL alumni and friends who were attending the EMBL in France event. Romain Troublé, Executive Director of the Tara Ocean Foundation, hosted a press conference, where Yannick Schwab, Head of the Electron Microscopy Core Facility at EMBL, spoke about EMBL’s links with Tara, and about research at EMBL Grenoble.
Tara sailing into the port of Marseille. PHOTO: Elodie Bernollin/Tara Ocean Foundation
Tara docked in Marseille. PHOTO: Vincent Lombard
Edith Heard, EMBL Director General, with colleagues and friends at the EMBL in France event. PHOTO: Vincent Lombard
EMBL alumni and friends gather in the Marseille sunshine for a tour aboard Tara. PHOTO: Vincent Lombard
Elodie Bernollin (right), Director of Communications at the Tara Ocean Foundation, gives a tour aboard Tara as part of the EMBL in France event. PHOTO: Vincent Lombard
The next stop was Barcelona, where Tara was docked within view of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) from 4–9 October. The stopover coincided with the PRBB’s annual open day on 5 October, when EMBL Barcelona and the five other biomedical research institutes housed in the PRBB open their doors to the public for a day of talks, tours, and activities. There was a Tara focus to EMBL Barcelona’s offerings this year, with samples of aquatic organisms imaged at EMBL’s Mesoscopic Imaging Facility on display.
Blues skies over Tara in Barcelona. PHOTO: Jodie Haigh/EMBL
From left to right: Cyril Piquemal, General Consul of the French Embassy; James Sharpe, Head of EMBL Barcelona; André Abreu, Head of International Policy at the Tara Ocean Foundation; Bruna Vives, Managing Director of the Centre for Genomic Regulation; Nicolas Bin, Captain of Tara. PHOTO: Jordi Casañas
James Sharpe, Head of EMBL Barcelona; Nicolas Bin, Captain of Tara; Mathias Jäger, EMBL Press Officer; André Abreu, Head of International Policy at the Tara Ocean Foundation; Carla Manzanas, Liaison Officer at EMBL Barcelona. PHOTO: Jodie Haigh/EMBL
Nicolas Bin tells James Sharpe about the sailor and former owner of Tara (then named SeaMaster), Sir Peter Blake. The New Zealander had a vision for the schooner: to explore and raise awareness about the oceans. PHOTO: Jordi Casañas
James Sharpe and Nicolas Bin talking science on board Tara. PHOTO: Jordi Casañas
Edith Heard, EMBL Director General, and James Sharpe, Head of EMBL Barcelona, were among the guests at a special reception on board Tara. PHOTO: Jordi Casañas
Tara is now in the final weeks of Mission Microplastics, which is scheduled to conclude with the boat’s arrival in Lorient, France, on 23 November. It’s the end of the voyage, but for the scientists involved, the collection of samples is just the start of their work. Now to analyse the data!
