Cape Decision | The Ikkatsu Project
Proposal for Klean Kanteen
We are currently in production on a film that takes place at Cape Decision on south Kuiu Island, in the Tongass National Forest (the largest national forest in the US). Kuiu Island is a remote, rugged, and biodiverse wilderness area, with incredible sea kayaking opportunities.
The project taking place is a combination of a few things. First, the Cape Decision Lighthouse is used as a basecamp for marine debris surveys and remote beach cleanups by The Ikkatsu Project, a Washington-based nonprofit that focuses on marine issues. Ken Campbell, the Ikkatsu Project’s Director, is an accomplished sea kayaker (among many other things) and is well known in the marine conservation community here in Washington. This incredible island provides a unique case study for marine debris because there are no humans living on the island year round, and no towns of any size within 100 miles. Despite this lack of human presence, loads of plastic wash up on the beaches every year. Some of this trash comes from other countries in Asia, or from cruise ships passing through, while a lot of it is derelict fishing gear that takes forever to break apart. There is an amazing contrast on South Kuiu Island between the epic and seemingly untouched wildlife and the human impact that's been washing up on its shores, only visible when you take a closer look.
The second part of the project is lighthouse restoration. While the lighthouse is no longer staffed by the US Coast Guard, it is still used as an aid to navigation for the ships passing through. The cultural and recreational potential of the lighthouse is remarkable, with world class sea kayaking right out the front door. In order to maintain and breathe new life into this lighthouse for future visitors, daily tasks include clearing trail with machetes and loppers, building stairs, hand-milling cedar shakes from driftwood, and so much more.
This film is an effort to showcase the amazing natural environment with the tasks at hand, to provide a picture of what it means to be in such a wild and untouched place and the paradox that marine debris represents in such a location. The focus will be on the decisions that we all make and the consequences of those decisions as they relate to plastic and how we – both as individuals and as a society – need to examine our use of plastic and the implications it has for our future.
I think this is an incredible opportunity to get involved in a project that aligns perfectly with the greater Klean Kanteen mission statement and the efforts to reduce single use plastic. I’ve attached photos from last year as well as a rough cut of our trailer (which will ultimately change to reflect the most recent round of footage). Also, if you are interested in the actual process and results from last year’s trip, we have attached the 2018 Summary from the Ikkatsu web site below.
2018 S. Kuiu Summary
A couple of clips shot from Wolf Track Beach.
