Editing Glass float (section)

== Dispersion ==
[[Image:Glass Ball Trip (16).JPG|thumb|right|Small glass float located on the beach in Japan]]
[[Image:Hokkaido beach floats.JPG|thumb|left|Small glass floats washed up on the beach in [[Hokkaidō]], Japan]]
Today most of the glass floats remaining in the ocean are stuck in a circular pattern of [[ocean currents]] in the North Pacific. Off the east coast of Taiwan, the [[Kuroshio Current]] starts as a northern branch of the western-flowing [[North Equatorial Current]]. It flows past Japan and meets the arctic waters of the [[Oyashio Current]]. At this junction, the [[North Pacific Current]] (or Drift) is formed which travels east across the Pacific before slowing down in the Gulf of Alaska. As it turns south, the [[California Current]] pushes the water into the North Equatorial Current once again, and the cycle continues. Although the number of glass floats is decreasing steadily, many floats are still drifting on these ocean currents. Occasionally storms or certain tidal conditions will break some floats from this circular pattern and bring them ashore. They most often end up on the beaches of the Western United States - especially Alaska, Washington, or Oregon - Taiwan, or Canada.  However, many floats have been found on beaches and along coral reefs on Pacific islands, most notably the windward side of Guam. It is estimated that floats must be a minimum of 7-10 years old before washing up on beaches in Alaska. Most floats that wash up, however, would have been afloat for 10 years. A small number of floats are also trapped in the Arctic ice pack where there is movement over the North Pole and into the Atlantic Ocean.