|
Mission Brief The Monk is drifting.On June 23rd, the Monk was at 39.1239°N, 55.4052°W — carried by currents, thermoclines, and the physics of the deep. |
01The Challenge
Somewhere in the North Atlantic, a profiling float named "The Monk" is drifting — guided by currents, thermoclines, and the physics of the ocean. It's one of Seatrec's infiniTE™ floats, powered by thermal energy harvested from the temperature gradient between warm surface waters and the cold deep.
We know its last confirmed position. What we don't know — and what we're asking you to figure out — is exactly where The Monk will surface on July 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT.
No hints. Just your read of the ocean, or your most inspired guess. Use the live tracker to study its trajectory. Dig into Gulf Stream data. Or go with your gut. Closest guess wins — ties broken by earliest submission.
Contest Brief
|
📍 Last Confirmed Position ON 6/23/26 39.1239°N, 55.4052°W ⏰ Contest Deadline July 5, 2026 · 11:59 PM PDT |
🔍 Track Live 📅 Position Updates REVEALED Until June 28, 2026 · 11:59 PM PDT |
02What Is the infiniTE™ Float?
The infiniTE™ is Seatrec's flagship ocean profiling float, designed to operate autonomously for years without battery replacement — harvesting energy from the ocean's natural temperature gradient to power itself and collect critical oceanographic data on every dive cycle.
The Monk has been tracing the currents of the Atlantic, and its track tells a story of eddies, meanders, and the Gulf Stream system. Where it ends up next is yours to predict.
🏆
Win the Exclusive Seatrec T-Shirt
The winner receives this exclusive Seatrec "Infinite Energy · Deeper Insights" infiniTE™ T-shirt — limited edition, not for sale.
One Winner · Closest Coordinates Wins
03How to Enter
|
STEP 01 Study the trackerWatch The Monk's trajectory at the live tracking link. Positions update through June 28, 2026 · 11:59 PM PDT. |
STEP 02 Make your predictionPick a latitude and longitude for where The Monk will surface on July 5, 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT. |
|
STEP 03 Submit coordinatesDrop your numbers into the official entry form before the deadline. |
STEP 04 Win the shirtClosest entry wins. Ties broken by the earliest valid submission. We'll announce the winner shortly after July 5. |
04Coming Soon: Float Modeling Webinars
Seatrec will be hosting webinars on real float-modeling techniques — ocean current analysis, Argo float data, and trajectory prediction with public datasets. Stay tuned for dates.
Drop Your Coordinates
Ready to Outguess the Ocean?
The Monk is waiting to be found. Closest coordinates win.
Submit Prediction →Open Live Tracker
Contest run by Seatrec. No purchase necessary. Open to residents worldwide, ages 13+. Entrants under 18 must have parental permission. Void where prohibited. Winner contacted by email.
Seatrec Wins $75,000 from DOE to Advance Thermal-Powered Profiling Float to Measure Zooplankton
Seatrec Wins $75,000 from DOE to Advance Thermal-Powered Profiling Float to Measure Zooplankton
Partnership with ASL Environmental Sciences introduces a new capability for profiling floats to acoustically measure zooplankton biomass and its vertical distribution
VISTA, Calif. — June 24, 2026 — Seatrec, a leader in thermal-powered profiling floats, has been selected as a winner of the DEVELOP Phase of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Powering the Blue Economy™: Power at Sea Prize, earning a $75,000 award. The company is integrating ASL Environmental Sciences' Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP-pico) onto the infiniTE™ float powered by ocean thermal energy with a goal to measure vertical profiles of zooplankton and mesopelagic biomass. Seatrec previously won the CONCEPT Phase of the same competition in November 2024 with a $10,000 award.
"Measuring vertical profiles of zooplankton has been a dream for oceanographers," explains Yi Chao, Ph.D., Seatrec's founder and CEO. "Advancing to the DEVELOP Phase, and doing so alongside ASL Environmental Sciences, we are closer than ever to filling one of the most critical knowledge gaps in ocean science."
"This is genuinely uncharted territory," said Julek Chawarski, Ph.D., Biological Oceanographer at ASL Environmental Sciences. “The integration of ASL’s AZFP-pico with a long-endurance autonomous profiling platform could unlock an unprecedented view of meso- and bathypelagic scattering layers, providing persistent, basin-scale observations that have long remained beyond the reach of ocean science.”
Seatrec's infiniTE™ float converts ocean temperature gradients into electricity using phase-change materials, enabling long-endurance missions with profiling as frequently as every few hours. That sampling frequency is critical for capturing the diurnal behavior of zooplankton and mesopelagic organisms central to the biological carbon pump. The AZFP-pico provides quantitative assessment of meso- and bathypelagic biomass, while an integrated CTD captures physical oceanographic context, together delivering high-frequency, long-duration observations that ocean science has not had before.
The Power at Sea Prize, one of DOE's competitive programs, recognizes innovative marine energy concepts that could feasibly power blue economy applications, such as ocean-observing devices, aquaculture installations, and storm tracking systems.
DEVELOP Phase winners refine their technologies with support from industry mentors, networking opportunities, and targeted training, competing for a share of a $1.7 million final prize pool.
This milestone reinforces Seatrec's commitment to driving sustainable innovation in ocean technology and its mission to contribute to a thriving blue economy while addressing critical challenges in marine resource management and climate science.
ABOUT SEATREC
Seatrec designs and manufactures subsea drones that generate electricity from ocean temperature gradients. Our products empower defense and oceanographic researchers to extend mission durations, optimize data collection, and reduce operational costs. By enabling the integration of advanced sensors previously limited in endurance and functionality, such as hydrophones, we open new possibilities for ocean science.
Seatrec’s energy-harvesting core technology was developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and spun out of the California Institute of Technology in 2016. Seatrec is headquartered in Vista, California. Visit us at seatrec.com.
Media Contact
Marta Bulaich
Seatrec, Inc.
marta.bulaich@seatrec.com
+1 (415) 816-1665