Cleaning up the ocean floor is becoming a habit on Bowen Island as Dive Against Debris III is set to go at Sandy Beach in Deep Bay on Saturday, September 7.
Last year, the initiative cleaned up some 1,400 pounds of junk from the ocean floor there, including eight car batteries, a fire extinguisher and an old bike frame.
Organizer and diver Amber Spitkovski said in both 2011 and 2012 the group that descended on Deep Bay, also called Mannion Bay, not only achieved great results but "had a great time doing it." She said she's still looking for more help this time around.
"This year we are in need of people to help recover underwater debris, drive boats and kayaks and people to help sort and document the debris on the shore," Spitkovski writes on her Drive for Debris Facebook page. "Also, if anyone would be interested in organizing food and music that would be most helpful."
In the two years of doing this, some of the other junk hauled away included plastic binds, a knife, a portable DVD player, barbecue parts, old cables, a pair of binoculars, old row boats, rain pants, many crab traps, rope, a computer keyboard, a music keyboard and miscellaneous garbage.
The Dive Against Debris, sponsored by the Bowen Island Municipality, is connected to an ongoing worldwide marine clean-up effort called Project Aware. This year's dive on September 7 is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m.
You can contact Spitkovski on the dive's Facebook page.
