The success of last year's Dive against Debris, a clean-up of marine debris in Deep Bay, has led to a follow up, and may lead to it becoming an annual event.
Organizer and diver Amber Spitkovski said the second annual Dive against Debris is scheduled for Saturday, September 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sandy Beach.
In 2011, a team of volunteer divers brought up 827 pounds of garbage over the space of a few hours. Spitkovski said there were items that divers saw underwater they weren't able to get to including a pile of batteries they marked off with a buoy - and said they will get those, and search for more, this year.
She noted that there are entire areas of Deep Bay they have yet to look in and that volunteers involved last year were asking to go back and do more work. The dive has been connected by Spitkovski to Project Aware (PA), which is offering advice and support to groups all around the world to clean up debris from the ocean floor. The organization is recording whatever is found on dives on a world-wide data-base and you can learn more at projectaware.org.
It wasn't just divers who took part last year, kayakers and boaters were on the water for diver safety and to help locate and bring to shore debris.
There were also volunteers to drag, sort and haul away the garbage once it got ashore. There were 31 volunteers who signed a sheet provided by the municipality, and many others, Spitkovski said, who helped without signing.
Some of the garbage divers Adam Taylor, Larry Morse, Noelle De La Vega, Brian Hartwick, Sean Hartwick, Brad Lysak and Vince Huggins brought up in 2011 include marine batteries and generators, an outboard motor, a large battery charger, electronics, a crab trap, rope, a blender and miscellaneous boat garbage.
Boaters and other volunteers last year included Moe, Greg Smith, Mike Bingham, Peter Mathews and Cam Rolfe. Spitkovski expects they'll bring up a large haul this year, too and like last year the dive is being sponsored by the municipality, who has offered things such as a garbage bin with drop off and pick-up, a tent, bags, gloves, etc.
There will also be refreshments available on site. If you're interesting in volunteering, please get in touch with Amber Spitkovski at 604-454-4676.
