Memorial Day 2016

May 30, 2016

Two years ago on Memorial Day, John and I found a sea turtle nest.  We had high hopes of doing the same this year, but that was not to be the case.

Today was a beautiful cloudy morning on the beach, with a nice sea breeze.  Tropical Storm Bonnie is brewing somewhere out there, but our world seems like any other overcast day.

I was listening to the sound of the ocean as I removed plastic bags from the dune line and wondered if the ocean's song had turned sad.  It is hard to imagine all of the garbage that rests in the belly of this beautiful beast.

Oh well…I am thankful to be able to do my part and to collect what I can before it is swallowed up by the ocean's tide.

A helium balloon whose paint has been washed off.  It now looks like a clear plastic bag or perhaps a jelly fish to a sea turtle

American plastic toys are littering our planet.

Here is a total of what we carried off the beach today:

21 cigarette butts
45 food wrappers/packaging
10 plastic bottle caps
11 plastic lids
12 plastic straws
5 paper straws
1 plastic spoon still in plastic wrapper
3 balloons
2 pieces of plastic construction ribbon
5 foam pieces
9 plastic pieces
8 plastic bottles
2 aluminum cans
3 plastic grocery bags
3 other plastic bags
1 paper cup
10 plastic cups
3 foam cups
38 plastic packaging items
1 strapping band
3 tobacco wrappers
8 articles of clothing (mostly shoes, 2 bikini top inserts)
1 towel
14 toys or toy pieces
1 surf wax glob
1 chap stick
1 dog treat rawhide
2 band aids
4 hair ties
1 pair of cheap sunglasses
1 battery operated candle
4 wets ones and 6 paper towels
1 fishing bobber and 1 fishing lure
1 huge plastic raft that is pulled behind a boat
1 plastic shower cap

We remember and thank all of those who have given so much!  Please Have a Safe Memorial Day.

Peace and Clean Oceans,
Ginger

Below are some of my sights on this Memorial Day…

Runner dressed for Memorial Day.

John looking for trash after our turtle walk.  Love him!

Nancy Faye Craig, Wrightsville Beach's all time best and favorite volunteer.  Love her.  She rides her bike almost everywhere and she can run faster and further than many people years younger than her.   We see her most every Memorial Day and July 4th riding with the American Flag on her bike.  So glad we got to see her today!