week 6 John & Ginger pick up 6 bags of trash in zone 4

It has been almost a week since John and I last walked the beach and I am just now getting around to posting.  I wish I would post sooner because everything is fresh on my mind then, but that is okay....sometimes things just take longer than you plan.

On June 11th, John and I picked up 6 bags of trash in Zone 4.  We could have gotten more, but John has to get to work and we just don't have time to get it all.

Some of our loot included the following:
1 can
4 plastic bottles
2 ziplock bags
2 unused condoms
1 panty liner
1 balloon :-(

2 shoes
1 steel butter knife
32 cigarette butts (there were much much more, but no time to collect when heading to work)

18 straws
7 bottle caps
6 plastic lids
1 plastic spoon, 1 plastic knife, & 1 plastic fork
19 toys including one good volley ball (it is a little flat, but we can pump it up!)
1 chair
1 towel
1 mesh net for toys :-(

1 swim diaper (yuck--I picked up with a stick)

As we were getting ready to turn around at the end of our zone and head back, a person thanked us for picking up trash and added to our items.  As it turns out, he owns Kowabunga Surf School and every Friday morning, he and a group of kids also pick up trash.  I know that other surf camps in the area do the same such as WB Surf Camp and also Odyssey Surf Camp.  We are so lucky to have ocean advocates on our beach!  Below is a picture of Kenny from Kowabunga.

I always love it when Mother Ocean gives us a treasure.  One of the treasures I found this week was a beautiful piece of sea glass.

The other treasure was being able to help Nancy Fahey locate eggs from our very first nest of the season.  Thanks to Nancy and CJ (the nest parent) for allowing me to share in this joyous moment.  Honestly, it is sheer joy.  Once we had located the exact nest site, we replaced the sand that we had moved.  As I was running my fingers through the loose, soft grains of sand I couldn't help but say in a serene voice "I love this!".  Honestly, I felt like I could feel each individual grain and I could not help but imagine what the scene must have been like when the mother turtle was displacing the sand with her flippers so that she could leave her clutch on WB.  Thank you Mother Turtle and Thank You Mother Ocean for all of the treasures you bestow to us.

Nancy and CJ find the egg.

Nancy

Nancy and Me.

week 5 John and Ginger zone 4

Happy Memorial Day!!!


When John and I were walking up Access #32, this is what we spotted before we could even get to the beach.

Unfortunately as we walked our zone, it did not get much better.  We collected  the equivalent of 8 bags of trash.

There was a pig sty at the trash cans at access #35.  I'm not sure what went on there, but someone left several chairs, a suitcase filled with towels, blankets and garbage, garbage all over the ground, and they even sat the trash can on top of a garbage bag filled with garbage!  Apparently these individuals do not know how to respect the beach.  I felt sorry for the Public Works staff that would be coming by later to gather all of this stuff.

We also encountered several large holes.....

beside the hole

In the hole--up to my knees

As if the pig sty at access #35 wasn't enough, we found the remains of some irresponsible dog owners:

I found 8 sippy straw sleeves in one location along with lots of food wrappers, caprisun packs, kids clothing and a dirty diaper.  At another site, I found 9 sippy straw sleeves and some caprisun packs.  I really felt bad for the example that was set for these children.


Many of our items, we didn't even bag, we just carried to the trash cans.  
1 blanket
1 towel
2 clothing
2 prs flip-flops
31 butts
2 huge cigars
26 toys
2 swim goggles
3 sunglasses (none of them worth wearing :(
plastic head band
plastic hair bow
1 rubber mallet????-(Maybe to hammer in the tent or umbrella??)
5 ziplock bags
2 plastic bags
25 straws
23 bottle caps
1 firework remnant
1 diaper
1 boogie board
16 cans (13 beer, 3 soda)
16 plastic bottles
1 glass bottle
6 plastic cups
4 cup lids
2 plastic spoons


Our finds is Sonny who "greets the sun" every Monday morning at Crystal Pier.  This morning we were able to hear him play the flute.  We were glad to learn that he participates in SUP (stand up paddle boarding) clean ups once a month to help clean our waterways.

We also witnessed a beautiful sunrise and we greeted the sun too :)

And on our way back we saw another one of my favorite people:  Nancy Faye Craig.  She was riding her bike, dressed for the holiday, and we spotted her stopping to pick up trash!!!!  I was so thrilled I had to take her picture!

We also witnessed WB town employees proudly displaying several American Flags---had to take their pics too!  :)

We saw flags from the waterway as well while boating.  We also scoop trash out of the water way while boating and the last few times we have collected 5 plastic bags, 2 plastic bottles, and 1 aluminum can ( I will add these to our numbers)

Keep It Clean!!!!!

week4 Renee Tevlow zone 2

Hi Ginger,
   I collected one tote bag of trash this week.  It included the regulars:  cigarettes, bottles, straws, bits of styrofoam, kids toys, towels, clothing,  flip flops, plastic bags. 
  I've attached a few pictures....you look up and there's so much beauty.  You look down and there's bits of carelessness scattered in the sand.  Such a contrast.
   The birds in the last picture are Black Skimmers.   They were flying in pairs back and forth along the receding tide.  They were skimming their beaks along the waters surface gathering their fishy breakfast. 
   Till next week.....

Balloons in Surf and Birds in Trash

Today I had to walk by myself b/c John was out of town.   I collected 4 bags of trash and that doesn't include the trash that I picked up right beside the trash can.  I didn't count this trash b/c I just threw it right back and b/c I saw the culprits of the non-human type---birds.  We have talked about this every year and we can't blame the birds--they are just doing what is natural---what we need are trash cans with lids.  Lids would help keep the birds out of the trash and also keep the wind from blowing the trash out of the cans.  Hopefully, we will see this one day on WB!


The other alarming thing I saw was a white balloon with a blue string washing in on the surf.  In this picture, you can see the foam of the water still around the string where the balloon had just washed in.  I couldn't help but think how this white balloon really would have looked like a jelly fish out in the water.

I also found 2 more balloons--one orange and one yellow.  According to one study, sea turtles actually seem attracted to a brightly colored balloon.

My trash total today was 4 bags which included:
12 toys
3 balloons
6 plastic bottles
1 glass bottle
23 cig butts & 1 cigar tip
6 cans
21 straws
7 bottle caps
1 coat hanger
1 towel (I left at the life guard stand)
1 pair of "justice" shorts
2 shirts
2 types of fishing gear
1 toy netting
2 ziplock bags
2 plastic bags
3 brightly colored plastic ice cubes shaped like sea life
1 pen
1 disposable toothpick brush
lots of paper, sugar packets, receipts, and straws that blow from the Oceanic  :(