May 6 with Nancy, Chinese Lanterns and the question: "Is someone nude?"

May 6th:  This was not the greatest of mornings, in more ways than one.  For starters, I found a very sick shorebird on the north end.  He didn't fly away as I approached, and on my way south, I noticed he was still in the exact same spot.  I got off the 4-wheeler and approached the little bird.  He tried to fly, but was too weak to make much progress.  Without much effort, I was able to lift him from the sand.  Tucking him under my arm, I headed toward Mallard St., where I park the trailer.  I have a box in the vehicle for just this type of situation.  Making sure the vehicle was well ventilated, I left the bird there to rest while I monitored the south end of the island.

The beach was totally trashed!!  I was completely distressed at the amount of litter left behind on the shoreline and at the over flowing trash cans all along the strand.  Even if visitors wanted to discard their trash in the cans, it would not have been possible.  It was completely overwhelming and horrible!  I collected four bags of random trash including four balloons, and one beach chair.  

At the Oceanic, I found numerous Chinese Lanterns, all left behind in the sand.  A cardboard box holding the extra bags and lots of candles was left sitting on the beach grass nearby.  Our new friend Roger was on the beach and once again helped me to clean up this awful mess.  All of the debris was placed in the trash cans.  Roger also handed me the keys I had found along with the pair of pants yesterday.  Oh boy!

Chinese Lanterns littered on the beach.

Next to the Oceanic, I also found a canopy frame (I like to call them skeletons).  According to the WB ordinance, these items should not be left on the beach overnight.   The discovery was called into the NH Co. dispatch center so that the item could be tagged and removed ASAP.

On my way off the beach, I found a hat, wallet, and another set of keys on a bench at Access #11.  Geez!!  The PD is closed on Sunday, but I called NH Co. Dispatch and made arrangements to meet an officer at the door of the building so I could hand over both sets of keys and other items.  This gave me a chance to ask the officer if anyone had been found wandering around nude and drunk on Friday night or Saturday morning.  He just looked at me like I was nuts and shook his head no!  Haha!

I took the small gull to Amelia Mason (the bird rehabber) for care.  She said she thought he was perhaps an immature gull.  Hopefully he is hanging in there!

Nancy

week 12 & 13--Mellissa in zone 4

Hi Ginger. Sorry I have been so busy I haven't sent anything in.
Zone 4 
Friday July 22 - 1 bag, but picked up a lot around the cans. I think they much have been overflowing and the birds picked a bunch out.
Friday July 29 - 0, I was running too late to pick up trash. Just did my turtle walk and headed to work. Sorry!!

week 11 Joy finds overflowing cans in zone 5

Ginger

Picked up one full grocery bag but as you can see the cans seemed to be the issue.  Four of the cans in Zone 5 looked like this.  It was a sad sight.  I have also been finding balloons on the beach.  Most of the garbage I picked up was the usual, lots of plastic, a couple of bottles and a beer can.  The cigarette butts are becoming more prevalent also. 
  I was unable to copy Joy's pic for this post, but the trash can was overflowing and had trash blown all around it.

week 8 Cindy---JM Pier continues to have high trash volume

Ginger,
Well, today was the worst day so far for trash for our zone.  It may have been that I walked without my partner Gina today.  So here goes.  I picked up 4 five gallon buckets of trash today.  (= 8 bags)
There were cans, shoes, floats, shovel, 4 towels, bottle caps, bottles, chairs, boogie board, paper plates, socks, sand pails.  There were also 2 of the blue trash containers turned over near the middle of my zone. Took about 10 minutes to clean that area! ( Not included in the bucket count) The area around the pier is the worst as well as near the bathroom and gazebo. Really disgusting there........I started at 6:05 and it was almost 7:30 before I finished today.  It usually takes about 30 minutes. The fact that I was paying more attention to looking for tracks may have also slowed me down as well.
The End!!!! Ha!!!!!!
Have a good one!

Cindy

week 8 Kym Davidson has a nest and a hula hoop!!!!!

I collected 1.5 bags of recyclables & trash ysterday om zone 5...many cans were overflowing...also one bucket, one hula hoop, one flop ;) and one set of tracks!!! ;)))

week 8 Kim Meyer & Celia zone 1

In Zone 1 for Sunday, June 19th, approximately 4 bags of trash were collected.  Mostly plastic bottles, a couple cans, toys, and straws.  The trash cans were all pretty full in the area with many items around the trash cans because they were so full. 

Week 7 A lesson on Crab Mating by Julie Nichols

I always like learning new things and so I appreciate the lesson Julie shares with us below.  I have a different and profound perception of crabs now  :)


Ginger,

Well here’s my education lesson for this morning:


CRABS – Reproduction
When male and female crabs reproduce, they assume the doubler position, which is when the male carries the female. Mating lasts about five-and-a-half hours, but the crabs may stay in this position for up to three days afterward.


My apologies to the crabs I disturbed.


I subbed Zone 4 this morning (Sat. 6-18) for Nancy Faye.  An absolutely beautiful morning for a walk on the beach – OK, so EVERY morning is a beautiful morning for a walk on the beach.  I picked up 1 grocery bag of trash – mostly food packaging, cups, etc., some fireworks debris, 2 spools of kite string, a pacifier, a few children’s toys, 2 full Budweisers. I filled in a few holes with the nice wooden-handled toy shovel I found and decided to keep in the trunk of my car for future early morning walks.


Possible suggestion for Blockade Runner – their trash can was overflowing, most of it appearing to be plastic drink bottles.  This sounds like a great spot for a recycle receptacle.


There were 2 people sleeping in the edge of the dunes just past the Blockade Runner. 


On my way back I climbed the Life Guard stand and watched pelicans skim over the water and a few fishing boats on their way to a great day of angling. What a view!!  Also a great view for looking for tracks or anything that looks repetitive in the sand.


I also subbed Zone 4 Wednesday morning, gathering about 1/3 bag of trash that morning.
Julie

week 7 Kim Meyer and Celia zone 1

In Zone 1 for Sunday, June 12th, approximately 6 bags of trash were collected.  Several buckets and toys were also found.  My walking buddy, Celia and I placed them up by the lifeguard stand so perhaps they will be reused.  There are several large holes as well in that area.  Just hoping the buckets and shovels aren't used to contribute more holes!

We collected 7 water bottles and only 2 beer bottles.  You can tell when the heat starts taking its toll!  All the usual items were found today: discarded plastic bags, paper towels, handy wipes, wrappers, etc.  We did pull 2 beach towels and 1 blanket out of the sand as well. 

The trash cans close to the dunes appeared to be either empty or about 1/4th full.  However there were several around the major access points (Duneridge area) were cans were overflowing.  I hope they empty cans on Sunday morning otherwise there would be no room for sunbather's trash today.

We did find one woman on the beach with a black lab mix running wildly off-leash through the dunes.  Celia ever so politely spoke with the woman about the nests at CB that were destroyed by dogs.  The woman very politely thanked us for collecting trash on the beach, regained control of her dog, put the leash on and exited the beach.  The woman indicated she lived about a block from the beach which made me wonder how she did not know of the leash law and restricted months for which dogs could be on the beach.  Perhaps she was new to the area.  However it was one of the first things I learned as a pet owner living on the beach in the 80's. 

week 6 Kathleen Holly--zone 5 (2 days)

Last 2 walks picked up 3 1/2 gal bags trash.. Lots of Cig butts, cups, straws, kiddie shovels, 8 beer cans, 5 plastic gator aid bottles, 2 water bottles, 3 flip flops; 1 man's, 2 unrelated women's, 2 tee shirts, 1 pr men's boxers, 3 bra fillers; unrelated sizes but interesting find, 4 plastic baggies, assorted tags from purchases. 


I saw at least 4 different sets of dog tracks this am on my turtle walk; all between access 39 and Oceanic Pier.


I pick up trash over by the USCoast Guard dock on the inlet side.  I dragged 2 broken chairs, a beach umbrella and a large broken cooler last week.  The debris was still there on Tues.  I met one of the DPW fellows driving the street sweeper.  I told him the trash had been there for 5 days.  I asked if he would please let the garage know this bin hasn't been attended.  Neither were 2 other overfilled bins on the inlet side across from Masonboro Island. 

Overflowing Cans--photos by John Scott

I know we have talked about the cans overflowing several times.  The good news is that beach goers are trying to throw away their garbage.  The bad news is that they have so much garbage.  When I learned that the town collects garbage twice a day and three times on the weekend, I was shocked to know that people produce that much litter.  We have to do more education on reducing our consumption.

WB is doing what they can and they continue to consider other options.  As John points out in his post below:  the cans that are not close to the access points were not as full.  I witnessed this myself last week as some cans were overflowing and others just had one bottle in it.  So, one solution may be to place more cans at the popular access points.  Thanks for the pics as they help in talking about the issues so that we can come up with workable solutions to keep WB Clean.


Ginger,
       I went to Wrightsville Beach this morning in hopes of getting
pictures of the sunrise. When I arrived at Johnny Mercer Pier, this is what
I was greeted with. The balloon was near the surf line towards the Holiday
Inn. I did pick up the balloon, but I didn't have gloves or bags with me so
I did not pick up any of the other trash. I did notice that none of the blue
trash drums from the pier to the Holiday Inn were overflowing. I thought I'd
share the pictures with you.
       Thank you for everything you're doing with the blog.


John
www.clifephoto.com

week 5 Dewi zone 0

Walked Zone 0 this morning--- no tracks !!
Trash report
1. 3/4 grocery plastic bag full of the usual rubbish
2. The containers at the access point (3) were full, but enough to put /push one more bag in.
3. At the North end of  Zone 0 there is a small memorial type with a book and pen to write a thought down. Just before this there is an Auto tire, torn and full of sand, I could neither roll it or carry it, so I left on the side of the dune. 
Regards
Dewi Rowlands

week5 Michelle L. zone 4--overflowing recycling & 17 holes!!!!

Another report of overflowing trashcans---it seems we may need more trashcans or more trash collections.  The good news about this is that people are trying to recycle and trying to throw their trash away, they just need a place to do so.

17 holes!!!  way too many.  Dangerous for beach goers and nesting turtles!!!

Also, Michelle is the lucky volunteer to find evidence that the beach can still be "a romantic experience"---but used condoms are just gross.  Beach goers, please use safe sex, but take your condoms with you!!!


Another beautiful morning at Zone 4 on this first day of June.  I collected one FULL bag of trash.


-  1 plastic fork
-  1 plastic spoon
-  2 water bottles
-  1 beer can
-  2 toy shovels
-  1 toy squirt gun
-  4 straws
-  1 large boogie board that was washing in with the tide
-  1 12" piece of PVC pipe
-  1 used condom
-  17 holes
-  3 sand castles
-  2 grocery receipts
-  1 price tag from clothing
-  lots of small pieces of paper
-  lots of small pieces of plastic


AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST:  23 CIGARETTE BUTTS


The plastic recycling barrel by the Oceanic was overflowing!

A word about overflowing trashcans. week 5 Linda and Dick zone 1

Dick and Linda make a great suggestion about trash needing to be collected in the evening (see their comments in below in blue).  I agree and I have been involved in other conversations about this same matter.  It seems that a fair number of people are still at the beach by the last trash pick-up and when they leave, they take their garbage to the cans (at least some do) which leaves the cans overflowing.  This creates a problem as the winds blow the garbage out at night and birds scavenge in the mornings, scattering the garbage up and down the beach.

I have asked some questions about garbage collection schedules and learned that from Memorial Day to Labor Day, garbage is collected twice a day and three times a day on the weekends.  However, this is still not enough when we are all reporting overflowing trashcans.  It is really sad to think that we produce this much garbage, isn't it?

WB makes money on tourism, but there is a cost to clean up.  Hopefully, WB is continuing to assess this situation and will come up with a workable solution.  A difficult problem at times to balance costs, but overflowing trash cans is just not cool and it poses a threat to our coastal environment and wildlife.


TQ,

     Zone 1 - Linda and I had to very full grocery bags full of trash.  I think WB needs to empty the trash cans more often in that they were all overflowing on to the beach.  Since people were starting to arrive as we were leaving, it should have been done the evening before.  Just a thought.  Rgds Dick and Linda

Beautiful Morning in Zone 4 Michelle Leonard (wed 5/18)

Hi Ginger,

Today is May 18, 2011.  I did my first beach walk at Zone 4 and only found 1 soda can:)  The sun was coming up in the east and the full moon was setting in the west!  It was absolutely beautiful.  The only thing that could have been better was if the recycling barrels had been emptied.  They were overflowing with trash when I was by the Oceanic Restaurant on Monday, and still had not been emptied.  You could tell that people had been trying to keep things clean because the plastic bottles and aluminum cans were stacked around the recycling barrels.  Hopefully as the summer gets closer, the cans will be emptied more often.  No turtle tracks, but lots of hope.  Michelle

week 3 Dick and Linda Chapman (mon 5/16) zone 1

1/2 grocery bag trash

1 towel

1 boogie board

I think Nancy is right, the north end has more garbage cans whereas the south end is sorely lacking in garbage cans,  The problem is that people will use garbage cans when they have them but for them to take their garbage with them....   What a unique idea!