Abyss Scuba Diving Club members Dive Team Abyss joined the World Animal Protection Group for a Dive Against Debris Survey and on-land cleanup on Sunday 29th October March at Frenchman’s Bay La Perouse.

Nineteen divers, including staff, weekend regulars, World Animal Protection Group divers and welcome guests were involved with the double shore dive and picnic lunch, collecting around 12-15kg of marine debris on the first dive! The divers split into three different groups, covering the beach and adjacent rocky headland. Frenchman’s Bay is adjacent to Bare Island, one of our favourite dive locations for our regular guided shore dives, open water, advanced open water and rescue courses. Frenchman’s Bay appears to be a collection point for debris, both pushed in from currents near Bare Island and run-off from nearby recreation areas. The World Animal Protection Group collected considerably more debris on land than was found underwater!

It was a great time for the two different groups to mingle during lunch. The different dive buddy teams used the Dive Against Debris Data Cards to identify the debris for each team and these were combined for the whole group. The event was a great eye opener to observing debris underwater and giving divers hands-on experience itemising and sorting debris. The divers and everyone involved felt rewarded by the positive outcome in removing 15kg of debris at that if left could cause exponential damage. See our survey data for more details on the marine debris collected. After lunch, half a dozen divers did another survey, this time focussing on the beach area where most of the debris appears to have accumulated. Two of our divers undertaking internships also swapped from scuba to a spot of Freediving in search of some more bottles from 1930’s and 1940’s.

It was great team effort and also great to be joined by DM Geoff, who is now undertaking his Instructor Development Course. Last weekend he undertook his Freediving course, and is also planning to become a Freediving Instructor. Geoff joined in on our Dive Against Debris event on March 5th and accompanied me on his first dive following his certification as an open water diver, so best wishes for becoming a PADI Open Water Instructor by the end of the year!

Thanks to all involved, the organisers and those who participated, plus the continued support from the Project Aware staff at PADI Asia Pacific.

Yours in great diving,

Stephen Guy

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Abyss Scuba Diving

Phone:+61 2 9583 9662  |Fax:+61 2 9583 9665

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