Calling all Boaters, Divers, & Ocean Lovers...
Reef Clean-up of the 5 Mile Reef!
Volunteers needed:
- Boats
- Divers
- Spotters/Assistants
- Collection Helpers
What: Clean-up of debris and trash on 5 Mile Reef
When: Saturday April 23rd 9AM - 2PM / Sorting, disposal, pictures and refreshments to follow @ Scuba Marco
Where: Marco’s 5 Mile Reef (2nd) Reef
Volunteer Meeting @ Scuba Marco on April 20rd @ 6:30 pm.
To Participate : Call Scuba Marco!!!! @ (239) 389-7889
Objective: To eradicate reefs of plastics and trash focusing on ghost cast nets, fishing, nylon (anchor), and polypropylene (crab trap) lines.
Game Plan: To couple dive teams with boats to target specific sites with minimal travel time (fuel consumption) with debris drop off at The Snook. All debris will be transported to Scuba Marco for sorting, pictures, and the ‘Feel Good About What We Did’ celebration.
Logistics: Any potential boat volunteers must have a competent captain (able to place their anchor on GPS coordinates) and a vigilant spotter to keep track of divers bubbles. Tarps to protect boats will be provide but owners must understand there is a greater potential for gel coat scrapes than if their boat is sitting on a lift and accept that potentiality. Boats must also have ample means for divers to re-board (ladder). Any potential dive volunteers must be certified and experienced to a reasonable comfort level, have recent dives logged, and be in satisfactory physical condition. Single dive volunteers (to be paired with a buddy) will be accepted but dive buddies (teams of 2) are preferred.
Coordination: Thursday April 20th 6:30 PM @ Scuba Marco; We will assign divers to specific boats and give out the coordinates for the spots we will be cleaning. Additionally, we will assign specific sites to teams, boat volunteers MUST have either the captain or the spotter present (both preferred). Divers MUST have at least 1 person from each buddy team present (both preferred). What to bring up and how will be addressed. What to leave will be discussed also. Standard boating and diving practices and procedures will be reviewed and our emphasis is on SAFETY! If not already friendly, captains and spotters will have an opportunity to meet divers and contact info can be exchanged and individual coordination details discussed.
Summary: We can’t clean up all the debris out there but we can make an impact and save future marine life! Lines are terrible trash, over time plants and sponges grow over them and often fishing line is wrapped all around them. When fishermen snag these lines or boaters catch anchors in them and pull up, all the life growing over them is yanked off its structure. Eradicating lines that have growth over them can be a tedious and time consuming task.