Sun Harbor Marina rid of underwater debris during volunteer cleanup

Sun Harbor Marina rid of underwater debris during volunteer cleanup

SAN DIEGO – Volunteer scuba divers and Stand Up Paddleboarders (SUP) scoured the watery floors – and surface – of Sun Harbor Marina during a special clean up day on July 12.

Hosted by Power Scuba, a non-profit scuba group, in partnership with the non-profit H2O Trash Patrol that cleans up marine debris and San Diego Coastkeeper, volunteers helped rid the marina of garbage, bird deterrents, a large drain pipe, wine glasses, umbrellas and other debris during the event.

“We do cleanups periodically and wanted to do something other than a beach dive cleanup,” said Jonathan Weirick, vice president of Power Scuba. “We wanted to see what sort of impact we could have on the harbor and the marina.”

A total of 167 pounds of trash was collected with the giant metal pipe accounting for 75 pounds of the total. Approximately 20 volunteer divers, 20 stand up paddleboarders from H2O Trash Patrol, and those on the landside helped out at the event.

“Nothing terrible like batteries or paint cans were found, so it looks like the marina tenants are doing a good job of keeping the place clean,” said Travis Prichard, Water Quality Lab manager and program director for San Diego Coastkeeper.

Sun Harbor Marina tenants also did their part during the cleanup, said Kathy O’Brien manager of Sun Harbor Marina. The marina LEED certified and cleanups are held on a routine basis to ensure the area is kept clean.

H2O Trash Patrol, a nonprofit that has a contract with Oceanside to clean up the harbor twice a week, served as surface support for underwater divers, said Patti Diaz, co-founder and executive director for the marine debris removal organization.

Another clean up is planned for Sept. 20, which correlates with Coastal Cleanup Day. For more information on cleanup events, visit powerscuba.org , sdcoastkeeper.org or h2otrashpatrol.com.

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