Taking Out the Trash

If you’ve ever wondered what the bay floor under the north T-Pier looks like, 72 divers and surface support folks from throughout San Luis Obispo County, Fresno, Tulare and Hanford can tell you. The group spent a morning in September hauling trash out of the area.

Debris removed from the estuary floor
 
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), the Estuary Program and the Morro Bay Harbor Department reviewed the cleanup plan and the methods used to remove marine life from surfaced debris and return it to the bay. Volunteers did the work of the cleanup with oversight and input from event organizer, Chuck Rawlinson, and two CDFG employees who volunteered their time for the effort.

Divers surfaced a surprising array of items, including; 188 glass bottles, three plastic bottles, five beverage cans, 10 cups/plates, 12 food containers, two golf balls, one buoy/float, four crab nets/fish traps, three plastic crates, 100 ft. of fishing line, eight electronic devices such as radios, DVD and CD players, three marine batteries, five D-cell batteries, five tires, two miscellaneous car parts, 15 pieces of building material, 20 ft. of stainless steel cable, multiple sections of rope and carpet pieces, and approximately 200 pounds of metal fragments.

Divers also found a dryer, two engine blocks, steel cable and many more bottles. These items will be removed in the future as part of training exercises for the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Dive Team.
 
The dive cleanup is an annual event coordinated by Depth Perceptions Diving Services owner Chuck Rawlinson.