Catalina Island News

34th Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup is a Big Success

2015-03-18
Catalina Island Conservancy

The 34th Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup was a big success with nearly 550 participants contributing to a one-day effort that recovered and removed nearly 3,000 pounds of trash from the waters surrounding Catalina Island. It was a great day of diving, enjoying Catalina and helping ensure the health of the ocean environment surrounding the Island we all love.

The divers recovered a great deal of debris from the December 30, 2014 storm. The proceeds from the event help support the Catalina Island Conservancy and the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber.

This event would not be possible without the help of the volunteers, the Kayak Safety Patrol and the Harbor Department. We send out  a big thank you to all of them and to the more than 400 divers who helped clean up the waters surrounding Catalina.

The divers recovered many odd items, and they had a great deal of fun comparing their discoveries. The Conservancy has been honored to have worked with the dive community for so many years to make the Annual Avalon Underwater Cleanup one of the region’s biggest and best dive events. A big thank you to Bob Kennedy from Scuba Luv who helped organized the removal of the large debris, and Jill Boivin and Tom Turney, the key volunteers for this event.

Statistics on the Underwater Cleanup and the many awards:

Trash
  Metal: 90 lbs
  Boat Parts: 1,640 lbs
  Trash: 400 lbs
Total: 2,940 lbs

Participants
  Divers: 427
  Non-Divers: 30
  Volunteers: 30
  Kayak Safety Patrol: 26
  Harbor Dept. 30
Total: 543

Awards

Clothing From the Green Pier,
Children's Alien underwear...from Little Green Mens' children?
Recovered by Judy Spowart

Electrical From Casino Pointt
Pioneer Brand Dual Cassette Tape Deck, only high quality for this trash award
Recovered by Alan Glazer

Funniest From Lovers Cove
Can of snuff...hmmmmmm
Recovered by Doug Lasater

Household From Casino Point
Twin size Air Bed - punctured
Rachel Hunt

Kitchen From Step Beach
Related Kitchen Sink--Looks Like this time they found everything including......
Recovered by Thomas Lance

Miscellaneous From Lover's Cove
Aeronautical A B17 Tail Tire - but no tail!
Recovered by Jonathon Lee

Oldest From the Green Pier
A 1904 Indian Head Penny, so sand abraded, that the Indian head could only be seen while it was wet
Recovered by Joe Kiszeli

Perverted From The Green Pier
Black jockey shorts in a toilet - but no tank top!
Recovered by Dudley McLaughlin

Tiniest From the Green Pier
Tiny yellow bead in a little box
Ruth Harris

Sporting From Casino Point
Goods Really old diving mask, old style black skirt with front "pig snout" purge
Recovered by John Dzamba

Valuable From Step Beach
Anheuser Busch Beer Bottle from 1907
Recovered by Eric Frasco

Worthless From Lover's Cove
Dull, rusted old pocket knife
Recovered by Ari Spanos

Most Spirited From the Green Pier
Dive Team Married yesterday and spent the first day of their honeymoon diving for trash!
Lindsay and Scott Boatman

Critter Patrol From the Green Pier
"4 Octopus Rescue" - 11 years old, concern for the ocean - taking the animals back to the water!
Ari Bletnitsky

The Ken Kurtis Silver Tongued Devil B.S. Award "Submarine Shrinkage"
The Octopus found in a model submarine in Cold water and the shrinkage....you had to be there
Winner: Debra Hill

Jon Hardy Safety Award For diving accident investigations and Why Divers Die seminars: Captain John Kades, Los Angeles County Coroners Office

By Spencer Campbell
Catalina Island Conservancy Development Manager