Working Together for a Clean Santa Barbara Harbor
SANTA BARBARA, CA –05/04/2011– The seafloor in any busy harbor can grow littered with lost or discarded junk, impacting boating safety, navigability and the environment. You may ask yourself, “What’s really down there, and how can we clean it up?”
Enter Santa Barbara Harbor’s Fifth Annual Operation Clean Sweep on Saturday, May 7th. A team of divers will plunge into harbor waters under Marina 1 “A” through “D” finger docks from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., supported by 25 dock workers who will cart off and catalog what the divers retrieve. They will be joined by safety boats and vessels capable of lifting heavy objects.
The City of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront Department joins Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Surfrider Foundation, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and harbor dive businesses. The public is welcomed to come down and watch the activities. It’s surprising what comes up! Each year, about two tons of seafloor junk is retrieved—traps, bicycles, steering wheels, barbecues and more. For more information contact the Harbormaster’s Office at (805) 564-5531.