A joint effort between local businesses, the Catalina Island Conservancy, and Avalon Schools proves a major success. On Saturday, Sept. 14, a small group of teachers and students took off in kayaks to clean the remote beaches of Catalina Island.
During the winter of last year, a violent storm caused the crash of five different boats off the coast of Catalina Island. These vessels left debris scattered about the coastline; little has been done to clear up the remnants of these collisions.
The debris, which is still found in great quantities, ranges from fiberglass to stereos and cookware from the crashed boats. Slabs of wood and assorted wires still clutter the beaches and prove an eyesore for those who frequent the rocky coves.
The detritus is also impacting local businesses; Descanso Beach Ocean Sports, a local rental company, frequently guides tours through the area and has tried to clean the beaches themselves.
However, the rubble remains and continues to hurt local businesses. In hopes of clearing the beaches and bringing some attention to this problem, the company kindly contributed four kayaks to the groups of volunteers who planned on cleaning the beach.
The cleanup effort proved fruitful, as eight bags of trash were collected from one small cove. More debris still remains and a larger group of volunteers with access to more resources will be needed to completely clear the beaches.
Still, the group of volunteers has taken the first step in a long process and hopes are high that the debris can be removed and the beaches will be restored to their former glory.
