As a key provider of paddle boards and surfboards we want to conserve our oceans and beaches so the best way for that is to start local and protect our coasts by maintaining clean waters. On January 10th we put together a beach cleanup called “Sweep the Bay”. The event took place in Glorietta Bay, Coronado from 11 am to 2 o’clock which attracted friends, family and a couple canines. The day was calling for rain with covered clouds but when we showed up in the morning it was a gorgeous day with 80 degree weather.
The Dirty Truth
At first glance it may appear the waters and beaches of Glorietta Bay are trash free compared to others surrounding beaches but contrary to how it seems we collected over 50 lbs. of trash and debris from the beach and bay. Amongst all the smaller items of the trash we collected there was also an unopened six pack, a tire, couple syringes, and lots of Styrofoam and plastic. With the help from our friends at SUP Pocket it was much easier to grab and bag the debris with the attachable milk crate and net holder that could either be suctioned onto the board or hook onto the iSUP D-rings.
Bringing the Community Together
The chance of rain scared a lot of people from attending but fortunately we had a good turnout with friends, family and a bunch of locals ready to sweep the bay. In addition to a good amount of people contributing we also had a couple notorious dogs show up to lend a helping paw. The SoCal SUP Dogs made an appearance with a couple of the canines paddling with their owners. This awesome group of people are dedicated to Stand Up Paddle Boarding with their best friends and conduct SUP Dog Clinics where all the proceeds benefit local shelters and animal charities.
The Megalodon was a Mega hit
We brought our popular supersized paddle board, The Megalodon for people and pups to have fun and pick up trash in a group. Their was a group of five grown men that took the Mega out for a spin and managed to not have a single person fall off or get wet. With so much fun to be had the SoCal SUP Dogs wanted to take it out for a spin which resulted in a pack of dogs and their owners paddling around the bay. Stay tuned because in the coming weeks we will be linking up with the SoCal SUP Dogs and setting a record for the most dogs on a paddle board at the same time.
More Beach Cleanups to Come:
Since our roots began on Coronado we wanted to begin this campaign by starting at Glorietta Bay and eventually move on to other San Diego beaches that need the attention. It is a commitment as surfers and paddlers alike to pick up after ourselves as well as others to maintain and preserve our oceans. There are thousands of pounds of trash on our beaches just in San Diego and this can lead to illness, death of sea life, unsafe sand and unsightly coasts. To learn more about our beaches locally and the amount of trash that is being accumulated you can visit The San Diego Coast Keeper to see what is being collected and when local beach cleanups are happening.
About the Author - Austin Cox is the Marketing Director Isle Surf & SUP I have a passion for surfing, paddling and the ocean. I grew up surfing the chilly waters of Northern California and recently made the move to beautiful San Diego. Reach out to me if you have any questions or ideas you want to talk about.
Sweep the Bay – A Beach Cleanup by Isle Surf & SUP
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