Dana Bay cleanup

On Saturday, 19 September, a record number of people tackled the beaches of Dana Bay, Boggomsbaai and Vleesbaai in order to participate in the worldwide coastal cleanup.

Locally, 127 adults and 12 children under the age of 12 participated in the cleanup. Old and young, friends and family joined in the cleanup.

The International Coastal Cleanup is an annual event arranged by the Ocean Conservancy, with the South African coordinator being John Kieser, the sustainability manager of Plastics SA.

It is an audited cleanup, which means a data form is completed and all the collected trash counted.

The Dana Bay event was organised by Janine Pereira from Dana Bay and René Hodges from SAPREC (the Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre) in Mossdustria, Mossel Bay.

Participlants were welcomed by the organisers to the event while adhering to the protocols of social distancing. Everyone met at Second Beach, Dana Bay at 10:00 and from there, groups of people took to the beaches.

At the conclusion of the cleanup, Marie de Klerk, the Dana Bay Ward Councillor, presented each participant with a certificate of appreciation and completion, on behalf of the Dana Bay Conservancy and SAPREC.

"It was heartwarming to see how many people joined in to help clean the beaches and in so doing, made a difference," said Pereira.

"The organisers thank each person for attending and playing a part: Mrs De Klerk, Twana and Gert at Japie Krige Estate Agents for supplying water for each participant," said Pereira. Dana Bay Conservancy and SAPREC are now registered to organise the International Beach Cleanup local leg every year.