Power Scuba Organizes Underwater Harbor Cleanup

SAN DIEGO - July 5, 2014 - PRLog -- Giant kelp forests, California sea lions, and the Garibaldi, our orange state fish, are all things a San Diego scuba diver might expect to encounter on an average local dive. But on Saturday, July 12th, an estimated 50 scuba divers will forego these sights for the day, instead diving to clean up the Sun Harbor Marina in Point Loma. Co-hosted by Power Scuba and San Diego Coastkeeper, this underwater cleanup event promises to reduce pollution and help protect sea life in San Diego Bay.

Power Scuba divers will bring their own scuba equipment and collect garbage from the marina floor. Fifteen feet above, safety support volunteers will stand by in kayaks to divert boat traffic from the area and on the docks to receive garbage as it is collected. Because the silty sediment on the marina floor stirs up easily, one careless fin kick can trigger a dangerous and disorienting silt-out: cleanup organizer Jonathan Weirick reminds volunteers that “minimizing bottom contact will be key” to avoiding such a scenario. “The silt on the bottom makes it a challenge to find items once an item is pulled out,” cautions Sun Harbor Marina General Manager Kathy OBrien, “So you can catch one thing but not be able to see the other afterward.”

Previous underwater cleanup events have recovered garbage such as cigarette butts, golf balls, plastic and glass bottles, aluminum cans, luggage, paint scrapers, skateboards, and even fireworks.

Sun Harbor is the world’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified marina in the world. In order to achieve this certification, a building project must prioritize environmental stewardship by addressing concerns like energy and water use reduction, accommodations for alternative transportation, and recycling. The cleanup event with Power Scuba and Coastkeeper takes the logical next step: Responsible stewardship of the environment below the waterline.

The Sun Harbor cleanup is part of Power Scuba’s continuing marine conservation efforts, which include beach and underwater cleanups all along the coast of San Diego and collaboration with the Reef.org marine resource monitoring program. Power Scuba supports sustainable seafood advocacy, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and anti-shark-finning campaigns.

Power Scuba is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to ocean stewardship and the preservation of our underwater environment. Comprised primarily of scuba divers, Power Scuba will educate the community, through outreach and programs, about the local underwater ecosystem which desperately needs our help. The corporation will provide a means by which divers can be more active in scuba activities while they also become attuned to the plight the ocean currently faces. Certified divers can learn more about Power Scuba’s mission and events by visiting www.powerscuba.org.