Compiled by Barbara Jenman: 

A most enjoyable day was  spent by all at the big ICC Betty’s Bay Cleanup.

Not only the wind  calmed down, but what a pleasant surprise to see much less rubbish than usual on our beaches .

Thanks for everyone’s assistance on International Coastal Cleanup. We had 35 volunteers and collected 50 kg of rubbish and one cane settee.😀

Betty’s had 7 shoreline sites to cleanup, but Sunny Seas, having a rocky one did roads and drainage ditches, and hence boosted the total number of FULL bags to 61.

The weather was kind to the volunteers taking part, including a number of enthusiastic youth from 4 local schools.

Besides the normal bottle tops, hundreds of pieces of plastic bits and degrading bags, were collected. It is the balls of fishing line and builders rubble that are always a great concern. 

Some of the most unusual things collected were a long aluminium fascia board, a hearing aid, an old oystercatcher signboard, a panga and a fishing knife. 

There were 16 volunteers at Stony Point plus 5 from Draad Baai, amongst them friendly and supportive staff from CapeNature. 5 bags were collected; of note; a faded road cone, a broken plastic chair and old signage. Thanks to all, and thanks to Robert for all his great organisation. We had the cutest, spunky, and most enthusiastic learner helping us at Stony Point – in the purple top.💜 And her lovely parents and brother.

He was the winner of the artwork competition for the ICC

The five of us from Jock’s Bay also found little to pick up along our coastline apart from a fair amount of fishing line, a few condom packets, plastic bottles and snack packets and bits and pieces filling less than half a bag. We then filled three bags with the rubbish found on both sides of Clarence Drive, from Coffee on Clarence to Cliff Road. Many thanks to Wendy and Gordon, Andrea and Tony, for their enthusiasm, cheerful labouring and company!

Report from Maasbaai where 6 volunteers braved the wind and collected five bags from a very small area… an area strewn with micro-plastics but also all kinds of bigger rubbish that washed ashore…. food containers, spoons, and inner sole, lighters, pens, pencils, a soiled diaper amongst others. The area is quite dirty and lots of hours need to be put in to clean up there. A suggestion from our group was that the beach clean up be concentrated there next year… a thought. Our top volunteers were our two Porcupine Education students. Thank you for your effort. Also thank you to their teacher and our two other volunteers; you were a great team

Big thanks to John Kyser of Pringle to include us in helping with collation of data for the OCEAN CONSERVANCY and others who fight the good cause at international treaties in minimising plastic manufacturing in the world

Most unusual item collected was a hearing aid! Shame, pity the poor ex owner. They say sometimes the wind can blow them off! 

Thanks Robert for all the effort and time you put into another successful ICC.👏