I can't count how many clean up dives we've made since starting The Dive Bus. Back in the day, we cleared literally dumpster-loads of trash from the reef: miles of fishing line, tires, plastic garden chairs, cooking pots, discarded clothing, someone's personal porn DVD collection (seriously!) and so much more.
These days, we're really proud that it's down to one or two 10-gallon garbage bags full on The Dive Bus clean ups. This is a good thing.
But it's only not about the quantity of garbage dumped in the ocean, but the harm caused by the garbage.
On our recent Project AWARE clean up dive (more on that coming soon), Mascha, one of our new Dive Bus crew members, and buddy/husband Wilco (Roger, Roger, Ten Four) were carefully reeling in a fresh piece of fishing line that was snaking over the reef. Suddenly she froze as she realized there was an extremely exhausted Spotted Moray attached to the end of it.
Mascha, one of our new Dive Bus crew members, and buddy/husband Wilco (aka Roger, Roger, Ten Four) were carefully reeling in a fresh piece of fishing line that was snaking over the reef. Suddenly she froze as she realized there was an extremely exhausted Spotted Moray attached to the end of it.
With my ever-present line cutter in hand, I swooped in and cut the line and released the poor critter. Ever so slowly, the moray gathered its wits before swimming off in search of cover, getting progressively faster as it went.
Garbage - including discarded fishing line and hooks particularly - can kill. So next time you're diving, snorkeling or just having a swim, remember that picking up just one piece of trash from the beach or ocean may save the life of an ocean critter.
~ Marky-Mark, Moray-Rescuer signing out
(P.S. Great job, Mascha + Roger Roger)
