Plastic Shoreline

Date: 25/4/2012
Location: Spain Bay
Rubbish of the Day: Toy Soldier
Species of the Day: Wedge-tailed Eagle

Early morning move to Spain Bay before bringing the bbq's out for a breakfast fry-up. Eggs and bacon must have gone to Dayna's head as she offered the Breaksea crew up for the first assault of the beach in the north east corner. It was rope strings vs plastic confetti in a gruelling four hour battle but 9533 pieces later it was Harb's toy soldier that won the immunity prize. Velocity team steam-cleaned the
rest of the beach and a late lunch left everyone rolling around, this time nothing to do with the waves. A beautiful afternoon cruise through the narrows replenished Velocity's water supply while Miles and Karen went for a paddle to Caroline Rock in flat seas.
--

This e-mail was delivered via satellite phone using GMN's
XGate software. Please be kind and keep your replies short.

Both sides of the Giblin

Date:24/4/2012
Location: Grassys & The Giblin
Rubbish of the Day: Brazilian Water Bottle
Species of the Day: Hooded Plover

The crews were up early for a 5:30 start after a very rolly night and were greeted to a spectacular sunrise and lightning show. The mamatus clouds were incredible and very foreboding and the cumulus stacks towered above the horizon. The boats headed on a three hour steam north for the Giblin. The Cheiftan G threw the pots while the Breaksea crew started a long slog gathering and hauling rubbish around the rocks south from the River. Most of the Velocity crew hit the water for a morning surf at Grassys. After a belated bacon bakeup is was back to the dirty beach for everyone for flotsam madness. The team then scoured the beach from end to end under sunny skies and we ended up with about 3 cubic metres of assorted treasures including a massive piece of blue rope. The count ended at 11.30. Everyone will sleep well tonight.
--
This e-mail was delivered via satellite phone using GMN's
XGate software. Please be kind and keep your replies short.

Westward Bound

Date: 23/4/2012
Location: West from Dover to Port Davey
Rubbish of the Day: NA Travelling
Species of the Day: Fairy Prions

An 8:30 meeting at Chateau d'Spikey saw the previous days' shopping and most crew members decanted into cars for the drive to Dover. Meanwhile Sarah and Dayna racked up another impressive credit card bill at Hill Street Grocers packing in the fresh fruit and veg and adding the final touches to what had been an epic two day shopping effort. Arriving at Dover the Patagonia lads whipped out a huge selection of fancy new threads for us all - hats, beanies, fleece jackets and shirts. Impressive!

A few more ute and carloads of food/surfboards/people were divided amongst the three boats - Velocity, Chieftan G and Breaksea - and we were up up and away off around the coast for the big adventure. Rounding the southern coast a few crew dinners came back up the wrong way, now as humble offerings to whatever creatures lay below.
--
This e-mail was delivered via satellite phone using GMN's
XGate software. Please be kind and keep your replies short.

Last Minute checks

The team had a productive day collecting the Patagonia crew from the airport and letting them loose in Hobart for the afternoon. Meanwhile Dayna, SP, Spike, Matt and Harbs stocked up the dry stores at the Hill Street Grocer, filling many a little trolley that were packed neatly in boxes by the staff all ready for the boats. The generous folk discounted our substantial resupply to boot!.

Day of provisioning and the weather looks good

We spent the day picking up some of the gear for the cleanup crew. First stop was from Victor at Red Herring to collect the goodies Glen Casey from Patagonia had sent down for the Skippers and Volunteers, Dave scored himself a new winter wetty. Next stop off to Roberts to get the pegs for the erosion monitoring transects we hope to put in at the various various beaches we visit. Then we maxed out the Card at the longest cleanup sponsor the Wursthaus, filling two eski's with gourmet tucker. Kent loaded it all in the Refrigerated van and took it down to the Cheiftan G at Dover which had just returned from the West Coast with a load of Crayfish.

Cleanup2012 - Target 100,000 Items

The boats and crew are organised and with the largest volunteer fleet in the cleanups history we should be able to pass 100,000 items collected and documented. Its taken 14 years, thousands of hours and a few sore backs but if the weathers kind we are looking good to pass the milestone.

This year the fleet welcomes the 'Breaksea' skippered by Darren Clark. This beatiful canoe stern vessel will carry 5 volunteers and good mate Rory Saunders to assist in the cleanup. Along with the Velocity, Cheiftan G and the Rebecca Bay we will have aound 25 pairs of hands beautifing the beaches.

From washed up rubbish to gallery art - ABC Mid West WA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

From washed up rubbish to gallery art - ABC Mid West WA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation