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On Sunday, March 3rd volunteers joined together to help clean our local piece of heaven, Catalina Island, during the 5th “Jornada de Limpieza Litoral y Fondo Marino” (Clean-up day).
The location of the windward coast of Catalina Island subjects it to large amounts of refuse transported by the currents and surface circulation created by the unique characteristics of the Mona Passage and the meeting of the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans. Not only is Catalina Island the final resting spot of the Quedagh Merchant, pirate ship of notorious pirate Captain Kidd, it is also an important and popular tourist destination – which is why preserving this local jewel remains a priority for residents, hotels and businesses – as well as the La Romana – Bayahibe Tourism Cluster.
Children, teenagers, and adults came together for a day of service and fun resulting in 84 volunteers and a team of seven certified divers who collected approximately 4,120 pounds of trash. Volunteers from the local Bayahibe school, the Iberostar, Viva Wyndham Dominicus and Dreams hotels, FUNDEMAR (The Dominican Foundation for Marine Research), Gri Gri Divers, the Casa de Campo community, and many other La Romana and Bayahibe locals enthusiastically participated in this biannual event.
As a certified diver, I took immense pride in my contribution to preserve and beautify our most popular tourist destination. In addition to the normal plastic and bottles, I collected shoes, car mats, toys, and even pieces of lawn furniture. Thanks to the coordination effort of Cluster Turistico de La Romana – Bayahibe (the La Romana – Bayahibe Tourism Cluster), we were ensured a safe and productive morning making Catalina’s shore and ocean cleaner for fish and visitors alike.
Divers clean-up the ocean floor around Catalina Island
