If mermaids were real (and some might debate whether they are or not), the queen of them would be islander and mom, Roberta Gehlke Lenert. Her Instagram handle is @adventure_mermaid, but I didn’t know this before it was already clear to me that her passion for the environment, and especially the water, was leagues beneath the sea.
Roberta grew up in Orange County as a water girl. For many years she, her husband, and children lived in Eastlake in the South Bay area of San Diego where she would drop her kids off at school and head to Coronado. That was the regular routine so she could hit the water. Roberta is a surfer, waterskier, paddleboarder, diver, and anything else that puts her in what seems to be her natural element. 
It’s because of this passion, along with being a mom to a Coronado Middle School daughter and a Village Elementary School son and being a teacher, that she has formed an incredible group for local Imperial Beach and Coronado kids, “Coronado Sharks and Mermaids.” It is her goal to connect children with oceans and wildlife and saving the planet and it’s absolutely free! She believes children care about the quality of the ocean water, the beaches and they want to be part of a positive change.
Her vision and goal with “Coronado Sharks and Mermaids” is to meet once a month and have each meeting consist of an educational component and a fun activity. She believes that if we keep living on the planet the way we are, the planet will not survive. She intends to invite members of the community with knowledge of the ocean and environment as well as scientists from places like Scripps Institute, the San Diego Zoo, Birch Aquarium and other professionals in these areas.
The first meet-up (which had to be re-scheduled due to the water pollution from Tijuana) is now scheduled for April 15, 2018, from 11am-1pm at the fire rings located at North Beach near Dog Beach in Coronado. The event will be a beach clean-up followed by a get to know one another, and then a day bonfire complete with the makings for s’mores. Roberta will be supplying the trash bags for clean up and the s’more goodies, all you need to bring is a hat, sunscreen, yourselves, your children and a desire to make the environment better. All ages are welcome however parents do need to stay with their children at this event.
Roberta shared with me that she and her family have been fortunate to travel around the world and enjoy the underwater wildlife. Just last week they were in Mexico where she checked a box off of her bucket list, holding an octopus.
She shares that most of the world is ocean and there is beautiful life under the sea; a lot of which is now endangered. This is one way she sees to make a positive impact and teach youth that their involvement and participation matters. She and her children also attended the March for Clean H2O last month from the Imperial Beach pier up to thebronze surfer on SeaCoast Boulevard.
You can find “Coronado Sharks and Mermaids” on Facebook. Roberta asks that you please RSVP if you will attend the beach cleanup and first meet-up event so Roberta knows how many supplies and goodies to purchase (you’ll need to join the Facebook group before RSVPing). This is a great family and community event!
