Over 70 volunteers responded to Emerald Keepers’ call for an emergency beach clean-up of Delta Beach ahead of the King Tide on Thursday morning. Delta Beach is the stretch of beach that extends from just south of the Naval Amphibious Base to Fiddler’s Cove (the site of the Navy Yacht Club). The volunteers met in the parking lot at Fiddler’s Cove, received short briefs from Lt. Fyda, US Navy, and Emerald Keepers, and went right to work.
“It warms my heart to see so many people out here with their children and grandchildren cleaning the beach,” said Amy Steward, president of Emerald Keepers. “I am grateful to the Navy for allowing us to clean up the marine debris as it’s an environmental disaster for our wildlife – birds, turtles, dolphins, sea lions, invertebrates, and fish.”
Emerald Keepers reached out to the NASNI environmentalist last week to inquire if the Navy would unlock the gate so volunteers could clean the beach before hundreds of pounds of accumulated marine debris was swept back into the bay during King Tides on December 23 and 24. Receiving word late Tuesday afternoon from the Navy that they were “a go” for the following morning, Emerald Keepers immediately organized volunteers.
As the clean-up crew completed its two-hour effort, Steward explained, “It’s now up to the Navy to send light trucks to pick up the piles of bags and oversize marine debris carefully piled along vehicle tracks that parallel the shoreline above the King Tide zone.”
“While we did not come close to removing all the plastic, we made a significant dent,” added Emerald Keepers board member Sarah Jones with an air of satisfaction as she and her entire family packed-up.
Emerald Keepers wishes to thank everyone who came out to clean Delta Beach and lend a hand for an Emerald Green, Ocean Blue Coronado. We look forward to more opportunities in 2023!
