Getting a Little Help from Your Friends

The Dive Friends Bonaire quarterly cleanup dive in July saw a record volunteer turnout when 122 locals and vacationers gathered to remove trash from the waters surrounding Town Pier.

A successful dive, participants removed 2,171 pieces of trash from the site, including everything from cans to carpet to clothing.

“We always find a lot of beer bottles and fishing line. Also cell phones and underpants...This time someone found a Speedo!” Carolyn Caporusso of Dive Friends Bonaire said.

Divers also found several toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste, although discovering plastic grocery bags, which sea turtles often mistake for food, wasn’t something to smile about.

“Luckily, most of the larger grocery stores on Bonaire do not give out plastic bags, so we don’t normally find any,” Caporusso said. “However, we found sixteen on this cleanup dive, so it’s something to watch out for.”

Dive Friends looks out for marine life in every step of the cleanup dive. Before entering the water, divers are briefed on how to properly check and remove trash to prevent inadvertent harm to any creatures or themselves. Even after the dive, volunteers continue eco-friendly acts.

“We host a potluck BBQ for all of our volunteers after the dive and we refuse to use any plastic disposable plates, cups or cutlery,” Caporusso said. “It takes us hours to do the washing up!”

From the cleanup to the washing up, Dive Friends endeavors to reduce waste and make it easy for people to recycle and properly dispose of trash in order “to keep Bonaire blue and beautiful for all of our divers and snorkelers!” Caporusso said.

“I hope that our volunteers feel a great sense of accomplishment because they had a positive effect on our marine environment,” Caporusso said.

To learn more and find out how you can get involved with the clean-ups visit dive-friends-bonaire.com/activities.html#cleanups