COURT HOUSE – About a dozen communities are seeking volunteers to help clean the beaches across Cape May County April 25, participating in a couple of statewide programs aimed at protecting waterways.
One group, the Clean Ocean Action group, is conducting “beach sweeps” across 72 New Jersey locations, and is a leading national and regional voice working to protect waterways using science, law, research, education and citizen action. Another effort, “Adopt a Beach,” is a statewide volunteer program of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, also targeting clean waterways during their challenge March 1-April 30. Both groups sponsor cleanups in the spring and fall.
“We have a variety of habitats along our shore,” said Gretchen Whitman, director of the Cape May Nature Center and a beach captain for Clean Ocean Action.
“We have salt marshes, a rocky coastline, mud and sand beaches,” she continued. “All of these areas collect debris, especially after winter storms. Cleaning up our shore and beaches is really important in the spring to get rid of all the debris that washes up so birds, animals and people can enjoy them safely.”
According to Mark Allen, another Nature Center volunteer beach captain and lifelong resident of the area, the “worst beach debris are plastic bags and cigarette butts. People don’t realize it, but plastic bags look like jelly fish in the water. A fish swallows it, and it blows up inside of them filling their stomach. They eventually starve to death. A turtle swallows a bag and it lodges in their gullet and suffocates them.
“Plastic never goes away,” he continued. “It eventually breaks down into thousands of microscopic pieces, gets into an animal’s stomach, and never passes through. It eventually kills them.”
Allen, who works for the South Jersey Marina, recalls an incident in the late 1980s when he was flying for the New Jersey National Guard. “We would fly about 4,000-5,000 feet above the beach and ocean. I remember seeing a barge about three miles offshore discharging this brownish, greenish, dark waste into the ocean. I was so angry. Having grown up here, I was determined to do something.
“My heart is in Cape May,” he added. “And between surfing, boating and fishing, I want to protect the environment.”
As Clean Ocean Action beach captains, Whitman and Allen have undergone training to help conduct the beach sweeps safely and to catalogue the debris collected. “The Clean Ocean Action group provides a form describing the material that we collect from the water and shores,” Allen said. “This gives them a chance to quantify how much is collected of various items, such as plastic water bottles, bleach bottles, milk jugs, wooden decks that break up during a storm, cigarette butts, etc.
“The answer to getting rid of the plastic problem is not to use plastic,” Allen added, “but if you do, recycle it.”
Whitman estimates she has participated in 34 beach sweeps over 17 years, starting first as a volunteeer and now leading the Nature Center’s efforts. Another area resident, Demaris McManus, leads the beach cleaning effort in North Wildwood, although she lives about 70 miles away and comes to the shore for day-trips only.
Emelia Oleson has been coming to Cape May Point for summers since she was a year old, and has organized beach sweeps there for over 10 years. All of these leaders are committed to caring for the environment, and hope to encourage others to join them in their efforts.
“I initially got involved with the environment while in college,” McManus said. “My husband grew up in the Wildwoods and I had never been to the beach. Once we were married and had kids (they have four teenage sons), we’ve been a part of the clean ups every year. I’ve been a captain since 2009, and this is our way to give back to the environment.”
Oleson said the “close-knit Cape May Point community has really taken ownership of keeping the beaches clean, and natural. We hand-clean as much as possible to keep it as natural as possible, because raking the beach brings the fine particles to the top, which then end up blowing away.”
Oleson partners with the borough and the New Jersey Clean Communities Council’s “Adopt-a-Beach” program, who provides overall program structure and support, and publicity. They cover nine Point beaches, an area that’s approximately a mile wide between the Cape May Point State Park Lighthouse and Alexander Avenue.
“I try to encourage our volunteers, who are families, neighbors, friends from around the Point,” Oleson said. “They bring their enthusiasm and I just try to shepherd them into a productive day of cleaning and hope they’ll return in the fall.”
“Anyone can volunteer to help,” Whitman said, “for any length of time.”
In most cases, gloves and trash bags are provided, along with some refreshments. Volunteers are encouraged to dress for the weather (rain or shine) and wear hard-soled shoes. They can provide their own gloves or tools, as well.
Oleson said she tries to pair “experienced cleaners with newbies, so people know what they are doing. We don’t do the dunes, however.”
In addition to cleaning the Cape May harbor, the Nature Center volunteers will be clearing nature trails, sprucing up the gardens, picking up trash along the Center’s roads and building “discovery areas, or forts” for children to interact with nature around the grounds, according to Whitman.
“We usually have a unit from the Coast Guard base who help out, and Comcast sponsors an employee volunteer day to help us,” Whitman said. “This gives us a chance to get the heavy lifting done if we need it. It’s always great to get our community, Coast Guard and families together to give back.”
While most of the clean ups will occur from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. April 25, volunteers are encouraged to arrive early so the leaders will know how many volunteers are present, and assign them to certain areas. Large groups should notify leaders, as well, to ensure there are enough supplies and refreshments available.
For Cape May Point, Oleson asked that volunteers register between 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. behind borough hall at the state park or email avanheeswyk@capemaypoint.org ahead of time. For other beaches, volunteers can register at http://goo.gl/PZ0F8o (case sensitive) or just show up that morning at the designated locations.
Beach Sweep Locations
According to the Clean Ocean Action website, the following Cape May County locations are conducting beach sweeps April 25 and need volunteers:
* Avalon – 32nd St. South (Uncle Bill’s Cake and Steak House: 3189 Dune Drive, meeting location will be south of this restaurant closer to the beach on the ocean side.)
* Cape May – Nature Center of Cape May (1600 Delaware Ave.) and 2nd Ave. Beach (Jetty Motel: 2nd Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204)
* Lower Township – Lincoln Blvd. and Beach Dr., North Cape May
* Del Haven – Sunray Beach (meeting at Sunray Beach at the end of N. Delaware Ave., and follow the path to the beach)
* North Wildwood – 15th Avenue at Beach Patrol Building (Lifeguard Building: 15th Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ 08260)
* Ocean City -Music Pier – 9th & Boardwalk (Moorlyn Terrace, NJ 08226) and 58th Street Pavilion
* Sea Isle City – John F. Kennedy Boulevard Beach
* Stone Harbor – 96th Street Beach (Stone Harbor Womens Civic Club- 96th Street, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247)
* Wildwood – Poplar Avenue Beach (Groff’s Restaurant – 423 E. Magnolia Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260)
* Wildwood Crest – Centennial Park (Atlantic and Fern)
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.
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