A young Port Alfred surfer’s beach cleanup initiative is helping to create awareness around the benefits of keeping beaches clean and the risks disposed plastics pose to ocean life.
Bekie Downey who surfs out of the Kowie Boardriders club attracted about 15 concerned residents to her third beach cleanup initiative at Port Alfred’s Kelly’s Beach on Saturday.
Downey has already hosted two successful cleanups around the East Beach and West Beach areas and there are plans to expand it every quarter.
”I’ve noticed a lot of rubbish in the ocean when I surf and I know the negative effect it has on the environment. I’m just doing my bit to keep it under control,” she said before her intrepid group of helpers prepared for their morning cleanup.
“For example, I noticed a lot of fishing equipment at Kelly’s when I did the beach cleanup and it was just like fishing hooks, lures and fishing lines tied up around coral and caught up in the rocks, so maybe it could be highlighted to the fishermen and hopefully it could get their attention to pick up their equipment after they have fished.”
Downey says however it is an eye-opener to see beach-goers walking the beach and picking up litter of their own accord and encouraged more people out on walks to get involved in clearing up local shores of plastic and other items.
“I noticed for example a couple walking on the beach picking up beach plastic and rubbish, who weren’t part of our group and am very proud of them doing it on their own. It is pretty simple actually just to pick up rubbish while you’re walking the beach.”
“For the future I’d like to spread the project to a wider area along the coastline … we can target places that need it the most,” she added.
Downey gave notice that the litter in the ocean and on the beaches impacted the surfers negatively.
“Yes it does affect the surfers … because all surfers have a passion for the ocean but the sewage is the biggest problem of all. The litter is not a huge problem in Port Alfred at the moment but the sewage is the biggest problem.”
Downey’s creative spark shines through with the different products she carves out from the items her group retrieves from the beaches, from bangles to earrings. “We’re just doing our bit to increase our footprint and to help save our planet for future generations.”
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, June 27, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
