On Saturday morning, September 19, 2009, Duke’s Coastal Society Chapter teamed up with the North Carolina Coastal Federation and Hammocks Beach State Park to help clean up the coast. Partnering with NCCF, HBSP, and local volunteers, the Coastal Society collected and removed trash and debris from Hammocks Beach State Park’s three islands, Bear Island, Huggins Island, and Jones Island, located an hour west of the Marine Lab, in Swansboro.

We did more than just clean up trash – we also logged data on what was found throughout the day and helped to raise awareness about global marine debris issues. With the helping hands of 50 volunteers, we collected 24 bags of trash, totaling to 140 lbs. Among the stranger items removed were a golf club, chair, foam insulation, and a tomato. Good thing none of these items became marine debris!

Join us next year in cleaning up the coast! For more information, please contact Carmen Yeung at carmen.yeung@duke.edu.