by Tami Pokorny
Last April, during the Washington Coast Cleanup, over 1,400 volunteers removed at least 20 tons of trash from more than 50 beaches on the outer coast and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Registration is now open for the Washington Coast Cleanup to be held on Saturday, April 29.
We will be cleaning many of the same beaches as in the past, but new this year, will be the opportunity to recycle some of the plastics that are collected due to a partnership with TerraCycle. Stay tuned to learn more about this opportunity. If you want to help specifically with sorting recyclables at one of the beach stations, let us know and we’ll see if there’s a location where we can put you to work!
Post Cleanup BBQ’s
We appreciate all the time, energy and gas money that volunteers contribute to come to the coast and that’s why we provide barbecues in a range of locations. The following are some great opportunities to rub elbows with fellow beach cleaners and get some good food too:
• Hobuck Beach Resort (near Neah Bay): Surfrider Foundation (12-3 p.m.)
• Chito Beach Resort (near Clallam Bay): Lions Club (12-3 p.m.)
• Ozette Ranger Station: Friends of Olympic National Park (12-6 p.m.)
• Lost Resort (near Ozette): Rob’s Famous Bean Soup (12-3 p.m.)
• Three Rivers Fire Station (Near Forks): Surfrider Foundation (12-3 p.m.)
• Kalaloch Campground: Kalaloch Lodge (12-3 p.m.)
• Twin Harbors State Park (near Westport): Surfrider Foundation (12-3 p.m.)
• Peninsula Senior Center (Klipsan Beach) Soup Feed: (12-1:30 p.m.)
Free Camping
Front country camping at the coastal campgrounds is on a first-come, first-served basis, and camping will be free for Cleanup participants on the nights of Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29. If you will be wilderness camping within Olympic National Park, you’ll need to check in at the Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles to get your permit, but camping and permit fees will be waived for Cleanup participants on the nights of April 28-29. The park will also waive all wilderness permit fees and entrance fees for coastal areas during the Cleanup for participants. The WIC in Port Angeles will be open from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. For directions, trail status and other info, call the WIC at 360-565-3100 or see the WIC website.
Film Festival
If you are in the Forks area for the Cleanup, you will have a unique opportunity to take in the River and Ocean Film Festival at the Rainforest Arts Center from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 29. This event is free and open to the public, no registration is required. The River and Ocean Film Festival is presented each year by the North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee, Washington Sea Grant and partners and offers film explorations of our regional rivers and oceans. The films highlight the beauty and opportunity of this region and the issues facing its marine and freshwater habitats.
Want to Help Clean Beaches Without
Leaving the House?
We understand that not everyone can spend a day on the coast participating in a beach cleanup. If you value clean and beautiful beaches but are unable to join us for whatever reason, you still can support our efforts by making a donation to support Washington CoastSavers. We are a program under Discover Your Northwest which is a 501(c)(3) so your donation will go directly to keeping the coast clean. To support our efforts go to http://www.discovernw.org/ select donate.
