AVALON— The Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup, one of the most popular scuba events in the state, will return for its 42nd year from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24.
The Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup is a tradition that started in the 1970s as a community effort to protect the health of the kelp forest ecosystems along the coast of Catalina Island. This year, Catalina Divers Supply is happy to continue that tradition alongside the Rotary Club of Avalon and USC’s Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. As the only time scuba diving is allowed in Avalon Harbor, this cleanup gives California divers the opportunity to hop in and explore this site every year while making a positive impact by collecting debris along the way.
More than 500 divers and about 100 volunteers regularly participate. Divers will enter the water starting at 9 a.m. to begin cleaning. They are required to complete their dive by 11 a.m. An awards ceremony and prize raffle will be held in the early afternoon with special recognition of partners, sponsors and volunteers. Over the years, tons of trash have been removed from the ocean with an average of 3,000 pounds of debris collected at each cleanup.
By working with PADI AWARE, this event contributes to critical research on the range and distribution of marine debris in oceans around the world. With their Dive Against Debris program, PADI AWARE houses the largest underwater citizen science database for marine debris on the planet. The Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup provides key data to this database every year and the team at Catalina Divers Supply is eager to continue these conservation efforts.
The cleanup doesn’t just remove debris from Avalon Harbor, it also supports two important nonprofits. Proceeds will continue to benefit the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, an essential life-saving medical facility, located at Two Harbors on Catalina Island, for the treatment of injured divers. Funds raised during the cleanup also will be donated to the Avalon Casino Improvement Project, an ongoing campaign for comprehensive improvements to the Casino Dive Park. Plans include rebuilding the wall and installing tables and chairs.
Early bird registration for scuba divers is $45. Registration for non-divers is $30. For more information visit www.AvalonHarborCleanup.org.
