Our Daily Ocean: Day 63

On Friday, my family and I went to Access 4 for my husband to get his SUP on.   Access 4 (known as "L shaped lot"), is at the far north end of Wrightsville Beach.  I've made a conscious decision to not go to the north end of the beach very often as I've found the middle section of the beach to need the 20 minute clean ups the most.  Before Friday, we hadn't been to 4 since filming and haven't done a clean up there since our 25th clean up back in December!!

The other day, I was reading one of my favorite blogs "The Flotsam Diaries."  Normally one to blog about his discoveries on his local beach in Maine... Harry left Maine to do an archeological excavation.  As usual, Harry shares his observations... but this time while uncovering the "trash" of a forgotten society he makes the connection that their trash is only valuable because it is SO rare.  Being that the trash that our modern day society is creating isn't at all rare....I wonder what archeologists of the future will uncover about us??

But... we don't have to be archeologists in the future to tell a story about a people in a time or place.  Take access 4, for example.  I commonly refer to access 4 as the "family access."  AND... one 20 minute clean up is enough for the trash to prove it.  The number one kid related item that we found were juice box straw wrappers.  I think I've said this a million times... but just in case anyone has missed it.  I get why parents buy juice boxes.  They're super convenient and kids like them.  In fact, my kids used to love them.  BUT... as convenient as they are, there's another super convenient option.  We take reusable water bottles to the beach.  We can fill them with whatever we want and best of all there's no (accidental) littering.

More signs of families... especially kids were everywhere.  I especially love this volcano that I came across. The cigarette butt.... not so much. :(

Whenever I find band-aids on the beach... I immediately think of my friend Sara, who writes The Daily Ocean blog.  She always wonders why people wear them to the beach... they come off in the shower.  Hmmm.... Speaking of Sara.  To date, I've added 97 lbs 2.2 oz to The Daily Ocean Community Count.  Anyone can and is encouraged to add to The Daily Ocean Community Collection Count... go here to learn how :)

20 minutes on May 13, 2011 at Access 4

Litter by weight: 14 oz
Cigarette butt: 112

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 63 days:

17,608