U.S. Department of Defense
10/31/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 09:04
Sailors, Civilians Participate in Coastal Cleanup
Joint forces remove 1,160 pounds of trash from remote San Nicolas Island beach
30 October 2024
From Lt. Cmdr. Alexander "Roadtrip" Buschor
SAN NICOLAS ISLAND, Calif. - Over 60 volunteer Sailors and civilians assigned to Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW) and Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) participated in an annual coastal cleanup on the remote beaches of San Nicolas Island (SNI), the most isolated of the Calif. Channel Islands, located sixty-five miles offshore, Oct. 16, 2024.
Sailors and civilians participating in an annual coastal cleanup pose for a photo on San Nicolas Island, the most isolated of the California Channel Islands, 65 miles offshore. (ATC2 Philip Conway)
Lt. Cmdr. Alexander "Roadtrip" Buschor leads Sailors and civilians participating in an annual coastal cleanup on San Nicolas Island, the most isolated of the California Channel Islands, 65 miles offshore. (ATC2 Philip Conway)
Sailors and civilians participate in an annual coastal cleanup on San Nicolas Island, the most isolated of the California Channel Islands, 65 miles offshore. (ATC2 Philip Conway)
William "Bill" Hoyer, natural resources manager at Naval Base Ventura County, leads Sailors and civilians in an annual coastal cleanup on San Nicolas Island, the most isolated of the California Channel Islands, 65 miles offshore. (ATC2 Philip Conway)
Sailors and civilians participating in an annual coastal cleanup pose for a photo on San Nicolas Island, the most isolated of the California. Channel Islands, 65 miles offshore. (ATC2 Philip Conway)
William "Bill" Hoyer, natural resources manager, NBVC, led the cleanup operations.
"We collected over 1,160 pounds of marine debris, with the heaviest single object being a metal buoy at 109 pounds," said Hoyer. "Most debris were plastic, having washed ashore from afar, with some commercial lobster fishing gear and treated timbers also collected."
After weeks of postponed cleanups due to weather delays, the event's morning provided a brief reprieve from heavy marine layer, allowing personnel to safely transit to the island for support.
"Programs such as this one demonstrate the Navy's commitment to stewardship of natural resources," said Capt. Dan "DB" Brown, commanding officer, NBVC. "NBVC has a long tradition of supporting programs that foster community service and protect the environment while also increasing public awareness and understanding of America's Navy.
Hoyer agreed.
"SNI provides and essential breeding habitat for the California sea lion, northern elephant seal and the western snowy plover," said Hoyer. "This cleanup effort provides essential support for clean and safe environment these animals and others living on the coast need to survive."
The Navy transferred control of San Nicolas Island to NBVC Oct. 1, 2004. It's positioned within the boundary of the Point Mugu Sea Range, the largest instrumented sea range in the world, providing mission essential support to national security as a space for training and weapons testing.
NBVC is a strategically located Naval installation composed of three operating facilities: Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island. NBVC is the home of the Pacific Seabees, West Coast E-2D Hawkeyes, three warfare centers and 110 tenants.