Last October, I went on a field trip with the Ocean Club to participate in a beach cleanup at Seaside Beach. This was my first time ever doing a beach cleanup like this, and it was honestly such a fun experience. I definitely recommend joining the Ocean Club and taking part in something like this with friends because who doesn’t like to be at the beach with friends?
While it was cold the day we went, I bundled up in a comfortable sweatshirt and sweatpants, which did the job perfectly. I was so excited to be at the beach in October and have the responsibility of preserving our beautiful ocean. Unfortunately, I was appalled at the amount of trash that people just leave behind on the beach, and I find it so upsetting that I found as much trash as I did.
My friend and I had this huge garbage bag, and we filled it all the way to the top in just an hour because of the litter we found in the sand dunes and buried in the sand. We found a variety of items from cigarettes to beer bottles, plastic bags, and even a used syringe, which was the most disgusting thing that anyone found all day.
After participating in the beach sweep, I felt so accomplished because not only did I get to spend my day in my happy place, but I was also doing my part in keeping our beaches clean and beautiful. As locals here on the Jersey Shore, I feel that it is our responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of our beaches, and even going out of your way to clean up just a single piece of trash helps. Garbage is really deadly to our environment and to all the animals who get tricked into thinking that a piece of trash is food.
In addition to the feelings of happiness and accomplishment, I also received some volunteer hours, and we even got to eat brunch at the Sand Castle Diner afterward, which was absolutely delicious. The beach sweeps that the Ocean Club participates in are early in the morning, so that it won’t interrupt any plans later in the day.
As I stated before, I recommend anyone and everyone join the Ocean Club because they go on some awesome field trips during the year, you get volunteer hours, and it’s just such an enjoyable experience to learn new facts about the ocean and to be a part of an organization that cares so deeply about keeping our beaches clean.
