Please join us on Saturday, September 16, 2023 Point Reyes National Seashore, in conjunction with the California Coastal Commission and Point Reyes National Seashore Association, will be sponsoring a Beach cleanup at Drakes Beach on Saturday, September 16, 2023. The cleanup will take place from 10 am to 1 pm. This is an annual effort in California, when citizens come out to help collect data and clean up our beaches. This is a family friendly event, but keep in mind that dogs and pets are prohibited at Drakes Beach. Participants should bring sunscreen, lunch and/or snacks, and their own water bottles, work gloves, and bucket. The PRNSA Bookstore at Drakes Beach sells merchandise and some pre-packaged food and drinks. Please dress in layers and be prepared for cool, coastal conditions. For more information and to pre-register, please contact Fiona O'Kelly by email. Pre-registration for single participants or families is optional but recommended. Please pre-register if you will be bringing a group of participants. RSVPPlease pre-register by emailing Ranger Fiona with a contact phone number and number of participants (please also note if any of the participants are minors). Waiver forms will be emailed to you. Participants are required to sign the California Coastal Commission's waiver form upon arrival at Drakes Beach if they haven't already done so. Walk-ups on the day of are welcome, but pre-registration is encouraged. If you plan on bringing a school class, a Scout Troop, or other group of 10 or more people, please contact Ranger Fiona at least 2 weeks in advance. 
Safety FirstSafety is our first priority for any beach cleanup. Even the cleanest-looking beach can hide dangers under the sand. Nails, broken glass, hypodermic needles…even an unexploded grenade have been found during Coastal Cleanup Days.
Thank You & Results from 2022Point Reyes National Seashore thanks the 29 adults and 22 children who helped collect 137.4 pounds of garbage and marine debris from Drakes Beach on September 17, 2022. Contact InformationFiona O'Kelly will be the beach captain for Drakes Beach. Feel free to contact Fiona O'Kelly by email if you have any questions. If you plan on bringing a school class, a Scout Troop, or other group of 10 or more people, please contact Fiona O'Kelly at least 2 weeks in advance. Other OpportunitiesVisit the California Coastal Commission's California Coastal Cleanup Day page for information about other locations. 
About California Coastal Cleanup DayCalifornia Coastal Cleanup Day is an annual event which occurs on the third Saturday of September. California Coastal Cleanup Day is the premier volunteer event focused on the marine environment in the country and is the highlight of the California Coastal Commission's year-round Adopt-A-Beach program. On this day, over 50,000 volunteers turn out to over 700 cleanup sites statewide to conduct what has been hailed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the largest garbage collection" (1993). Since the program started in 1985, over 1 million Californians have removed over 20 million pounds of debris from our state's shorelines and coast. In 2018, over 71,000 volunteers removed more than 819,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from California's beaches, lakes, and waterways. When combined with the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by The Ocean Conservancy and taking place on the same day, California Coastal Cleanup Day becomes part of one of the largest volunteer events of the year. Coming at the end of the summer beach season and right near the start of the school year, Coastal Cleanup Day is a great way for families, students, service groups, and neighbors to join together, take care of our fragile marine environment, show community support for our shared natural resources, learn about the impacts of marine debris and how we can prevent them, and to have fun. Coastal Cleanup Day is also the kick-off event for Coastweeks—three weeks of coastal and water-related events for the whole family. 
Marine Debris Art ProjectDuring the 2015 California Coastal Cleanup Day at Drakes Beach, the Marin MPA Watch team (a program coordinated by Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, California Academy of Sciences, and Point Reyes National Seashore) exhibited their Marine Debris Art Projects, created totally from trash collected off of Drakes Beach in June, July, and August of 2015. The art projects were constructed by local community groups, MPA Watch volunteers, and other community members. As of 2018, some of the artwork is still on display within the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center. Learn MoreVisit our Marine Debris page to learn more about this problem that is plaguing our oceans and what you can do to reduce the amount of trash that washes off the land and into the ocean. |
Last updated: September 17, 2022