Santa Barbara’s “Dive In” seafloor debris cleanup program planned for first week of May

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – If you have ever wondered what litter on the bottom of the ocean looks like or where it comes from, the city of Santa Barbara is offering a way to find out.

The city's 14th annual "Drive In" seafloor debris cleanup program is scheduled to take place on May 7 at the Santa Barbara Harbor.

Volunteer divers, along with roughly 40 volunteer dock workers, will remove junk from beneath A-F fingers of Marina 1, according to Chris Bell, spokesman for the city's waterfront operations.

Divers will find the junk and litter and dock volunteers will haul it up and send it off for disposal, Bell said.

In past events, volunteers have removed over 20 tons of debris from the harbor, including items such as bikes, barbeques, plastic barrels, phones, and computers.

The cleanup starts at 8 a.m. with a briefing, coffee, and donuts on the Travel Lift Pier and ends with a lunch at 11:30 a.m.

For more information about the event or to volunteer, call Bell at 805-897-1962 or visit www.santabarbaraca.gov/cleansweep.