Kaiser High School Wipeout Crew Clean Up Hanauma Bay
On Saturday November 2nd 2024, students and staff from Kaiser High School gathered at Hanauma Bay to again clean the Witches’ Brew side of the preserve. Due to the currents, the Witches’ Brew side is always the primary spot where ocean debris is deposited. Under the supervision of faculty advisor, Paul Balzas, the Wipeout Crew from Henry J. Kaiser High School worked from 8:00 – 10:00 A.M. to collect lots of plastics items and different types of debris from the beach.
The participants gathered for an orientation from Sheila Mackertich and Paul Halvorson prior to
beginning. Everyone was given plastic bags, gloves, shovels and buckets for the trash collection before
heading down to the beach.
Below are some of the thoughtful reflections on the event from Wipeout Crew members from Kaiser High
School:
From Leonard Cheung, Kaiser High Senior:
This is my third time coming to Hanauma Bay to clean up the Witches Brew area. Previous trips yielded a high amount of large pieces of garbage, which were generally easier to remove. It was pretty horrifying to look at the same area this time. Instead of the familiar color of sand, it was a field of rainbow specks everywhere, even in the water. The task looked much more grim this time around, and even after 1.5 hours of cleaning, we were unable to remove all of the significant debris with the 20 or so people there. Even then, it was a huge accomplishment as we left the area much better than when we came, but there is still work to do. I did learn a great way to remove the sand from microplastics which was to dump it in a bucket of water so it would float. Sifting through them still took a long time to do. Coolest find there was a small plastic cat with suction cups on its arms, it'll be a great gift. The amount of microplastics ending up there will only continue to increase, so any regular cleanups in the area would be much more effective than sparse, periodic ones. Even if we cannot control the actions of others, at least look out for yourself have a positive impact on the spaces around you. That is always something everyone will admire, even subconsciously.
From Kiley Freitas, Kaiser High Senior:
It was my first time at Hanauma Bay, and it was a wonderful experience. As we walked down the beach to the Witches’ Brew, I was saddened to see how much trash there truly was on the beach. It was especially concerning to see how much microplastic there was littered throughout the sand. I worked with some of my friends to pick up these small pieces, which was a new experience for me as I usually pick up large pieces of net and rope. It was fulfilling to see how the number of plastic particles in the sand dwindled during our work. Despite working for a couple of hours, we were only able to clear a very small portion of the beach. Although this was a little disheartening, it did reinforce the importance of continuing to clean our beaches, and the impact which even a few hours can have on the health of our planet. I was really grateful for the opportunity to visit this closed area of Hanauma Bay, and to be able to spend my weekend productively contributing to the community. I was also happy to be reminded of the importance of watching what we consume, and making conscious decisions to avoid non-reusables when possible.
Sabrina Pallango, Kaiser High Senior:
This was my first time attending a beach clean-up at Hanauma Bay but I have attended beach clean-ups elsewhere with the Wipeout Crew. I spent most of the morning focusing on picking up the smaller pieces of plastic that mix in with the sand. I was surprised at how much there was because I don’t remember seeing so much on the main parts of the beach. This clean-up solidified my concern for the state of our planet and makes me even more determined to do my part to help keep it clean.
Hanae Yamanishi, Kaiser High Senior:
As soon as we arrived to the shore, I was so shocked to see the amount of plastic both in the water and sand. It seemed to be almost double the amount from when we were last there in March. The highlight of my morning was seeing the beach transform only within an hour. I noticed that the further down the shore we went, the smaller the plastic became. I enjoyed being able to interact with everyone and see our hard work pay off!
Brock Jones, Kaiser High Senior:
This is my second year with the wipeout crew doing the Hanauma Bay beach cleanup and I am thrilled of what we did this year. From what I saw initially was way more than last year in trash waste. There was so much microplastics on the beach I was shocked on how much buildup was made from the past year. We shifted the sand in a bucket bulk of water so the microplastics would float to the top to be separated. I had a great time this year with the friends of Hanauma Bay and am looking forward to sharing my experience with future students here at Kaiser.
