Always a popular event, there is a barbecue afterwards and of course the satisfaction of knowing you've done the environment a bit of good. For children this year there was something extra, as my publisher Craig Potton Publishing agreed to donate a copy each of Under the Ocean and At the Beach to be spot prizes for children that helped out to be drawn at the barbecue.
Well over 100 people turned up, each family was assigned a particular part of the harbour.
The worst type of rubbish to deal with was buried, here a plastic bag was full of mud and sand it was difficult to get out. A crab ran out when I gave the bag a tug. I don't think plastic bags are much of a habitat for crabs.
Here's some of the rubbish we collected, not just bags of plastic and bits and pieces but dumped tyres too.Then came the fun bit, a barbecue and the prize draw. First little Sienna from Aotea, got a copy of At the Beach.
%2B(1).jpg)
.jpg)
They both loved the books, and I was pleased to be part of the clean up. I look forward to helping out again next year. To find out more about the Guardians of Pauatahanui Inlet here is the website http://www.gopi.org.nz/. The website includes some rainy day and educational activities for children as well as news and reports about the inlet.
