Suncoast Aqua Ventures’ (SAV) work can be summed up in three words: “Dive. Preserve. Serve.” But this group of divers does so much more. Their work in cleaning up our coastal islands, shorelines and underwater reefs cannot be overstated. Now Anna Maria residents have the opportunity to join in a cleanup in their own “backyard.”
On Saturday, Sept. 27, they will set their sights on Egmont Key, which is still littered with trash after the 2024 hurricane season. Join in an effort to clean up debris and restore this treasured island! This event is not like the usual beach cleanups they host. This cleanup will be focusing on removing large debris from the interior and shoreline of the island and hauling it away on barges. Volunteers should be aware that there are no services, including bathrooms, on the island. Volunteers must be 16 years or older and physically able to withstand four-plus hours in the September heat. SAV will have a reprieve station set up at check-in where volunteers can grab some shade, Gatorade, snacks and water refills.
Volunteers can meet on Egmont Key with their own boat or get a free ride to the island from one of the following vessels:
- Hubbard’s Marina Ferry (departing from Fort De Soto, Tierra Verde, Florida);
- Riverside Tours (departing from Regatta Point Marina, Palmetto, Florida); and
- AMI Dolphin Tours (departing from Waterline Villas and Marina, Anna Maria Island, Florida).
Registration aboard the ferries is free but limited, so sign up each individual in your party as soon as possible. Volunteers will not be able to board without a valid registration. To board the ferry, you must be physically capable of disembarking from a semi-mobile ramp on the shoreline or climbing down a ladder. Information about meeting time and other ferry logistics will be communicated through email, so be sure to register with an email that you check regularly.
Free lunch and snacks will be provided for all volunteers as payment for their hard work.
For more information, email Cheryl Huntsinger at suncoastaquaventures@gmail.com or Sheila Scolaro at sscolaro@tbep.org.
For more information about Egmont Key, visit: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/egmont-key-state-park.
