Skip to main content

Tag: Suncoast Aqua Ventures

Volunteers clean up Egmont Key

Volunteers clean up Egmont Key

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Reel Time.

Egmont Key, located just north of Anna Maria at the mouth of Tampa Bay, has a rich and diverse history. For centuries, it was a landmark for native peoples and Spanish explorers on Florida’s Gulf coast.

Due to increased shipping in the area and numerous groundings, a lighthouse was built in 1848. When the Great Hurricane of 1848 struck that September, tides 15 feet above normal washed over the island and damaged the lighthouse.

Another storm did additional damage, prompting Congress to appropriate funds to rebuild the lightkeeper’s residence and the lighthouse. In 1858, the lighthouse was reconstructed to “withstand any storm.” That lighthouse stands today as one of Florida’s oldest.

During the Third Seminole War in the 1850s, the island was used as a military outpost. In the Civil War, Confederate forces briefly occupied it before Union troops took control. During the Spanish-American War of 1898, Egmont gained importance when Fort Dade was constructed as a massive coastal defense system designed to protect Tampa Bay. Gun batteries, brick roads and buildings which thrived with military activity were abandoned by 1923.

Egmont’s history also had an ignoble chapter when it served as a holding site for Seminole Indian prisoners before their forced removal west. Today, most of the island is a National Wildlife Refuge and state park, preserving both its natural beauty and historic ruins while also providing sanctuary for birds, gopher tortoises and sea turtles.

On Sept. 27, Suncoast Aqua Ventures (SAV) helped preserve this rich ecosystem by conducting the Great Egmont Key Cleanup. Suncoast Aqua Ventures, along with The Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Egmont Key Alliance, had collaborated for three months to plan this large scale and desperately needed cleanup. Most of the debris removed from the island was storm-related debris washed ashore during Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year. In total, volunteers removed over 23,240 pounds of debris.

Volunteers clean up Egmont Key
The Great Egmont Key Cleanup netted more than 11 tons of debris and trash. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Unfortunately, seeing the piles of debris people had collected and staged over the past year in anticipation of the cleanup prompted some weekend visitors to add their daily picnic trash to these piles. Seeing the bins, upright with trash in them, gave the illusion that there was a regular trash pick out there, which there isn’t! In fact, there have been no park rangers or harbor pilots living on the island since the storms. Their small communities were completely destroyed.

Visiting the Island frequently and watching these piles grow week to week prompted SAV President Cheryl Huntsinger to start reaching out to Tampa Bay area partners for assistance. The three organizations came together with local citizens, including many from Anna Maria, to pull off the largest one day cleanup of Egmont Key in many years.

Over 250 volunteers registered to ride out on three different ferries, including Anna Maria Dolphin Tours. In addition, over 100 people came on private vessels. Numerous partners provided support with dumpsters, barges and boats to haul the trash and two boats with cranes to lift the heavy bags from the beach to transport vessels. SAV provided all the supplies needed, transportation for over 120 passengers and a fantastic free lunch as a reward for our volunteer efforts.

A great deal of the cleanup was accomplished with volunteers filling three dumpsters and boats making a total of nine trips to the mainland with trash. Unfortunately, building sea conditions in the afternoon halted progress, so there are still piles of debris on the beach that needs to be removed. SAV is watching weather conditions and coordinating with their partners to return and remove the remaining debris from the west side of the island.

SAV also hopes to be allowed access to the bird sanctuaries before nesting season starts again. These areas were off limits to volunteers but needs attention as well.

All in all, it was a great day for everyone who participated. Islanders who enjoy Egmont are encouraged to take their trash home with them and help remove the remaining debris.

Reel Time: The Great Egmont Key Cleanup

Reel Time: The Great Egmont Key Cleanup

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time, Water Quality.

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.

Get involved this summer

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Feature, Outdoors, Reel Time.

With summer fast approaching, there’s time on the horizon when we have the freedom from school schedules, extracurricular activities and many of our daily routines and have the time to fish more and to get involved in worthwhile projects.

We’re blessed here to have a community of organizations, anglers and individuals who care for and appreciate this amazing place we call home. If you have some time on your hands and/or are looking for ways to help protect, defend and nourish our local waters and habitat, here are a few of the organizations that have that mission and provide those opportunities. Add these links to a list of your favorites to join and check in regularly to see and get involved in their good works. Getting involved not only provides a sense of “doing the right thing” but can offer an opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Here is a list of a few of the major players in our watershed and a link to their websites.

Suncoast Waterkeeper’s (SCWK) mission is to protect and restore the waters on the Florida Suncoast for the benefit of all through community and stakeholder engagement, environmental monitoring, advocacy, and responsible legal action. Their priorities are to ensure that appropriate laws are being followed and to take corrective action when they are not. SCWK’s work is supported by science, the appropriate statutes and environmental ethics, while always seeking to prevent environmental damage wherever possible. The main focus of the group is scientific environmental monitoring, community engagement, advocacy, and, when necessary, taking responsible legal action.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is dedicated to restoring coastal ecosystems through citizen participation. You can become an active participant by joining as a member and volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s ongoing effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. SBW believes a sustainable ecosystem to be one that most closely resembles its natural state absent human influences, and to the greatest extent possible, one that maintains its balance of species and habitat quality in harmony with human communities. This requires both the education and active stewardship of our human communities. SBW works towards its mission with youth education, cleanups, clam restoration and much more.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures (SAV) stated mission is to keep our coastal and underwater ecosystems free from human trash and debris. They initiate and participate in numerous cleanups throughout the year to promote this cause. In the past SAV hosted the Gene Cloud Memorial Spearfishing Tournament. Those events raised over $82,000 to benefit All Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children. Their efforts are now focused entirely on cleanup events. They partner with numerous organizations like Keep Manatee Beautiful, Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Suncoast Reef Rovers with their planned cleanup events.

Oyster River Ecology (ORE) serves Manatee, Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties on Florida’s Gulf Coast. ORE’s mission is to restore ecosystems and preserve ecological functions while increasing the understanding of the natural systems on which we all rely. ORE is a results-focused 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of ecologists, restoration practitioners, and environmental educators. They are dedicated to habitat (primarily oysters) restoration, stewardship, beautification and understanding the environment to benefit the quality of life for humans and wildlife alike, both now and for generations to come. ORE’s focus is on high quality impactful projects that make a meaningful difference for the future of our area. This can range from multi-million dollar large-scale restoration (such as oyster restoration in the Manatee River) projects to backyard bioswales. ORE provides planning, design and implementation expertise to complete meaningful projects.

This is just a snapshot of the work being done by these organizations and I encourage you to explore their websites for a full picture of their missions, events and ways you can get involved while accomplishing meaningful work, meeting new, like-minded individuals and having some summer fun!

Pitch in at cleanup for cash prizes

Pitch in at cleanup for cash prizes

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures is hosting the Eighth Annual Suncoast Reef and Beach Cleanup, which offers a unique opportunity to win money and prizes while having a positive effect on the coastal environment.

Mark your calendar for Sept. 28-29 to participate in the event at Terra Ceia Sea Breeze Park.

The Reef and Beach Cleanup is not your typical beach cleanup. This unique event turns trash collection into a competitive sport. Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories, including most recyclables, most tires, most anchors and most shoes. Those with access to a boat can even clean up underwater, ensuring our reefs are as pristine as our beaches. Whether you’re a land lover or a certified SCUBA diver, there’s a way for everyone to participate.

Since its inception in 2016, Suncoast Aqua Ventures has mobilized over 2,200 volunteers who have collectively removed an amazing 182,000 pounds of trash from our coastlines and underwater environments. What began as a small local effort has blossomed into a movement that has brought together community members, environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts from all walks of life.

Cheryl Huntsinger, president of Suncoast Aqua Ventures, reflected on the origins of the event, saying, “We started this organization after witnessing the sheer amount of human debris littering our coastlines and underwater habitats. We knew something had to be done, and what better way to tackle the problem than by bringing people together in a fun, competitive environment? It’s incredible to see how much we’ve accomplished in just a few short years.”

The Eighth Annual Reef and Beach Cleanup is more than just a day of trash collection – it’s a celebration of community, conservation and the power of collective action. Whether you’re here for the competition or to enjoy a day by the water, your participation helps protect our coastal environment for future generations.

Join the group in making a difference while having a blast. Who can collect the most trash and walk away with not just cash, but the satisfaction of knowing they’ve helped keep our shores and reefs clean?

Register at https://suncoastaquaventures.com/event/8th-annual-reef-beach-cleanup/.

For more information, visit www.suncoastaquaventures.com or email Cheryl Huntsinger at suncoastaquaventures@gmail.com.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures holds underwater cleanup

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On May 19, Suncoast Aqua Ventures conducted the first-ever underwater cleanup of the Manatee River’s downtown bridges. Partners for the event included Keep Manatee Beautiful, Force Blue Special Ops Veterans, Reef Innovations, Dive, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s dive team and the Ocean Conservancy. A total of 40 divers, 35 kayakers, three personal watercraft and numerous other landside volunteers were on hand to assist in the cleanup.

As one would expect, there was lots of fishing debris found around the Green Bridge fishing pier. The take included fishing nets, tackle and fishing poles.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures holds underwater cleanup
A volunteer retrieves a ladder from the Manatee River near the DeSoto Bridge. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The railroad and DeSoto Bridge yielded a variety of debris, including the remnants of a boat that sank at the Bradenton Boat Docks. Other items included a stove, sink, refrigerator and AC unit. In addition, what appeared to be the contents of a kitchen were removed from the bottom, including a coffee pot, cookware, dishes and a fire extinguisher as well as four ladders, bicycles, traffic cones, a trolling motor and numerous car and boat batteries.

Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown was on hand helping with the effort and provided six City of Bradenton public works helpers to assist with trash removal from the dock staging area.

Also on hand providing support was the city of Bradenton and Palmetto police and Palmetto Mayor Shirley Bryant.

Event sponsors included Waste Pro, Marriott International, Chris Craft Boat Builders and Mila’s on the Manatee.

Suncoast Aqua Ventures was founded in 2017 by scuba divers and friends Troy Brown and Cheryl Huntsinger. The duo was motivated to take action after witnessing the plethora of human trash littering the underwater environment they love.

From its humble beginnings, the passion spread to other divers which resulted in their annual competitive “Reef and Beach Cleanup,” formerly held every year at the Bradenton Yacht Club. In 2023 it will be held at a new location, SeaBreeze Park, 55 Horseshoe Loop Road in Terra Ceia.

Over the past six years, dedicated volunteers have removed over 50 tons of trash from coastal waters.

The group has formed successful alliances with other organizations that share their vision of the responsible stewardship of our coastal ecosystem. School service organizations, corporations and municipalities throughout the area have come together to support their cause. Now the organization has expanded to doing monthly targeted cleanups and post-hurricane events. Over time, they have motivated hundreds of volunteers to make a difference in restoring the beauty of our fragile ecosystem.

You can join their efforts and learn about upcoming events online.