Big cleanup at the ocean while waiting for Christmas, volunteers pick up trash resting on the coast and wharf/Yokosuka December 23, 2011

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1112230032/

Caption: Volunteers gather to pick up beached trashed from the ocean front=Verny Public Park, Yokosuka

Giving the ocean the Christmas present of a cleaning. On the 23rd, at the beach front (Yokosuka beach) of Verny public park (Honcho, Yokosuka city), a major cleaning was conducted. While exposing themselves to the north wind, fifty volunteers from the city gathered trash from the ocean and land.

With the United States Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force illuminating their fleets on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve respectively, lots of foot traffic will be generated from the events. The parties of the City, the (Non-Profit Organization) Yokosuka Bay Defense Assistance Association, and the (Non-Profit Organization) Yokosuka Yacht Association have cooperated with the citizens to stage a committee for the business of cleaning the sea’s surface.

Today, just as the north wind is moving through the atmosphere...cans, plastic, lumber etc., rest and bury themselves in the beach and wharf. Participating volunteers, all wearing matching red Santa hats, quietly gather trash into one plastic bag after another. Among other things, a bicycle someone threw away is pulled from the ocean.

Volunteers loaded trash picked up from the ocean into three special trash collection boats as well as one regular boat.

Original Text

Ｘマス控え「海の大掃除」、ボランティアが湾内や岸壁のごみ拾う/横須賀 2011年12月23日

いこいの広場前の海に打ち寄せたごみを拾い集めるボランティア＝横須賀・ヴェルニー公園

海に掃除のクリスマスプレゼント―。横須賀市本町のヴェルニー公園いこいの広場前で23日、「ヨコスカ海の大掃除」が行われ、約50人の市民ボランティアが北風に身をさらされながら、海上と陸からごみを拾い集めた。

クリスマスイブの米海軍艦船、大みそかの海自艦船のライトアップなどに多くの人々が足を運ぶことから、ＮＰＯ法人横須賀港湾防災支援会と同横須賀ヨット協会、市の三者でつくる横須賀港の海面清掃市民協働モデル事業実行委員会が主催した。

この日、折からの北風が運んだ空き缶やペットボトル、木材などがいこいの広場前の岸壁を埋めた。参加者はおそろいの赤いサンタ帽をかぶり、ポリ袋に次々に黙々とごみを集め、海中に投げ捨てられた自転車などを引き揚げた。

参加者が乗り込んだごみ収集船３隻とボート１隻も湾内のごみを拾い上げた。