Cayman’s dive community turned out in force Saturday to help clean up debris that had been washed into the ocean in George Town during the powerful nor’wester that hit Cayman earlier this month.
Around 90 divers took to the water at the Eden Rock dive site to bring up hundreds of pounds of debris, including mangled pieces of metal, pipes, a part of a wooden dock, a dive ladder, a dive tank, long coils of rope, and a shopping trolley.
Eden Rock Dive offered $5 air tanks to volunteers who wanted to take part in the clean-up. By 11am, 60 divers had descended the dive site’s ladder to pull the debris from the water. More arrived throughout the day to lend a hand.
Mario Blanchette, manager of Eden Rock Dive, told the Compass, “It went very well, we had so many people show up. And we took out about 500 pounds of garbage.
“The dive community came and helped us out, so we’re very, very proud. Thanks to Ruby [Stafford] for organising it. And thanks to everyone for coming out and helping us.”
Asked what kind of items people were bringing up to add to the growing pile of debris beside the dive shop’s entrance, Blanchette said, “Besides all the tyres, we had some ladders, we got some pieces of wood that look like they came from a dock. All sorts of trash came out today.”
The storm, on 5-6 Feb., brought near-gale force winds of 35 miles per hour and higher gusts, and waves of up to 15 feet. It wreaked havoc on properties and roads along the west coasts of all three islands.
The nor’wester lashed George Town and West Bay, damaging several waterfront restaurants, bars and dive shops, and washing decks and docks into the water.
At Eden Rock on Saturday, some divers used mesh bags supplied by the dive shop to gather the smaller pieces of debris and garbage that had been blown out to sea or washed out by the giant waves. Others used lift bags or surface marker buoys, which they filled with air to make it easier to bring the heavier objects to the surface.
Helpers were on hand at the top of the ladder to help bring up boat markers, big metal pipes, tyres and other weightier finds.
A dive ladder that was found was initially thought to be the one lost from nearby Don Foster’s Dive, but when a staff member came by to check, it turned out not to be. Though, a battered dive tank that had been brought to shore may have belonged to them.
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