Being supportive of the mission of the Surfriders, means an obligation for a a quick responce to cleaning up polluting refuge and tangles of netting that washes on shore.
Linda and I received such a call yesterday morning. A large conflagration of netting had been spotted on shore in the Queens area of Polihale State Park on the west side of Kauai.
The only real complication was the final five miles of rough unpaved road to reach the beach. Recent heavy rains rendered this last stretch almost un drive-able.
However, if the gate has not been closed by the state – we are good to go. The water in the trenches is – at times – two feet deep. We know our truck is up to the challenge. So are we.
The netting and the removal crew
Jamie and Leah Hanashiro accompanied by two young trainees joined us. We all participated with the task of cutting the net. A fifth member, Josh joined later.
The Technique
The approach to getting the net off the beach is best called divide-and-conquer. This means establishing sections of net that can be separated from the rest. The desired sectioning should be no larger that what a couple of people can lift into a truck bed. The technique is to create the section by pairing into two teams of two. Each team starts cutting in the same area at the top and bottom (width) and work towards the middle. One person cuts, while the other creates a taught line. Eventually, the section is completely separated.
It should be noted that good canvas gloves and in-expensive serrated bread knives are the best tools.
Three sections created. Working to create numbers Four and Five.
After about two hours the netting is conquered. Five sections are created. Each is loaded into Josh’s Chevy truck.
The next challenge is that Josh’s truck is now too heavy to move through the sand. After a series of attempts to move forward and backward without success, we deflate the tires on his Chevy to less than 15 pounds per square inch (PSI). Success!
Loaded.
On its way to the Dump.
Queens at Polihale Beach on a Rainy Day.
*** Jeff’s Thoughts and Worthless Trivia ***
I have been told (by persons best to judge) I am somewhere between worthless or best in the world. Stormy Greener (two-time World Photographer of Year) said I was the “best landscape and wildlife photographer there is.” Tom Izzo (Michigan State Basketball Coach) told me “You are not shit to me because you are not 7′ feet tall. Gail Goodrich (Hall of Fame Basketball player and closest of friends) intimated to me both statements above were likely accurate.
