2026 and still going strong
A few years in, the Better Beaches Project has settled into a steady rhythm, and the recent clean ups are a good example of what that looks like in practice.
Earlier this month, the MFA team took advantage of a day with unusually settled weather to get into areas that are often too choppy to work safely. Calm conditions gave us access to stretches of coastline that normally sit just out of reach, including rocky sections that definitely gave us a workout.
The water clarity on the day was incredible, clear enough to make you pause and look twice. Our skipper commented more than once that it felt like a wasted opportunity not to have spearfishing on the agenda. Instead, we stuck to the task at hand. It was a good reminder of how much timing matters in this work.
The following week we were back out again, this time focusing on rubbish around jetties and through the high tide line. That’s often where debris accumulates, tucked into seaweed, wedged under driftwood or caught between rocks.
Beach cleaning isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds. You really have to slow down and look carefully. After a while your eyes start to glaze over and everything blends into the background. Small fragments of plastic, bits of rope and even larger items can disappear visually against rocks and timber. Having more than one person go over the same stretch makes a real difference. A second set of eyes will often spot what the first person walked straight past. It’s detailed, methodical work.
There were a few classic finds along the way, including several fishing knives which will be cleaned and repurposed. Also, a recently lost brand new glove, found on our first beach and promptly claimed by Kiah after she’d left hers at home.
For crews and sponsors who support this programme, this is what your backing translates to on the ground, or more accurately, on the shoreline. Busy days out, making use of weather windows, working carefully through tide lines and rocky corners, and steadily removing what doesn’t belong there.
The mahi continues.
