Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps This Weekend!
The good folks at Clean Ocean Action have been advocating to protect our beaches and waterways since 1984, and their efforts over the last 39 years have done incredible good for the New Jersey environment. Twice each year COA sponsors a statewide cleanup of beaches and waterways throughout the state, and the spring edition is this Saturday, April 1 from 9:30 to noon.
Since the first beach cleanup program back in 1985, more than 166,000 volunteers have participated, removing and tallying over 8,300,000 pieces of debris from over 70 sites across New Jersey. WOW.
Clean Ocean Action just published their report from the 2022 beach sweeps which you can read here, One of the best pieces of info from the report is that due to New Jersey’s ban on single use plastic bags that went into effect in May 2022, the reduction in plastic shopping bag pollution collected was so significant that it dropped off the “Dirty Dozen” list of most common pollutants for the first time ever.
The 2022 Beach Sweeps Report is now available! Visit https://t.co/PG7stwqtcT for the 2022 Report, the Press Conference video recording, the Presentation of Highlights slideshow, and more. While you're there, remember to register for the April 1st Beach Sweeps! 🌊 pic.twitter.com/QTmRllUbyZ
— Clean Ocean Action (@CleanOcean) March 22, 2023
The beach sweeps are free and open to all, however you are encouraged to register in advance. From the COA site here are the Ocean County locations:
- Bay Head – Beach House Classic Boardshop (517 Main Ave, Bay Head NJ 08742)
- Berkeley Twp – Dudley Park
- Brick
- Brick Beach 1 (331 Route 35 North, Brick, NJ)
- Brick Beach 3 (440 Route 35 North, Brick, NJ)
- Windward Beach Park (265 Princeton Ave, Brick, NJ)
- Island Beach State Park – Bathing Pavilion #1 (Central Ave, Seaside Park, NJ 08752)
- Lavallette – Philadelphia Ave Beach
- Long Beach Island – Wally’s Restaurant in Surf City (712 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City NJ 08008) In partnership with Alliance for a Living Ocean
- Mantoloking – Lyman St Beach (1021 Ocean Ave, Mantoloking, NJ 08738)
- Ocean Gate – Ocean Gate Beach
- Point Pleasant – Maxson Ave Beach (end of Maxson Ave near Riverfront Park)
- Point Pleasant Beach –
- Jenkinson’s Aquarium on the Boardwalk (300 Boardwalk, Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742)
- Maryland Avenue
- Seaside Heights – Carousel Building at Carteret Ave and Ocean Terrace *this site will end at 12 to avoid parade traffic
- Seaside Park –
- 2nd Ave Beach (2nd Ave & Boardwalk, Seaside Park NJ 08752)
- Midway Beach at 6th Ln
- Stockton Ave Beach (Stockton Ave & Boardwalk, Seaside Park NJ 08752)
- Toms River –
- Brown’s Woods Preserve (meet at Save Barnegat Bay Office: 117 Haines Road Toms River, NJ 08753) In partnership with Save Barnegat Bay
- Normandy Beach at 6th Ave
- Ortley Beach at 3rd Ave (St. Elisabeth’s Chapel – 5 3rd Ave, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751)
- Tuckerton- 7 Bridges Rd. (Boat Ramp on Great Bay Blvd, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087)
Monmouth County locations:
- Aberdeen -Fisherman’s Parking Lot at Cliffwood Beach (967 Ocean Blvd, Aberdeen Twp NJ; across from Veteran’s Memorial Park)
- Asbury Park – *Expect parking delays due to Runapalooza Marathon*
- Dog Beach -(1738 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712) *Relocated from Convention Hall
- 1st Ave Beach (820 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712)
- Atlantic Highlands – First Ave Beach (Seastreak parking lot)
- Avon-by-the-Sea – Avon Pavilion at Norwood & Ocean (North End of the Beach)
- Belmar –
- 3rd Avenue Beach (3rd Ave & Boardwalk)
- 15th Avenue Beach (1609 Ocean Avenue, Belmar, New Jersey, 07719)
- Bradley Beach – Gazebo on Ocean Ave & 5th Ave
- Deal – Hathaway Ave
- Highlands
- Popamora Point (369 Shore Dr, Highlands NJ 07732)
- Snug Harbor (22 Snug Harbor Ave, Highlands NJ 07732)
- Keansburg – Batting Cages at Beachway (2 Raritan Avenue, Keansburg NJ)
- Keyport – Cedar Street Park (53 Cedar St, Keyport NJ 07735)
- Loch Arbour & Allenhurst – Euclid Avenue (99 Ocean Place, Loch Arbour, NJ)
- Long Branch –
- Brighton Ave Beach (639 Ocean Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740)
- Madison Ave Beach (1 Madison Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740)
- Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Beach Entrance at Joline Ave (1 Joline Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740)
- Manasquan – Main Street Beach (East Main Street and beachfront)
- Middletown Township
- Bayshore Waterfront Park (719 Port Monmouth Rd, Port Monmouth NJ 07758)
- Ideal Beach (4 Ocean Avenue, Middletown, NJ)
- Leonardo Public Beach South (1 Concord Avenue & the beach. North side of Leonardo State Marina Launch ramp)
- Monmouth Beach – Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion (29 N Ocean Avenue, Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750)
- Neptune – Memorial Park In partnership with Shark River Cleanup Coalition *Canceled for the Spring Sweeps*
- Ocean Grove – Boardwalk Pavilion
- Red Bank – Maple Cove (end of Maple Avenue)
- Rumson – Municipal Boat Ramp (9 Ave of Two Rivers, Rumson, NJ 07760)
- Sandy Hook – Lot D
- Sea Bright
- Anchorage Public Beach (north of Sea Bright Bridge, 909 Ocean Ave, Sea Bright, NJ, 07760)
- BeachWalk Hotel (344 Ocean Ave, Sea Bright, NJ 07760)
- Sea Bright Public Beach Pavilion (1097 Ocean Ave, Sea Bright, NJ 07760)
- Sea Girt – Boardwalk at Beacon Blvd
- Spring Lake – South End Pavilion (410 N Ocean Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ 07762)
Clean Ocean Action will also be having a photo contest for the strangest stuff collected during the sweep.
🌊With only 4 DAYS until Beach Sweeps, we are excited to announce that we are hosting a Beach Sweeps "Roster of the Ridiculous" Photo Contest! See photos for contest rules and details. Register for Beach Sweeps to participate: https://t.co/KMa6NiY9pH#beachcleanup pic.twitter.com/gQU4Rwf0yM
— Clean Ocean Action (@CleanOcean) March 28, 2023
Mark your calendars now for the Fall ’23 edition of the Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps on Saturday October 21.
