We are teaming up with coastal superheroes Scotian Shores to do a remote cleanup of the far reaches of Martinique Beach and Bayers Islands.
This cleanup will be physically demanding. Unfortunately, it is not family friendly and is not pet friendly.
THE DETAILS
On Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18, 10am - 2pm, Scotian Shores will hold an Extreme Shoreline Cleanup of Bayers Islands (and the very far reaches of Martinique Beach), in conjunction with Canoe & Kayak Nova Scotia, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and Surfrider Foundation Canada’s Atlantic Chapter.
We will be meeting at Parking Lot 8 at 10 a.m. and the clean-up will officially end at 2 pm on both days. Bayers Islands are owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which gave a limited number of clean-up participants permission to camp there on Saturday night. Otherwise, camping is not allowed on the islands.
WHY HERE?
The goal of this cleanup is to remove a large number of derelict lobster traps (both wooden and metal) and other ghost gear that have accumulated on the islands over the last few decades. The islands (or island at high tide) are located just off the eastern tip of the well-known Martinique Beach near Musquodoboit Harbour.
HOW?
The plan is to meet Parking Lot #8 (near the boat launch) at Martinique Beach at 10 am.
Weather permitting, we will make our way by canoe, kayak, SUP, or on foot to the islands.
We will be using the lagoon behind the beach to access the islands. There will be no boating off the front of Martinique Beach for this cleanup because there is often significant surf, which would make it too hazardous. While the distance is only about two or three km, the lagoon is quite shallow, making it nearly inaccessible for most powerboats. The bottom here is a fine silt, making it difficult to wade and drag a boat behind you. The main task will be to collect the traps and transport them back to the mainland for loading onto a truck. For this reason, it would be ideal to have as many canoes as possible because kayaks and SUPs cannot easily transport heavy loads.
While we will be trying to transport volunteers to the islands, our capacity for providing transportation to the islands will depend on the number of canoes, kayaks, SUPs, etc. that are brought and the weather conditions. As such, anyone arriving without their own transportation method must be prepared to walk to the islands, which could include needing to wade in water that could be up to knee depth depending on tide conditions and water levels. High tide will be around 1 pm on Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday.
This cleanup will be physically demanding. It is not family friendly and is not pet friendly. If we have any weather, which is highly possible this time of year, all volunteers may have to just hike, which would result in a good 5-10 km day on mostly hard terrain.
PLEASE NOTE
In addition to bringing a good attitude and a commitment to enjoying a challenge, bug spray will be essential, as the mosquitoes can be killer out there!
Also be aware that Martinique Beach is critical habitat for endangered species, including piping plovers and bank swallows. As such, access to the beach is only permitted through the established trails and clean-up volunteers are strictly prohibited from walking in the dunes (which is also a best practice for all beaches, everywhere since dunes are extremely fragile ecosystems).
In addition, clean-up volunteers must also abide by the following best practices:
Assess large or buried debris (e.g., lobster traps, etc.). If removal would cause habitat damage—due to depth, vegetation, or dune burial—leave the debris in place.
Handle containers with oil or harmful substances carefully. Transport, store, and dispose of them in a way that prevents spills on the beach.
Restore any disturbed areas to their original condition. Fill in any holes created during debris removal to maintain beach integrity and prevent hazards.
Leave natural features such as driftwood and seaweed undisturbed; do not remove or alter them during clean-up activities.