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# Bride’s loss wasn’t the bay’s gain
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/brides-loss-wasnt-the-bays-gain/
- Published: 2007-09-18T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T02:54:04.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Environment, Pier, #archive-import

*Volunteers dive the Pacific in search of debris*

*By Daily Press staff*

SM BEACH Volunteers plucked close to 80,000 pounds of ocean-bound debris and recyclables from the Los Angeles County watershed over the weekend.

From 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, more than 11,000 volunteers and community groups canvassed beaches, parks, alleys, creeks, highways and storm drains from Malibu to Echo Park to Long Beach, hauling in 79,234 pounds of debris as part of the 23rd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, according to Heal the Bay, the organizers of the event.

The total bested last year’s 70,413 pounds.

Among the most unusual items found this year were: A bridal gown submerged in the waters off the Santa Monica Pier; a.357 Magnum-style air pistol off Playa del Rey’s beach; an expired passport in the sand at Hermosa Beach; and a doorless safe and more than 2,000 used or partially filled cans of spray paint in a Wilmington park.

“Today was a remarkable day of action as well as education,” said Karin Hall, executive director of Heal the Bay. “It’s satisfying to remove so much debris from the watershed this weekend, but it’s equally important to raise awareness about the everyday steps people can take to reduce marine-bound pollution throughout the year.”

Coastal Cleanup Day is held in partnership with the California Coastal Commission and the L.A. Department of Beaches and Harbors. Observed by 50 states and nearly 70 countries, the event has become the largest volunteer day on the planet, according to Heal the Bay.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 18, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091807.pdf?ref=smdp.com)