Sandy Point Beach (Portsmouth) October 3: 11 lbs. 14 ozs. collected (Rusty Pipe: approximately 7 lbs.)
Dave Prescott of SurfRider Rhode Island suggested that I put Sandy Point Beach on my list, and as I drove down the long winding road to this beach on the Sakonnet River I thought I would have never known about this beach except for Dave. It had been raining all day and the sky started to clear just as I pulled up at the beach.
A solitary gull looked at me carefully and then moved along. I walked on the rocky beach, looking for trash and taking awhile to find some. A very clean beach, I thought, but finally I found some glass, some plastic, a few other items – and a rusty pipe.
A man walking his dog thanked me for cleaning the beach. I have to admit the thank yous are unexpected but feel great. I comment this beach is very clean, and the man says they try to keep it that way.
It starts to rain and I quickly weigh my trash – 4 lbs. 14 oz. and estimate the pipe is about 7 lbs. My scale only goes to 5 lbs.
Second Beach (Middletown) October 4: 3 lbs. 9 oz. collected
I drive to Second Beach early Sunday morning – around 7:30am. I love this beach in early morning; it’s magic. This is a surfer’s beach and at 7:30am it’s already filled with surfers in the water, in the parking lot getting into wet suits, waxing their boards. Motion, activity, all intent on getting in the water.
I’m a stranger; this is a set crowd. I get a few glances but no smiles and no thank yous. That’s alright, I think. I focus on trash. This beach is about the water, not the sand. There is little trash here. Mostly cigarette butts – lots of cigarette butts. A few small plastic toys, plastic bags and cans. I weigh my trash and it’s 3 lbs. 9 oz.
I’ve walked on half the beach – Second Beach is divided by a rock formation and I walk to see the other side. Couples walking dogs, lots of dogs on this beach. I recall this area has a waste water problem. Lots of dogs.
As I drive away the parking lot is full. It’s 8am on Sunday morning. Trucks, vans, surfboards in the back, surfers hopping out. Others come later, but in the morning it’s surfers in charge of Second Beach.
