SOUALIGA NEWSDAY: KIDZ AT SEA SXM COASTAL CLEANUP PROJECT FINISHES TRAINING PROGRAM
SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) – As you may know, the Kidz at Sea SXM Coastal CleanUp project is part of the island’s recovery programme from Hurricane Irma, funded by the Dutch Government under the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. R4CR selects different projects each year to help build a stronger and cleaner St Maarten
After a range of courses, the 2022 SXM Coastal CleanUp group has come to the end of their studies with the last, but certainly not least, training in SCUBA diving. Six of the total 12 students spent two days in the water learning how to carry out underwater search methods followed by techniques on how to recover and bring items to the surface that are too large to be carried by the diver alone.
When islands are affected by storms, a lot of debris from the land ends up underwater in the ocean, but also near the shores. Think of all the large pieces of roofing and pvc that come apart from housing, as well as the small debris such as household items. And then of course, the plastic and litter that is left on roads and beaches and gets blown into the sea on an average windy day.