YSS Dive's Hood Canal cleanup doubles participation

Kirk Boxleitner | May 18, 20230

Courtesy of Lee Myron Photography count

Divers check their equipment before plunging into Hood Canal.

When John and Katherine Yackel founded the YSS Dive Shop in Hoodsport in 2020, they saw it as their responsibility to protect and advocate for Hood Canal. Hood Canal - technically a fjord - includes what John said is "a very special underwater world," with its own diverse selection of life.

Educating divers and nondivers about the need to shrink their carbon output became a priority for the Yackels.

"Most people had no idea how much debris was at the Port of Hoodsport, until we started hosting cleanup events three years ago," John said. "Making the community aware of the situation under the glassy green surface of the Hood Canal, that only divers could see, was extremely important to us."

On May 6, YSS Dive, its volunteers, its sponsors and the community again did something about it.

John told the Journal that 125 divers helped remove debris - the first dive team went in at 10 a.m. and the last team was out by 1:30 p.m. - while 26 nondivers helped sort debris, three people from Lee Myron Photography were the film crew, and five YSS Dive employees, plus the Yackels, "worked the event in various roles, making sure everything went smoothly."

Ashley Arsenault again designed the event's T-shirts, employing an octopus theme as always, while 15 event vendors were represented by 17 people staffing tables on site.

Katherine recalled 75 participants and 15 vendors last year, so in her estimation, this year's event saw "significantly" more assistance.

"It was great to see the community respond as they did, to help clean up the Hood Canal," Katherine said. "We're excited for the next event in September."

Of the exactly 500 pounds extracted from the canal May 6, John noted 200 pounds were able to be recycled.

"The most unique item we removed was an anchor and chain that had rusted together," John said. "The largest amounts of debris that were collected were plastic parts, derelict shrimp pots and fishing lines. Lots of fishing lines were brought up."

Katherine noted the number of cat food cans "from the shrimping days" is "insane" and "all over the canal," while the amount of fishing line found by the port was disheartening.

"We actually had a bird trapped, that died underwater. That was very sad," Katherine said. "We set it free when we found it, but it was too late to save it. This is why we do these cleanup events."

Katherine expressed gratitude for all the event's sponsors, whose contributions ranged from furnishing raffle prizes to educating the public, and the Hoodsport community, which she credited with helping to share the word about sponsors such as the Washington Scuba Alliance, the Reef Check Foundation, Scrap University Kids and the PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) Foundation.

"Raising awareness is half the battle toward reducing our carbon footprint and protecting our canal," Katherine said. "We cannot clean up the area without the help of the community around us. Getting people to recycle, and not pollute, is more about the public's awareness than about anything anyone has done on purpose."

In addition to assigning divers to maintain safe diving operations and offer assistance if needed, for the rest of the day's underwater cleanup crews, Katherine outlined the rules by which every cleanup diver agreed to abide:

■ Dive and work with your buddy.

■ Do not use your buoyancy compensator device for lifting.

■ Do not overfill your mesh bags.

■ Items weighing more than 7 pounds should be removed only by those trained to use lift bags.

■ Do not use lift bags without sufficient training or experience.

■ Divers' gear must include a mesh bag, a dive knife and gloves.

■ Check debris for aquatic life.

■ Always dive within your limits.

■ Return with at least 750 psi in your tank.

■ Do not remove unbroken glass bottles, which are homes for smaller marine life.

■ Remove broken glass bottles, scrap metal, trash, discarded fishing gear, boots and gloves.

■ Ask dive professionals for help with any large items, or items weighing more than 7 pounds.

Other event sponsors included Henderson Wetsuits, Silt Skincare, Sund Rock Marine Preserve, TUSA Sport, Explore Hood Canal's Tracing the Fjord, XS Scuba, Huish Outdoors, I LOVE NUDIS and Apeks Diving.