On World Oceans Day, (June 8, 2023) Yellowknife Divers and Sea Women Expeditions took the plunge, participating in an international underwater cleanup of seven oceans with Zero Co of Australia.
Zero Co, an Australian-based company that’s Untrashing The Planet by funding large-scale clean-ups and stopping Aussies from using single-use plastic.
World Oceans Day 2023 marks Zero Co’s 100YR CLEANUP’s third global event – an initiative dedicated to cleaning the planet every year, for the next 100 years.
The sole Canadian organizations participating in this international event, Yellowknife Divers Inc. and Sea Women Expeditions joined underwater teams from Australia, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
We symbolically cleaned up one of the planet’s seven oceans—the Arctic Ocean.
Team members from Yellowknife Divers Inc. and Sea Women Expeditions dived and snorkeled in Great Slave Lake, cleaning up plastic pollution, stray tires, and general trash. Our cleanup took place next to a float plane dock. Yellowknife is the float plane capital of Canada.
The cleanup crew consisted of four divers, one snorkeler, and half a dozen topside support members. Yellowknife Divers provided in-water safety and topside support for the clean up. We’d like to thank the Sundog Trading Post for donating their delicious homemade ice cream and waffle cones to the clean up crew.
Boasting a maximum depth of 614 metres, (2,014 feet) Great Slave Lake is the deepest lake in North America. Based on surface area, it ranks as the tenth largest lake in the world. The waters of Great Slave Lake are drained by the Mackenzie River, which flows some 1,700 kilometres (1,100 miles) north where it empties into the Arctic Ocean.
On World Oceans Day in Yellowknife (62.4540° N, 114.3718° W) the sun rose at 3:43 am and set at 11:26 pm, which is why this subarctic region of Canada is known as “the land of the midnight sun.”
“This year’s theme of World Oceans Day is putting the ocean first,” said Susan R. Eaton, geoscientist, polar explorer, and founder of Sea Women Expeditions.
“We’re delighted to join forces with Yellowknife Divers and Zero Co, leading by example and cleaning up our underwater backyard.” Added Eaton, “Everything is connected on this planet. The waters of Great Slave Lake flow northwards, eventually reaching the Beaufort Sea, which is part of the Arctic Ocean.”
“We try to clear out 4,500 kilograms, 10,000 pounds of rubbish and debris every year,” said Jeremy MacDonald, scuba diving instructor and owner of Yellowknife Divers Inc. “The beauty of the water is wrecked every time we swim across some trash. Pollution in Great Slave Lake is going to impact the special and delicate ecosystems of the Arctic.”
Article submitted by Susan R. Eaton of Sea Women Exhibitions
Jeremy MacDonald: Yellowknife Divers
