Early in 2022 the Executive Committee was made aware of the availability of grant money from DPNR for the purpose of waste cleanup. The Association applied to be a registered vendor of the Virgin Islands Government, and after securing this credential, a proposal was created and we bid for a grant to clean up derelict boats from the island.
After an incredible amount of planning, spearheaded by Mark Sims and David Roselle, the proposal was brought for approval to the EC and the grant agreement with DPNR was signed by President Jason Schmitz in March. A special waste removal permit was acquired from VIWMA and all of the hurdles were cleared to start the project.
It was fitting that the work began on Earth Day, April 22nd, and dozens of volunteers flocked to Flamingo to lend a hand. The crew worked safely on Saturday and Sunday to remove over 20 vessels, from broken-down flat dinghys to large abandoned hulls and discarded engines. The transformation was truly incredible.
Not only were the hulls and rusted-out trailers extremely unsightly, they were dangerous to have strewn about in junkyard fashion. Water Island is no junkyard, and we demonstrated that when we come together as a community we can make a meaningful impact.
In addition to the cleanup in the Flamingo area, the abandoned cars storage area was cleared to provide more area and storage for engines until they can be dispositioned.
Boats collected for removal:
- 6 Large Fiberglass Boats
- 14 Small Fiberglass Boats
- 1 Wood Boat
- 17 Small Dinghies
- 3 Kayaks
- 7 outboard motors
- 2 metal boat trailers
Check out some of the pictures below of the successful project.
