Volunteer Gaylene Sharp said cigarette butts were the most common thing picked up on her shoreline sweep. Photo / George Novak
Tyres, rope, jandals and even a dead sea bird with fishing line wrapped around its neck were among the massive haul of waste picked up in the Pilot Bay waters yesterday.
More than 200kg of rubbish was picked up within one hour.
Put on by Dive Zone Tauranga and EnviroHub more than 60 volunteer divers and beach-cleaners swept the sands and waterways.
Divers were equipped with fluro catch bags and three safety boats were nearby to collect the rubbish.
Within 10 minutes of the divers entering the water, catch bags were filling up with one diver even bringing up a rusty old anchor.
Event organiser Liz Plank from Dive Zone Tauranga said the purpose of the event really hit home when divers found a dead seabird in the water with fishing line wrapped around its neck.
She said it was a prime example of why they were out there doing it.
Back on the shores, volunteer beach-cleaner Gaylene Sharp had already filled a whole bucket of rubbish within one hour of searching.