By Oahu Volunteer Coordinator and Advisory Board Member Temple Liebmann

Before the sun rose over Oahu on this day, five of our most seasoned divers— Christopher Ashmore, Ray Goodrich, Gary Liebmann (lead), Bill Metzler, and Ed Sisino —were already loading up gear, prepping dive buggies, and heading down to Hanauma Bay for our monthly cleanup dive. I documented the effort from topside and Christopher was our underwater photographer (thank you)!.

With the help of Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs), the team was able to quickly reach the notorious "Witches Brew" side of the bay—a site known for its swirling currents and tendency to collect a high concentration of marine debris.

Conditions were far from ideal on this May 24th, 2025. Low visibility and chaotic "washing machine" currents made for a challenging dive, but the team pressed on with determination.

As the sole nonprofit ever authorized to remove debris from this safeguarded marine zone, we approach the work with deep commitment.

And the haul spoke for itself. By the end of the dive, every diver had full hands and bulging debris filled bags—pulling in lines and ropes, plastic bottles, buoys, buckets, milk crates, massive hawser ropes, rolls of black plastic tarp, and even discarded snack wrappers.

ODA Crew with Their "Catch of the Day"

“What a mess!” I thought, reflecting on the sheer volume of debris pulled from the cove. It’s always sobering to see how much trash the ocean catches here, but we’re proud to be part of the solution.

Despite the conditions, the dive was another success in our ongoing mission to protect and preserve Hawaiʻi’s marine ecosystems. Mahalo to our hardworking team for showing up, diving deep, and doing the dirty work to keep our waters clean.

Your support can keep places like this pristine -- as they should be! We welcome your partnership.