We are running our next Regatta under the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas approach. Here’s a short overview page for your information: Programme Overview.

Here’s a snippet of the practices that can be implemented. We will select 60-70% of them and will keep you informed via updates online and during the Regatta. If you are willing to help out, please get in touch and contact cleanclub@rpnyc.org.nz – join the Green team, we appreciate your support!

And here’s what we, with your help, are working on:

• – Green Team: We’ve asked, and are still asking, for Volunteers to help with the above activities and to support our Club’s vision. If you can help and join the Green Team, please contact cleanclub@rpnyc.org.nz, or have a chat with Paul or Conny.
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• – Toxins: By now know all about the ocean- and reef-safe sunscreen options. Make sure you have plenty available for the Regatta. See details further below on this page.
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• – Green Boating: Check out the Green Boating and the Non-Toxic cleaner sections on this page.
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• – Environmental Steward: Assign one of your crew members the ‘Environmental Steward’ (e-Steward) position, and get them to ensure your crew is more environmentally friendly than before, and ask them to document your efforts on how you contribute to the Clean Regatta.

• – Conduct boat maintenance, especially sanding or bottom scrubbing, in the Slip areas in Chaffers, Evans Bay or Seaview.
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• – If you have any parts, sails or other sailing equipment you no longer use, get in touch with the Social Committee and we can schedule another Swap Evening.

• – Use AQ bags (see section on this page) to recycle your unused/damaged sails.

  – If you haven’t done so yet, sign up to the Sailors for the Sea Green Boater Community where you’ll get lots of great information and support to reduce your on- and off-the-water footprint.

  – Snack options & packaging & Water bottles 

  • Ditch the single-use water bottles and ask your crew to bring their own, reusable ones. 
    The Club provides a tap outside and free water at the Bar where you can refill the bottles. 

  • Bring reusable shopping bags and reuse ziploc bags for lollies and nuts (even to go shopping). 

  • Pack food in reusable containers, beeswax wrappers or silicone bags. No one wants a soggy sandwich or sticky airplanes! 

  • For course sheets etc, we recommend using a display/clear book, and reusing this throughout the season. 

  – Recycling & composting: You will see our Club Recycling and Compost bins in prominent action during the Regatta – please make use of them in the appropriate way! Especially compost-wise we want to ensure we only add in there what’s on the signs. We are planning to use the services of https://kaicycle.org.nz/, a Newtown-based composting organisation who makes a difference. Check it out!  

  • Please use our recycling, rubbish and compost bins appropriately. If you’re not sure, just ask! 

  • Maybe you don’t have compost at home but always end up with some food waste. If that’s you, check out https://kaicycle.org.nz/, they could be just what you need! 

  • At dinner, just put on your plate what you want and will eat, no one will go hungry 🙂 

  • Join the Regatta WhatsApp Group and organise your carpool over the Regatta-weekend. And beyond… 

  – We also encourage you to organise car-pooling where possible, and suggest coordinating your rides via the RPNYC Regatta WhatsApp Group.

  – Five Reasons… The Regatta committee as well as Port Nic overall have committed to run this years’ Regatta under the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas approach. Why are we doing that? It’s really simple: we want to protect the environment we use as our playground – our oceans – by lowering our impact on them! Read about 5 Reasons to be thankful for our oceans further down below

Plastics are synthetic materials made from polymers (very long-chain molecules) originally derived from fossil fuels. They are designed to be chemically stable and inert – so the same properties which make them incredibly useful also mean they do not bio-degrade in the natural environment. Rather, they just physically break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Microplastic debris (particles smaller than 5mm) is a persistent and widespread issue in marine ecosystems, and a growing part of the marine food chain.

In this part of the world, Lisa Blair’s recent (2022) record-breaking sail around Antarctica also
produced the most comprehensive microplastics dataset for the region. In partnership with marine science organisations, this brilliant example of “citizen science” resulted in the first near-continuous microplastics survey in Southern Ocean waters. A total of 178 seawater samples were continuously collected with 83 processed and analysed.

The data confirmed that, like other oceans, the Southern Ocean is broadly contaminated with microplastics – regardless of proximity to land sources. Polyethylene-based polymers were the most predominant (46%), followed by polyester-based items (24%). Various other polymers such as polypropylene, nylon, pvc, polystyrene and polyurethane rubber were also present.

Virtually all the microplastics found were secondary items, i.e. originating from the breakdown of larger plastic debris. Interestingly, fibres (64.8%) were more abundant than fragments. The link is with laundry where every 2.5kg load typically produces over 300 microplastic fibres which are not retained in the machine.

Where does it come from? Data from the USA suggests microplastics derive mostly (in decreasing order) from synthetic textiles (35%), tyres, urban dust and run off, road markings, marine coatings (4%), personal products, plastic pellets (<1%) and many other sources.

Suggested actions to minimise your contribution

• • Reducing microplastic fibres by buying clothing from natural materials and installing a filter on your washing machine.
• • Reduce, refill, repurpose.
  •     – plastic containers were designed to last forever!
• • According to Sailors For The Sea, eliminating single-use plastic at the source is the most impactful thing we can do.
  •     – we all make decisions as consumers and may also have opportunities to support policies that will reduce plastic production
• • Given the amount of vehicle or road-derived microplastic debris, driving less would have a positive impact.
• • And of course, be mindful of plastic pollution in the streets and waterways – most city drains flow untreated direct to the sea.

Sources

https://lisablairsailstheworld.com/
https://sailorsforthesea.org/blog/where-does-plastic-come-from/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016420300086

From old life jackets, to unwanted paint and diesel, engine parts, cans, and bottles – we boaties can generate our fair share of waste.

100,000 tonnes of rubbish goes to the Southern Landfill alone every year, and the Council is in the process of extending the site to cope with future demand. But there is a finite amount of land available, and many products simply do not break down. As our population continues to grow, what each and every one of us does with our rubbish matters. 

The old mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle (in that order) is good advice. If we can limit the amount we buy in the first place and find different uses or owners before throwing something away, it makes a difference.

When it comes to disposing of things and recycling, there are some tips to follow.

• – Paint and empty paint containers need to go to the hazardous waste section of the landfill. 
• – Never put paint, solvents or liquid waste into stormwater drains. The stormwater system flows without treatment into streams and the sea. These liquids harm our oceans. 
• – Only plastics with the recycling symbol and numbers 1, 2 or 5 can be recycled.
• – It can’t be recycled if it is waxed or foil-backed, has plastic or food on it, or if it is smaller than a postcard
• – Items to be recycled need to be clean, not squashed (that includes beer cans) and have lids, pumps and triggers removed.
• – You can’t recycle things like bubble wrap, tin foil, bottle tops or screw caps
• – Your old sails can be remade into bags! See further below under ‘Upcycle your old sails’.

You can find out more on the Council website.

This guide is a comprehensive booklet provided by the Sailors for the Sea Organisation.

Check out their website resources here: SfS – Green Boating guide – content listed below (click on the headings to get to the details).
Note that some of the information may not apply in NZ, and we’re keen to hear about your experiences and tips & tricks, so please do share your feedback via cleanclub@rpnyc.org.nz. Thank you!

Repurpose Gear
What do you do with boating gear that has been outgrown or has reached its end life? There are many different ways to reuse or upcycle items to help reduce waste that may otherwise end up in the landfill or our oceans.

Non-Toxic Cleaners

Many of the popular places to go boating are also reserves or protected coastlines with strict rules around dog access and control in order to protect wildlife. While pet dogs seem harmless to many owners, they are unfortunately responsible for many kiwi deaths every year, along with those of penguins, dotterel and other coastal species.

Here’s what you can do to help keep your dog and wildlife safe around beaches.

• Part of being a responsible dog owner means keeping your pet always under your control. The easiest way to do this is to always walk them on a lead – like the ‘Lead the Way’ leads. 
• If you do let them off their lead, make sure you can confidently recall your dog. Especially in the event of a distraction like another dog a sleepy seal or a nesting dotterel.

Where to go on beaches:

• Walk on the wet sand first hand

A lot of our coastal species rest or nest in the sand dunes, or driftwood high on the beach. Walk your dog on the wet sand and you’ll be more likely to avoid any sensitive shorebird nesting areas or a slumbering sea lion/pakake.

• Feet on sand – lead in hand

It’s a legal requirement to have your lead with you in public. Even if you’re exercising in an off-lead area, have it handy in case you need close control while you walk past a distraction.

• Keep 20 meters away from coastal creatures

If you see some wildlife up ahead, put your lead on your dog and pass at least 20 meters away from the wildlife. This will help keep your dog and the wildlife safe.

There are several things in our environment that are toxic to dogs, from the food in our kitchen to the plants in our gardens. There are also things at the beach to watch out for including:

– toxic algae
– puffer fish
– sea slugs, and
– blue bottles that may have washed ashore.

• Even ingesting too much sand or salt water in a game of ‘catch’ can be dangerous to their health.

Check out DOC’s Dogs on beaches website for more details: Dogs on beaches (doc.govt.nz) 

Lead the way: Our work (doc.govt.nz) The website leads you to a quiz checking whether you know your basics. 

Taken from https://sailorsforthesea.org/blog/5-reasons-to-be-thankful-for-our-ocean/

The ocean is a place of beauty, adventure and wonder. It is also vital to our survival. Without the ocean, life would not be possible. Here are 5 reasons that we are grateful for our seas. 

1. Generates half of the oxygen we breathe

Plants, algae, and cyanobacteria all create oxygen through photosynthesis. In the top 200 meters (656 feet) of the water column, about as far as sunlight can travel through water to power photosynthesis, we find all types of photosynthetic marine organisms – from tiny phytoplankton to seagrass and kelp. Scientists estimate that roughly 50% of the oxygen produced on Earth comes from the ocean.  

2. Regulates our climate and weather systems

The ocean absorbs and stores large amounts of heat from the sun, which helps moderate global temperatures, keeping our planet habitable. It also impacts weather patterns by transporting warm water and precipitation around the globe. As the Earth’s largest active carbon sink, the ocean is a crucial climate regulator. Over the last several decades, the ocean has absorbed approximately 30% of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, which helps reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Through these interconnected processes, the ocean helps regulate our global climate and regional weather patterns. 

3. Supports biodiversity

Covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is home to diverse, unique ecosystems and a staggering amount of biodiversity. Life in the ocean ranges in size from the smallest living things, microbes, to the largest animal on the planet, blue whales. Protecting marine biodiversity is critical because it ensures that our oceans are healthy, productive, and resilient. 

4. Provides sustenance and supports livelihoods

Over 740 million people depend on ocean fisheries for food, livelihoods, or both. Many local fish populations are now in decline because of illegal and destructive fishing, limited management capacity, and warming oceans. When the oceans are protected and marine resources are responsibly managed, those fisheries produce wild food that is climate-smart and nutritious. 

5. Offers a source of adventure

Connection to the ocean often brings people a sense of joy, awe, and solace. From witnessing the beauty of coral reef ecosystems while diving to seeing a whale breach while sailing the open sea, the ocean is a magical, inspiring place.

The ocean gives us so much. It’s up to us to protect this precious resource.  And together, we can do it. Sailors for the Sea is tackling the threats facing our oceans every day by empowering sailors and boaters to take action. Join our community of Green Boaters to learn how you can make a difference for our seas.