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PHOTOS: Out-of-town divers remove 100s of pounds of trash from Cultus Lake

Members of Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out 470 pounds of trash over two days
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This bowl that was removed from Cultus Lake was part of the 470 pounds of trash four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out March 28 and 29, 2021. (YouTube/Henry Wang)

A group of out-of-town divers were in Chilliwack recently to haul trash out of Cultus Lake.

Members of Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans removed 470 pounds of trash from the lake during a two-day haul last month. The group is a dedicated team of volunteer scuba divers who remove garbage from local waters in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley areas.

On March 28 and 29 four divers, most of whom are from North Vancouver, cleaned the waters in front of Entrance Bay and the campground area at Sunnyside.

In a 15-minute video documenting the cleanup, Henry Wang (who shot the video) is seen along with the others before, during and after the dive.

Footage from underneath the water shows Wang picking up beer cans, golf balls, hats and more.

These car rims that were removed from Cultus Lake was part of the 470 pounds of trash four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out March 28 and 29, 2021. (YouTube/Henry Wang)
These car rims that were removed from Cultus Lake was part of the 470 pounds of trash four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out March 28 and 29, 2021. (YouTube/Henry Wang)

The team also found car rims (typically used as anchors) paddles, pillows, dishes, plastic cups and a metal garbage can.

But the “strangest” item they found was a knee brace, he said.

This knee brace that was removed from Cultus Lake was part of the 470 pounds of trash four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out March 28 and 29, 2021. (YouTube/Henry Wang)
This knee brace that was removed from Cultus Lake was part of the 470 pounds of trash four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans hauled out March 28 and 29, 2021. (YouTube/Henry Wang)

Later in the video Wang holds up a white beer can with just the word “beer” written on it in large, black letters. Although there’s no indication as to what type of beer had been inside the can, there was some other information written on it.

“The only thing we can find on here is at the top, and it says ‘please don’t litter,’” Wang said.

“You had one job and you screwed it up!” he said with a laugh.

In total, over the two days, the dive team pulled nearly 500 pounds of trash from Cultus Lake.

“What a great day,” he said as the sun shone brightly. “And it all came from that beautiful lake.”

Click here to see the video.

Henry Wang (left) was one of four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans who was out at Cultus Lake on March 28 and 29 hauling trash out of the waters. (YouTube/Henry Wang)
Henry Wang (left) was one of four members with Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans who was out at Cultus Lake on March 28 and 29 hauling trash out of the waters. (YouTube/Henry Wang)

READ MORE: Unseen garbage hauled up from Cultus Lake by volunteer divers


 

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Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
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Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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