The Convoy Point Channel is an important route for boaters at Biscayne National Park—it is the only marine passageway to Biscayne Bay from Homestead Bayfront Park, park headquarters and the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. Over time, the route becomes clogged with mostly human-discarded debris, but thanks to a recent volunteer effort, the passage is now clear. 

On June 3, 2015, a group of a dozen volunteers and park employees cleared the channel from end to end. The project included the use of snorkelers, who removed debris up to a depth of ten feet, and brought them to the surface. The items were then shuttled to the shore by boat for removal from the area. The end result: safer passage for boats and wildlife as well as an enhanced experience for visitors.

So, what kind of items did people discard in the water? The list from this year's cleanup included four fishing poles, aluminum bars from the top of a boat, and multiple large buckets full of glass bottles. In total, the pile of debris was enough to fill the back of a pick-up truck.

The annual channel cleanup projects began in 1987, and are led by Biscayne National Park volunteer Terry Helmers. Terry is a senior systems analyst for the University of Miami and volunteers in the park weekly to help clean up shorelines, maintain and install marker buoys, remove invasive lionfish and offer other support. He has won numerous volunteer awards for his work, including the President's Volunteer Service Award. This premier volunteer award recognizes citizens who take positive action that changes the world and delivers a powerful message that encourages others to take action.

A park spokesperson offered a good summary of the project: "It is an example of change brought about from ordinary people doing extraordinary things."