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FAQs (Read these and then use the form below to sign up)
What do you need to paddle with Paddle Out Plastic?
To paddle out plastic with us, you will need your own vessel and paddle. Most paddlers use kayaks or standup paddleboards. Occasionally, somebody has paddled a canoe with us.
I have an inflatable kayak/SUP—can I paddle with Paddle Out Plastic?
We have had paddlers join us with inflatable kayaks and SUPs. We ask that if you have an inflatable, that you arrive with plenty of time in advance of our launch time to inflate your vessel and that you have considered whether your vessel is suitable for the conditions—distance, speed, etc.—anticipated on a particular paddle out. For example, an inflatable may be more suitable for paddling in the protected waters of Rainbow Harbor than in LA Harbor.
What else should I bring to paddle with Paddle Out Plastic?
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You will need to wear or have on board a safety flotation device—a life vest or other life preserver.
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We recommend that you wear sunscreen (ideally reef safe), hat, sunglasses, and reusable gloves.
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We recommend that you bring a reusable water bottle.
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Bring your choice of tools for picking up waterborne trash—a net, grabbers, tongs—and for toting it—bucket, laundry basket, bag. Many of us just use our hands to pluck out pieces of litter, hence reusable paddling gloves or waterproof gloves are ideal.
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Bring something to tie down or tether items that you bring. (see below)
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We suggest wearing sturdy water shoes for launching from boat ramps, which can be very rough on bare feet.
Can I bring a camera or phone?
Yes, but it is highly recommended you keep it in a watertight container that is tethered to you or your vessel and/or that floats. Paddle Out Plastic and its representatives will not be responsible for lost or damaged personal items of volunteer paddlers.
How do I tether or tie down what’s on my vessel?
This is really important, because we don’t want to add to what’s littering the water. Bungie cords and carabiners work well to tether most items that you would have on board. A dry sack is a good idea for holding anything you don’t want to get wet.
Do I need to have experience paddling to join a paddle out with Paddle Out Plastic?
Yes, you must have prior experience paddling to join a paddle out with us. Picking up litter from the water adds a degree of challenge to paddling, so it’s important to be comfortable with balance on your vessel and it’s important to know in advance your capability for covering various distances and conditions.
What can I expect out on the water?
Some locations that we paddle in are more protected than others. Los Angeles Harbor is generally more challenging to paddle in than, for example, Alamitos Bay or Rainbow Harbor. Some days out on the water the surface is glassy smooth; other days there might be some light chop on the water; and yet other days it can be very choppy. In LA Harbor we experience more boat traffic, and as a result boat wake, than most other areas we paddle in. Weather and water conditions, even obstacles in the water, can always change, so it is best to keep an eye on that and consider your own skills and capabilities when choosing what activities to participate in. While we consider the weather forecast when deciding whether or not to paddle on any given day, each paddler must consider the degree to which variations in wind, fog, or other weather factor tells them it would be best to wait to paddle out another day and/or another location.
How much does it cost to paddle with Paddle Out Plastic?
There is no charge to paddle with us. Some locations do have parking fees ranging from $1 per hour to $12 per visit. Paddle Out Plastic will reimburse parking charges for paddlers joining one of our paddles.
When do you paddle?
At present we announce group paddles about once per month. However, since the success of our paddles is in part dependent on the weather, and since weather can be variable, we do not plan group paddles on a set day each month. Rather, we rely on the 10-day forecast to choose an appropriate paddling day, and for this reason we generally wait until about 10 days in advance to announce a paddle. Our group paddles will almost always be on a Saturday or Sunday. We generally launch at 8:00 AM, but occasionally we may announce a sunrise paddle. We paddle for about 3 hours on each outing.
Do you ever start out later in the day or do afternoon paddles?
No, because we have found that the wind picks up in the afternoon and makes the return trip difficult even for the most experienced paddlers.
Can we bring children or adolescents?
Not without special permission, which will only be considered in the case of an adolescent who knows how to swim and is experienced and capable of paddling under the anticipated conditions.
Do I need to sign up for a group paddle or can I just show up?
We do appreciate knowing who and how many to expect so please do RSVP in advance of the paddle. That said, if you show up and are ready to go when we are, you are welcome to join. The reason for the RSVP is that if we need to cancel for any reason, you will be notified.
What if we would like to join a group paddle but cannot stay the whole time?
Let us know in advance if that is the case. It will depend on where we are paddling. We have had several volunteers who had to be back an hour earlier than the rest of the group and we either transfer the load to another boat or have the volunteer leave it at the dock for us to retrieve on our return.
Where do you paddle?
We announce paddles in a number of locations, but these three locations are the most common:
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Los Angeles Harbor. We launch from Cabrillo launch ramp adjacent to Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. From there we may go along the Los Angeles breakwater or up the main channel depending on where we think we will find trash and on the experience level of the group paddling. Parking is $1 per hour payable only by credit card.
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Alamitos Bay. We launch from the beach adjacent to Leeway Sailing and Aquatic Center. From there we paddle and clean in Alamitos Bay, around Naples Island and/or up into the Los Cerritos Channel. Free parking is available nearby until it fills up and after that for a fee a short distance away.
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Rainbow Harbor. We launch from the South Shore Boat Launch next to the Residence Inn in Long Beach. From there we clean up along the Los Angeles River and into Rainbow Harbor. Parking is a flat rate of $12.
Are there restrooms available?
Yes, all locations have some type of public toilet facility. Not all have drinking water, so please bring your own.
How far do you paddle and how long do you paddle?
Most paddles are between 4 and 6 miles long and take about 3 hours of paddling out and back. It is not unusual to take 30 minutes or more of continuous paddling to reach an area that needs cleaning. Most paddlers will need to arrive half an hour before the launch time to unload and prepare to launch. Likewise, it may take half an hour to pack up on return.
Do you see any wildlife while paddling?
Yes, that is the best part! Depending on where we are paddling, we see harbor seals, sea lions, pelicans, cormorants, and a whole host of other water birds. We sometimes see dolphins, rays, jellyfish, and even the occasional turtle, octopus, or whale. Along the rocky shoreline areas we see crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, mussels and Garibaldi. We keep a safe distance from all wildlife for their safety and ours.
What do you do with what we collect when we paddle with Paddle Out Plastic?
We bring back everything we collect, then sort it into buckets labeled for categories on the data spreadsheet that we maintain. After sorting everything, we count it. Then we lay it out in 6’x9’ frames and photograph it from overhead. Some items we retain for future art projects. Some items we send to recycling or retain for local artists or product makers for reuse. Things like buckets and trash cans in good condition we keep and reuse. Some items such as boating items in good shape we give away. Sadly, most items go in the trash because they cannot be recycled due to the type of plastic or its condition.
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Let's Change How We Use Plastic
Based on the high volume of certain types of plastic packaging that we retrieve from the water, we’ve generated some tips for how you can help address the problem if you’re willing. These tips focus on reducing, reusing or simply refusing certain plastic items, because if they are not used they won’t make their way to the water. These tips don’t take into account the many other considerations to think about before using plastic packaging, especially food packaging, which include toxic chemicals and substances such as PFAS, formaldehyde, and mercury.
YOUR USE OF:
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Snack bags by buying in bulk and repackaging in reusable containers. Food wrappers is one of the largest categories of items we retrieve from the water.
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Plastic takeout cups and lids and plastic clamshells by avoiding takeout when possible and dining in or if you must do takeout ask to be served in your own reusable carafe and/or food-safe container.
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Plastic wrap by using alternatives such as aluminum foil and reusable beeswax coated cloth.
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Plastic container products such as toiletries by purchasing solid options such as bar soaps, shampoos and conditioners; options packaged in paper, glass or metal; and/or buying in bulk from shops where you can bring your own reusable containers such as canning jars.
ALTERNATIVES TO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC:
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Shopping bags because it’s so simple to bring along reusable bags when shopping, the single-use type easily blow away, and we really do find quite a lot of them in the water (although they have been banned in California).
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Zip top bags are surprisingly common finds in the water, so other containers are preferable, but if you must use them, wash them after use and reuse them.
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Straws, cutlery, cup, carafe, food storage containers can all be purchased in reusable, even non-plastic form and stored in the glove compartment.
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Gloves that are ubiquitous in the food and medical fields need not be in our daily lives where a pair of reusable gloves functions just fine.
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Masks are available in high-quality reusable form that protect as well or better than single-use masks that end up in the water tangled in kelp and entangling wildlife.
TO USE:
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Styrofoam because it is one of the most problematic polluters as it breaks apart into ever smaller pieces that are often impossible to remove from the water. California has banned the use of expanded polystyrene (commonly called by its trademarked name Styrofoam) in food service.
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Single-use plastic water bottles because there is such a simple alternative—carry your own reusable bottle—and every single-use plastic water bottle includes the added waste of a plastic label and a bottle cap. Bottle caps and water bottle labels detached from the bottles are frequent finds in the marine environment.
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Plastic straws because they really are unnecessary for most people and despite a law in California and other jurisdictions requiring that vendors only hand out straws if customers request them, they routinely hand them out anyway. Just say “no thank you” and help educate vendors that a lot of people support skipping that stuff to protect wildlife.
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Six-pack rings because if businesses are still using them, they are demonstrating a lack of care for wildlife since it is widely known that this packaging is hazardous (due to entanglement) and there are alternatives.
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Balloons because they escape into the environment and harm wildlife. When an item causes harm it’s hard to associate it with joy. Choose another way to celebrate.
