San Diego Coastkeeper

Coastkeeper Asks Community to Name New Boat

San Diego, CA - San Diego Coastkeeper is seeking community guidance to help name its beautiful, new 19-foot Boston Whaler boat. The vessel was generously donated by SD Marina and Kona Kai Marina, who are also providing slip space for the Whaler. It will allow Coastkeeper to better fulfill its mission to protect and restore our local waterways.

"Our new boat promises to be an important tool for Coastkeeper to keep a watchful eye on our shores and report polluters for harming our marine environment," said Coastkeeper Executive Director Bruce Reznik. "We’re proud to play a role protecting the health of San Diego's waterways by patrolling our coasts and preventing marine pollution."

To enter the San Diego Coastkeeper Boat Naming Contest, participants must visit www.sdcoastkeeper.org and choose a boat name from the list, or add a creative alternative. Everyone who participates will be entered into a contest to win Coastkeeper prizes, including a boat tour around San Diego Bay, Ocean Gala tickets and Coastkeeper apparel. Contest entries will be accepted August 28, 2007 through September 17, 2007. The winning boat name will be announced on our website www.sdcoastkeeper.org by October 12, 2007.

The Whaler will be used to patrol San Diego Bay and our coastal waters looking for pollution, and also support Coastkeeper’s water and habitat monitoring programs. Additionally, the boat will provide the opportunity to take community leaders, decision makers and media on the water to generate greater awareness for the issues affecting our waterways.

Add Reznik, "This new boat fulfills another critical need – the requirement of all Waterkeeper programs worldwide to patrol their local waters."

The first Waterkeeper program was started by commercial fisherman along the Hudson River who, frustrated by the growing tide of pollution that was devastating their beloved river, bought a patrol boat to look for illegal pollution. The Waterkeeper Alliance was the creation of the Hudson Riverkeeper movement and is now more than 150 programs strong worldwide. A unique aspect of the Waterkeeper movement is the direct connection to the waters that these groups are working to protect through their boats.

An official boat launch will take place on October 18, 2007 during the World Water Monitoring Day event at the Chula Vista Nature Center, where students will have the opportunity to sample water from the boat.

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Founded in 1995, San Diego Coastkeeper protects the region’s bays, beaches, watersheds and ocean for the people and wildlife that depend on them. We balance community outreach, education, and advocacy to promote stewardship of clean water and a healthy coastal ecosystem.