By Mario A. Cortez

A group of recreational divers will be diving beneath the waters of  San Diego Bay to pick up garbage from the bottom of the harbor.
Power Scuba, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to ocean stewardship and the preservation of the underwater environment, in a partnership with the Port of San Diego and two corporate sponsors, will be celebrating its third annual San Diego Bay Underwater Cleanup on Saturday, October 15 from 7:30 a.m. until noon.
This dive will allow recreational divers of all skill levels an opportunity to plunge into the harbor’s waters and explore the submerged underbelly of historical waterfront sites such as the USS Midway, the Tuna Harbor, the Star of India, the docked Soviet B-39 attack submarine, and others, all while cleaning up the bay.
For the general public, diving in San Diego bay is generally prohibited, however this volunteer cleanup activity is one of the very few exceptions which allows public diving in the bay.
Last year’s dive gathered over 100 divers who found items ranging from baby carriages and laptops to car engine parts and live ammo among the large amounts of trash beneath the water’s surface.
San Diego City Council Member Todd Gloria has previously praised the efforts by Power Scuba and Bay Cleanup event sponsors for their joint efforts “to help beautify and preserve our underwater ecosystem.” Power Scuba anticipates even greater success and a larger turnout at this year’s annual cleanup.
“San Diego Bay is the third-largest natural bay on California’s coastline. It supports cargo shipping, cruise ship and naval activity, and recreational boating… The bay’s size and extensive use create unique challenges in terms of pollution, and Power Scuba is honored to help clean up this stretch of shoreline”, stated Power Scuba through a press release.
The public is invited to participate in this cleaning effort regardless of diving experience. Those interested in participating can learn more at Power Scuba’s meetup.com profile page for the event (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/events/232450626/).