On January 25th, 2025, Nudi Wear joined forces with Aaron’s Dive Shop for an impactful cleanup at the Makai Research Pier in Waimanalo, Oahu. The location was selected as a request from Olie, a member of our local diving community. He was recently diving at the pier and noticed a large influx of marine debris. When he reached out to suggest organizing a cleanup here, we jumped at the opportunity. When we mentioned the situation to Aaron’s Dive Shop, they too were excited for the opportunity to partner for the event.

The event was a huge success, with over 50 volunteers coming together to help remove harmful debris from the ocean and shoreline. The volunteers included SCUBA divers, freedivers, land support, and even a mermaid, all working towards a cleaner ocean and healthier marine life.

Nudi Wear volunteers putting on their scuba gear
Aaron's Dive Shop at the pier
Kids helping dad set up scuba gear
Volunteers at Cleanup
Mermaid at Makai Research Pier

The goal of the cleanup was simple: rid the waters and surrounding shoreline at the Makai Research Pier of debris that threatens marine ecosystems. Volunteers were split into teams, with divers heading into the water armed with mesh bags and cutting tools. Despite limited visibility, freedivers focused on the shallower areas around the pier, while SCUBA divers ventured into deeper waters to tackle more challenging locations.

Nudi Wear Volunteers at makai Research Pier Cleanup
Freedivers at Makai Research Pier Cleanup
Volunteers under the pier

With the divers in the water, land support got to work looking for items that were in danger of washing into the ocean. They also found a wide variety of items that had washed ashore too.

Nudi Wear beach cleanup at Makai Research Pier
Land volunteers at Makai Research Pier
Beach Cleanup at Makai Research Pier

Together, the teams managed to collect an impressive 307 pounds of trash from both the water and shoreline around the Makai Research Pier. Some of the more unusual items removed from the ocean included two tires, a beach chair, a fishing buoy, a cassette tape, and a water hose nozzle. In addition to these, volunteers removed the usual culprits—single-use plastics, fishing line, lead weights, hooks, and lures. The land team found even more discarded items, such as a bike, fishing nets, clothing, and a laundry basket, all of which were saved from becoming ocean pollution.

Nudi Wear and Aaron's Dive Shop volunteers at the Makai Research Pier Cleanup
Diver with a weight he removed from the ocean
Freediver posing with tire removed from the ocean
Diver posing with large tire removed from the ocean around the Makai Research PIer
Volunteers with a bike found along the waterline
Trash removed from the ocean at Makai Research Pier
Old cassette tape found in the ocean
Marine debris collected at the Makai Research Pier
Nudi Wear volunteers sorting through marine debris removed during the pier cleanup
Nudi Wear volunteers sorting fishing waste after the cleanup

The event highlighted the importance of ocean conservation and the need for everyone to make more mindful choices when it comes to waste disposal. Every piece of debris removed from the Makai Research Pier helps reduce the risks to marine life and ensures a cleaner environment for the future.

A truck loaded full of all the trash collected during the cleanup

We are so grateful to Aaron’s Dive Shop for their partnership and to all the volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to this cause. A special thank you to Olie for suggesting the location, The Oahu Dive Crowd for spreading the word about the event, and to Michelle, Gabby, and Kay for taking these wonderful photos of the event. These collective efforts show just how powerful teamwork can be in protecting our oceans. We look forward to organizing more events like this to keep our oceans clean and vibrant. Keep an eye on our Upcoming Events page for future cleanups and more. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the health of our oceans!