World Oceans Day is a worldwide celebration occurring on June 8, 2024. And it’s a tremendous opportunity to deepen our understanding and awareness of our planet’s oceans – both on and off the water!
If you’re unsure how to celebrate World Oceans Day, keep reading. Today’s blog post is rounding up ten ways for boaters to protect and enjoy our waterways on this global holiday.
How to Celebrate World Ocean's Day As a Boater
1. Eat Sustainable Seafood
Eating sustainable seafood is one of the easiest ways to promote ocean sustainability. Ask your local market and restaurants where they source their fish, then choose to eat (or not eat) accordingly. Generally, we recommend avoiding seafood that comes from fish farmers or commercial centers.
2. Reduce Your Plastic Consumption
There’s no denying that plastic is one of the biggest threats to oceanic health. According to Surfers Against Sewage, over five trillion macro and microplastics are floating in the ocean. And because these snippets of plastic resemble food, marine life mistakenly consumes them. That’s why boaters (and non-boaters) should limit their single-use plastic consumption as much as possible.
3. Participate in a Beach Cleanup
Trust us – there’s no better way to celebrate World Oceans Day than by participating in (or organizing) a beach cleanup. Grab some friends and reusable trash bags and swing by your local beach for relaxing, trash collecting, and water sports.
4. Support Marine Protection Foundations and Organizations
If you’re looking for a way to celebrate World Oceans Day from the comfort of your couch, donate to a marine protection foundation or organization. If you aren’t sure where to start, the Ocean Conservancy and the Ocean Foundation are dedicated to protecting our blue waters.
5. Use Non-Toxic Soaps and Cleaners
To protect our waterways, boaters should always use non-toxic or phosphate-free soap when washing their boats. Why? Well, phosphate-containing soaps create algae blooms that deplete the water’s oxygen and cause wildlife deaths.
Additionally, boaters should avoid using toxic cleaners containing ammonia, chlorine, potassium hydroxide, and other harsh chemicals or solvents. Instead, opt for non-toxic cleaners or a classic vinegar-water solution.
Read Next: How to Clean a Boat: Boat Cleaning Basics
6. Follow Safe Anchoring Practices
If you’re boating on World Oceans Day — or any day — make sure you abide by safe anchoring practices. Before anchoring in a new location, check the bottom conditions. Avoid highly sensitive areas where heavy anchors and ground tackle damage. Additionally, refrain from anchoring in areas with seagrass beds, shellfish beds, or coral reefs.
7. Don’t Throw Debris Overboard
We hope this is a given – but you shouldn’t ever throw debris overboard. And besides the obviously harmful plastics, this includes bottles, cigarette butts, and food waste.
Most trash floats, and the currents are known to carry it far from its origination point. As a result, fish, seabirds, turtles, and other marine life munch on it along the way – seriously injuring (or even killing) themselves.
Not only is littering harmful to the environment, but it also reflects poorly on one's boat passenger etiquette. For more tips on how to be a great boat passenger, watch our video below:
8. Follow Careful Fueling Practices
Generally, dock-fueling pumps are faster than gas station pumps. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for boat fuel to drip or unexpectedly backsplash from the tank. Unfortunately, many distracted boaters fail to notice when their tank is full, and they spill excess fuel into the water. That’s why we recommend being careful and mindful whenever you fuel up, as this keeps toxins out of our waterways and protects sea life.
9. Maximize Your Boat’s Energy Efficiency
Staying on top of engine maintenance is an easy way to boost your boat’s energy efficiency. Additionally, freshly charged fuel filters remove unnecessary fuel particles, and fuel additives keep the engine clean while breaking down damaging substances.
It’s also essential to ensure that your boat carries the proper propeller for its type and size, as bent or damaged blades won’t deliver maximum thrust.
Another way to maximize your boat’s energy efficiency is to keep the onboard weight to a minimum. We recommend emptying the holding tank and bringing only the essentials for a trip. When cruising, aim to keep the hull level at optimal thrust and increase the weight near the bow.
10. Spend the Day Out on the Water
Last but not least, the best way for boaters to celebrate Worlds Ocean Day is by spending the day out on the water. Whether embarking on a weekend excursion or heading out for solo fishing, please take a moment to appreciate our planet’s beautiful waterways. Bonus points if you collect some floating trash along the way.
