2012 Lake Union Sweep

By Laura Lowery

Help clean up our lake!  Free coffee & breakfast snacks, picnic lunch, t-shirts and great raffle prizes for all who volunteer.

Lake Union And Portage Bay Sweep on May 19

The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance will hold its annual "Lake Union and Portage Bay Sweep," on Saturday, May 19, from 8am to 2pm.

The Floating Homes Association is sponsoring the Sweep again this year, and we welcome and encourage everyone in the houseboat community to come out and help us clean up our treasured urban waterway.

Floating homeowners have a unique reputation as mindful stewards of Lake Union and Portage Bay - these waterways are quite literally our own backyard. The Sweep is a great way to get out and have fun while making a real difference in your community.

WHO:        Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Floating Homes Association
WHAT:   Lake Union & Portage Bay Sweep
WHERE:  South Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N
WHEN:   Saturday, May 19, 2011, 8am - 2pm
CONTACT:    Barbara Owens, 206-297-7002, barbara@pugetsoundkeeper.org (Please let Barbara know how you'd like to be involved and what size shirt you prefer)

Sweep Day Timeline

8:00am - Meet at South Lake Union Park. Coffee and breakfast snacks. Sign a release; collect "grabbers" and yellow trash bags. (If you're bringing your own boat, arriving at 8:30 is fine).

9:00am - Everyone fan out! Paddle your kayak, canoe or small vessel out around Lake Union and Portage Bay - or walk the shoreline - and start picking up trash and debris.

12:00 noon - Return to South Lake Union Park tents with full trash bags. Picnic lunch will be provided, and raffle prizes will be won!

2:00pm - Event closes

Options for Volunteering

• Bring your own kayak/canoe/boat and picking up trash from Lake Union, Portage Bay and/or Union Bay
• Walk the shoreline picking up trash
• Work at a habitat restoration site near Eastlake (pulling blackberries and weeds) with the Eastlake Community Council
• Borrow a kayak, canoe or rowboat from various locations, as space is available.
• Be on a support boat, taking trash from kayaks/canoes, as space is available
• Help coordinate logistics for the day (food, sign in, trash sorting, handing out shirts, etc.)

Sign Up

Anyone can show up on Sweep Day, but to help things run more smoothly - and to ensure there are enough t-shirts and lunch - please contact Barbara Owens (barbara@pugetsoundkeeper.org) in advance of the event to sign up.

Where to Park Your Canoe/Kayak/Boat

Kayakers: There is a kayak dock on the west shore, on the west side of South Lake Union Park (south of Kenmore Air and north of the foot bridge) where kayakers can land. Kayaks may also land on the beach south of the kayak dock.

Canoes/Small Boats: There is a new gravel beach south of the kayak dock, where canoes and small boats may land.

Participants can walk to the main park area along the north wall.

BE AWARE:

The large "Queen of Seattle" paddleboat will be departing South Lake Union Park at approximately 12:30pm, and her slip will not be available to park your vessel. Please use caution as this ship departs.