It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Members of a Victoria-based volunteer group, Pristine Shores, pitched in to clean up the Esquimalt Lagoon Monday.
The group calls itself an alternative for people who constantly hear about the amount of garbage in the Pacific Ocean but don't know how to help.
They supply garbage pickers, bags and other supplies and all volunteers need to do is show up at a monthly cleaning party.
On Monday, their focus was on Esquimalt Lagoon – and there was no shortage of work.
"We found lots of dog poop bags and at this one, it's cigarette butts," said group organizer Tanis Atchison. "And of course these trash cans, the seagulls like to empty them."
Monday's event had a good turnout, with a few dozen people showing up to help, and was a timely reminder for volunteers the day after Remembrance Day.
"There's so many places around the world where you can't go along the beach and enjoy things: restrictions, fences, walls," said Atchison. "We don't have that. We have this because of the people who served."
Atchison said the group started four months ago and has held four clean-up events since.
For future events and to volunteer, head to Pristine Shores' Facebook page.
