By Steve Weisman

Clean water…that’s the focus of the many lakes’ protective associations, organizations and individual in the Iowa Great Lakes. One of the huge issues right now is the problem of littering. We see it on the roadsides, pretty much everywhere we go. Unfortunately, a huge trash receptacle has become our lakes and waterways. Just look along shorelines, in the shallows and you’ll see the ugliness of littering…and in the very waters we profess to hold near and dear to us!

That being said, people are fighting back against littering, and one of those opportunities is coming on Saturday, June 4 with an Underwater Cleanup with the goal to “Keep Okoboji Blue.” Kyle Hamilton, organizer, says, “We’re bringing back the Underwater Cleanup that was so popular with underwater divers back in the 1970s and 1980s in Okoboji.”

Headquarters will be at Boji Divers at Okoboji Boat Works in Smiths Bay (1401 Lake Shore Drive) with registration and check in running from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

It will be a full day of diving, cleaning up, along with an underwater scavenger hunt, prizes, giveaways and free food for participating divers. The goal is to potentially have divers also work on East Okoboji and Big Spirit.

For recreational boaters and fishermen on the lakes Saturday, June 4, watch for the diver flags and make sure to stay at least 50 feet away. Also, outside of 50 feet, vessel operators must operate at idle speed out to a distance of 150 feet.

Hamilton encourages people to pass the word. “Please help us promote this Underwater Cleanup to help keep Okoboji blue.”

To learn more, you can reach out to Hamilton at (612) 720-8111 or (712) 338-0438 at the Boji Divers. You can also search on Facebook for updates on the Underwater Cleanup.