Why not help the ocean and have fun at the same time?

That’s what Ocean Conservancy and LandShark Lager thought when we put together the Fin-tastic Voyage, a series of summertime events along the East Coast combining beach cleanups with great beach activities like stand-up paddleboarding and games.

New recruits for the ocean
The successful events, which are all about people getting together for good times on clean beaches, have attracted ocean-lovers like U.S. Army First Sergeant Chris Tharp. He traveled with his wife and son to a Fin-tastic event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

“We signed in, they gave us our trash bags and a grabber, and we took off down the beach,” he says. The trio was proud to pick up some four pounds of bottles, cans and food wrappers. “Then we came back to hang out and enjoy the games, activities and concerts. It was a great day.”

Tharp (who had never won anything in his life) scored a brand-new paddleboard courtesy

Raffle winner Chris Tharp takes to the water on his new LandShark paddleboard. Credit: Juwan Tharp

of LandShark’s raffle. He says, “I love being on the water, and paddleboarding makes you that much closer to it.”

“I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and spent every weekend out on the water. We’d go out on a boat fishing all day, then come back and swim off a sandbar. It made me who I am, and I’m sharing that with my son.”

When Tharp found out that another Fin-tastic day will take place during his upcoming family vacation to Key West, he signed on. “We’re excited to get there and have another great day on the beach,” he says. And he’s taking his new paddleboard.

Join the fun!

We all have a responsibility to keep our beaches clean. It’s easy to make a difference when it comes to ocean trash, but we need everyone to dive in.

Many companies are doing their part. LandShark Lager is a joint venture of Anheuser-Busch and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Brewing Company; Anheuser-Busch recycles more than 99% of solid waste generated at their breweries. And LandShark has joined Ocean Conservancy to design packaging that provides consumers with recycling reminders and tips to protect the ocean.

The Fin-tastic Voyage is turning people on to how they can keep beaches clean and healthy. You, too, can play a part in keeping our coasts clear:

Teamwork makes cleaning up part of the fun. Credit: Courtesy of LandShark.

• There’s still time to catch a Fin-tastic event in Florida:
  • July 28 Miami and Key West
  • August 4 St. Petersburg/Tampa
  • September 15 Pensacola
• Join the International Coastal Cleanup on September 15 at a lake, river or ocean beach near you.
• Remember that food, fun and games on the water can mean increased trash. Plan to reduce the amount you create—and dispose of the rest properly.