Spring Breakers Caught on Video Dumping Full Trash Cans Into the Florida Ocean
A group of revelers celebrating spring break in Florida is getting a well-earned public shaming after being caught on video dumping bins full of trash into the ocean.
The footage was posted online by the Wavy Boats YouTube channel, which describes itself as the "largest boat action network" on the platform, "bringing millions of boating enthusiasts the best views from inlets all over Florida." Though, one could argue that the channel's latest, published on Monday, is hardly among the best views of the waterways.
In the eight-minute long clip taken off the coast of Boca Raton, two people aboard a boat containing about 10 passengers can be seen dumping two full bins of trash directly into the ocean. A caption notes that the footage was shot using a 1500mm zoom camera, so it's unlikely the culprits thought they would get caught.
The video explains that the crew departed from Lake Boca and exited through the inlet so they could dump the trash into the ocean. Afterward, the trash can be seen floating in the boat's wake.
The group was part of the annual Boca Bash, which takes place on the last Sunday of April every year and attracts some 10,000 partygoers. According to Miami's 7 News, the event's organizers said in a statement that they've identified the boaters, calling their actions "egregious" and "completely unacceptable."
"It is irresponsible boaters like this that have zero care for our oceans that give this event a bad reputation," the statement added.
Rodrigo Samsing, a Deerfield Beach resident and avid boater who frequents the same waterways, old the outlet: "There are a lot of good kids out there, but it doesn’t seem like they’re one of them."
"It just really infuriates you to see someone trash the ocean like that. You know, nobody else on the boat tried to stop them. Everybody was just celebrating," Samsing continued. "I mean they already had the trash sitting in the garbage can, they could have just put a bag, grabbed a bag, filled it up and thrown it away. Instead, they just dump it carelessly into the ocean. It’s just really sad to see."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working with Boca Police to investigate the incident. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "unregulated disposal of wastes and other materials into the ocean degrades marine and natural resources and poses human health risks."
