'Glove Boat' crew cruises Long Beach waters to clean up trash

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A group of Long Beach locals is cleaning up the ocean, one piece of trash at a time. Here's the kicker: they called themselves the "Glove Boat," reminiscent of the 1970s TV show, "Love Boat," and the group of volunteers deem their excursions "trash cruises."

"It all got started when we were going out whale watching," said Jenny Sersion, "first mate" of the whaler she inherited from her late uncle. "So, we decided we were going to make a trip and just pick up trash."

The crew, on this particular cruise, was comprised of Jenny, her husband "Captain Matt" and "Cruise Director" Mimi Masher. The trio picked me up at Shoreline Village and we cruised around the marina, to the Aquarium, then out to the mouth of the Los Angeles River.

"The biggest part of the trash collection here in Long Beach is that trash from the streets get washed in the drain, everything in the drain goes to the river and the river brings it right to Long Beach and the breakwater keeps the trash from exiting," said Capt. Matt. "So, it all just goes to our beach until we come pick it up."

The crew aboard the Glove Boat said the most common trash they find is lunch trash (chip bags, wrappers), bottle caps, shoes, clothing and backpacks.

"I think as a beach community - a beautiful beach community - we should be a little more responsible in keeping our part of the ocean clean," said crewmate Mimi Masher. Masher is responsible for raising funds for the group of volunteers. Most recently, she raised $600 in donations for gas money, so the Glove Boat could continue picking up trash.

"After we started picking up trash, we started realizing how much trash there really is and it's just completely overwhelming," said Matt Sersion. "But if you can just do a little bit, it helps so much in so many ways."

For more information on Glove Boat, visit their Facebook group.