06/15/2026
The ocean sustains life.
It has for as long as people have called this shoreline home and long before us humans arrived.
On World Ocean Day, we joined the Making Waves Foundation, the National Park Service at Sandy Hook, and Monmouth County Clean Communities to care for the bay side of Plum Island. A community picking up what the tide didn’t bring in.
Mary has been doing this quietly for years. Every walk, every shell hunt, every handful of sea glass collected for her art. There’s always a bag in her hand for what doesn’t belong. That ethic of stewardship, of taking something beautiful seriously, is part of what Above the Hook has always been rooted in.
Having the opportunity to partner with Making Waves Coalition is a dream come true. Their efforts in environmental stewardship to make real change through real connections is making waves here in Monmouth county.
From the beginning, community was the whole point. Not just documenting this place, but showing up for it.
To everyone who came out thank you for treating Sandy Hook like what it is: irreplaceable.
This place means so much to so many and this series will continue to highlight beautiful stories from an incredible world oceans day cleanup.
We can’t wait to see you at the next one.
