For most people, retirement signals a time to slow down. For 83-year-old Karen Breetzke, it has meant quite the opposite.
On Monday morning, the Beacon Bay pensioner quietly achieved an extraordinary milestone, collecting her 250,000th discarded bottle from the shores of Bonza Bay.
She has now, in fact, surpassed that number — reaching 250,112 and counting.
Years of dedication, discipline and a deep-rooted love for the environment saw her achieve this incredible feat.
Breetzke, who spent 48 years working as a teacher at Little Beacons Preschool, has lived in the Bonza Bay area since the late 1960s, when it was still in its infancy.
Over the decades, she has watched the suburb grow and with it, the challenges that come with increased human activity along its coastline.
“I have always picked up rubbish — truckloads of it,” she said, seated in her cosy lounge adorned with an eclectic collection of objects she has found washed up along the beach.
Among her discoveries are fragments of blue pottery believed to date back centuries, delicate paper nautilus shells, oystercatcher eggs, and other ocean-worn treasures.
Each piece tells a story — not just of the sea, but of Breetzke’s unwavering commitment to preserving it.
Her bottle-collecting expedition began in 2012, alongside well-respected former East London Museum ornithologist, Carl Vernon.
What started as a simple act of service soon evolved into a daily routine.
“Carl never really liked picking up bottles — he did it to please me,” she recalled chuckling.
“Then Covid-19 came, the beaches closed, and after that Carl passed away. But I kept going.”
Every morning, without fail — unless illness prevents her, Breetzke heads down to Bonza Bay beach, often arriving before sunrise.
It is at this early hour that she witnesses a different side of the coastline.
“When I get there at 5am, the young people are sometimes still partying from the night before.
“The music is still playing, there’s dancing, and then they leave everything behind.”
What they leave behind, she explains, is not just litter but danger.
“The broken glass worries me the most. There are little children who come to that beach, there’s a playground. It’s not safe.”
Her determination to keep the beach clean has not come without personal cost.
Over the years, she has sustained injuries while navigating dense bushes and uneven terrain in search of discarded bottles.
She has also encountered wildlife, from buck roaming nearby to a dead python and even a poisonous sea snake. Despite these risks, she continues undeterred.
Part of her motivation stems from frustration, but more importantly from hope.
“If just one person learns to pick up their rubbish because of what I do, then it’s worth it.
“Maybe it spreads.”
Breetzke also points out that the problem is not limited to beachgoers alone.
Some residents, she says, contribute to the mess by improperly disposing of refuse.
“A lot of homeowners drop their refuse bags at the beach instead of leaving them on their pavements. Then people come looking for food, and the rubbish gets spread everywhere.”
Over time, her presence on the beach has become a familiar and reassuring one.
Regular visitors, workers, and even construction teams have come to recognise her, often stepping in to assist.
“There were construction workers who used to help, and sometimes I would find bottles lined up for me,” she said.
“People are lovely — I just wish I knew all their names.”
Many are surprised to learn that she receives no payment for her efforts. For Breetzke, the reward lies in the difference she makes each day.
The morning she reached her milestone was filled with excitement and a touch of humour.
“I woke up so excited, got dressed, went outside and checked the time — it was 3am.
“I had to go back to bed and wait.”
At 5.30am, she returned to the beach and collected 112 bottles, finally reaching and surpassing the long-anticipated goal of 250,000.
“I always said I would hang up my bag after that. But I don’t know if I can. I’m so used to it now.”
Even in retirement, Breetzke leads a busy life. She serves as secretary at Kennersley Park and helps organise a supper club for about 80 residents, and spends time gardening.
Staying active, she says, is important to her.
“This has been my exercise because I hate going to the gym.”
In her downtime, she enjoys watching cricket and rugby, particularly supporting her favourite player, two-time World Cup winning Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi.
Looking back, she admits she never imagined reaching such a milestone.
“We thought we would stop at 100,000. Now we are at 250,000 — I can’t believe it.
“I got such a thrill picking up that last bottle.”
For Breetzke, the mission has never been about recognition or praise. It is about responsibility, community, and a simple belief that small actions can lead to meaningful change.
And thanks to her tireless efforts, the beach is a cleaner, safer place — one bottle at a time.
