Marion and Ron Ray have been members of the Inland Bay Tributary Action Team (TAT) for approximately three years now.  They moved to Delaware six years ago after Ron retired as an electronics engineer in Connecticut.  They became involved with the Team after reading an article on cleaning up the bays that included information on the Inland Bays Team.

Although not native Delawareans (Marion was born in Pennsylvania and Ron was born in California), they feel that the water quality of Delaware is the most serious problem that Delaware faces now and into the future.  They feel that one of their main concerns is water potability for future generations.  If things keep progressing as they are today this could become a major concern.

In their view, the biggest challenge to the Team is getting the word out to people, especially visitors to the area who do not have to live with the aftermath of their actions.  The Rays believe that not only are are visitors disrupting ecosystems with noise and wakes but some appear to have little regard for the ecology of the water.  There are those who simply drop litter wherever they happen to be.  While one piece of litter may not seem like a lot, it becomes more significant when you realize there are hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors enjoy the beaches, boating, sailing, windsurfing, fishing, clamming, hiking, and wildlife watching in the Inland Bays watershed each year.  Recreation and tourism contribute an estimated $250 million annually to the local economy, with boating being a popular activity.  Marinas and private docks in the Inland Bays shelter some 7,500 boats.  Over 60,000 people currently live in the watershed, and more arrive every year.  Sussex County's population expected to increase by 30 percent over the next 20 years and average summer weekend populations are expected to increase 200%.  When you think of the impact that this amount of use can have on a watershed, it is alarming.

The Rays feel that if the Team goes out and “gets their hands dirty,” then maybe at least the native Inland Bay-ers will become more aware of the problems they are facing in the near future.  It will also make the team feel like they have really accomplished something and it may increase interest in the communities around them.  One of the ways the Rays are working to educate the public is through working with housing developments to make them more environmentally friendly.  They also feel that a good way to reach people is through educational materials, such as the agricultural handout developed by the Department of Agriculture that discusses the proper use of fertilizers.   Together with the Inland Bays Tributary Action Team, the Rays are working hard at improving water quality awareness throughout the watershed.