Last time we went on the Clinton River, there was a ton of winter runoff trash collected on the banks and in snags. I like paddling on the river and as far as I know no group has a particular responsibility to maintain it, so I wanted to contribute while I have the free time. I ordered a few trash grabbers and we launched at Budd Park yesterday.
It was pretty fun to maneuver through the current to reach a particular bit of trash, and a fun way to practice boat handling. The sea kayaks are definitely not the best boats for river paddling, but they do have the benefit of roomy hatches. We cleaned about a mile and a half in a little over two hours before running out of storage space.
We saw quite a few birds, including some cool ducks I didn't recognize and a ton of Great Blue Herons, and a beaver or muskrat, didn't get close enough to be sure. Also, turtles! Last week there weren't any out, but it must have warmed up enough for them now. I love seeing them laying in the sun.
The best finds: a fishing rod, two unmatched flip-flops, and a plastic eyeball.
The amount of tiny pieces of styrofoam is a little discouraging to see, as well as all the fishing line, but it felt good to at least improve it a little bit.
Wishing everyone a great Easter weekend!
-Lisa
