The Duwamish river has been used as an industrial toilet. Heavy metals from ship paint, industrial carcinogens from WWII bomber construction, arsenic in cement material, and raw sewage from overflowing sewage pipes. There are over 42 chemicals in the Duwamish above State environmental and health standards. The most common chemicals include PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls); mercury, lead and other metals; dioxins; and arsenic.
Where better to spend a day than in this toxic cesspool?
This was the tenth annual ’Duwamish Alive’ event where various non-profits combine talents and solicit volunteers in a variety of capacities to help the clean up effort. The company I work for had volunteers going but I wanted to try out my kayak on what was predicted to be a very nice Saturday. Fortunately there were kayaking opportunities to pick up trash on the river, so I hauled the kayak over to a park on the river and met 4 other kayakers, 3 of whom were part of a Boeing Kayak club.
Together we set up and chatted while trying to find trash. The river was low making getting into the kayak a gooey mess and initially the trash was difficult to find. We did find various odds and ends, but by far the biggest find was by one of the Boeing kayakers — an abandoned fishing net. The net had already trapped and killed a cormorant, and it stretched across half the river.
With a few tugs and a kayak tow, the net was dislodged and handed to the Puget Sound River keeper. The River keeper hauled it aboard and at least that hazard was removed from the Duwamish.
In all we retrieved 85 pounds from the river and made some new friends on the river.
A good day.
