Lehigh Canal and River: Part II (23-Apr-2016)

After dropping off the trash from the previous paddle I headed back down to the riverside. For this one I was taking the river downstream and paddling back up the canal. I like the areas where the canal is still intact and holding water. They take a lot of planning out of river trips because they make it so there is always a way back to the car. 

I didn't get far down the river until I started seeing trash. Over to the side I went.

On a small island there were a number of debris piles I searched through. There was the regular items and then! A Spidey Car! Spiderman sure does loose a lot of vehicles in the river. I find way more vehicles of his than any other superhero. 

More of the same river trash. On the right, the large item is a piece of the side of a boat. There was more of the boat where I found that, the rest was pinned in a debris pile though.

The boat was filling up quick. 

After picking through a couple more areas I realized I still had to go back the canal and there would be more trash on the way back.

I found the best place I could to take out at. I then had to drag the boat up a spillway for the canal and it wasn't easy.   

On the canal I started paddling back to the car. Right near where I put on at I noticed a barrel. Didn't think much of it, I have come across a lot of old rusty barrels all along the Lehigh Canal and in the river. I went to pick up a piece of trash near it and found out that this barrel was a little different than most. 

The barrel was upside down and full of trash. Why people feel the need to throw a can full of trash into the canal or river is beyond me. In the past with a nearly full boat I probably would have just let this be. Now I just can't take seeing stuff like this so I dealt with it. I pulled, pushed and shoved this across the canal. I thought that maybe once I got it near the trail I could flip it upright on the path and leave it there for the park employees to deal with. 

It was so rusted my idea literally fell through. I had to scramble when the plastic items started floating out of the barrel. I really did not want to, yet I did sort through all of the contents and separated the recyclables from non. The only thing I left behind was the barrel. Couldn't have taken it out if I wanted to. Hopefully the parks staff will pick it up soon and not just leave it there. 

This was everything for the second trip of the day. I will be going back to this location soon. There is much more to be done and I passed by many items on the canal that I just had no more room for. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

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