Lehigh Canal (15-June-2016)

The total trip included not only the canal, but the trip back on the river. Since there are so many photos I decided to break it up into two posts. This post is just the trip up the canal from Sand Island in Bethlehem to Canal Park in Allentown. I started off the trip with a lot of energy and was very optimistic that there wouldn't be much trash on the canal due to my awesome clean-ups last year! If you are laughing you know how things actually work out. 

As soon as I pushed off onto the water I was picking up trash. On the left a glass bottle, on the right a balloon that looked like it had been in there for awhile.

All I could think at the start was, what a nice day to be out paddling. 

While reaching in for some trash I noticed this Common Musk Turtle and decided to say hello. It was not pleased with this decision and really wanted to bite me. Really can't blame it, just imagine if some giant creature picked you up. How would you react? I haven't come across too many Musk Turtles this year and it was nice to find one on this trip. After a few photos I placed it back in the canal and got to watch it awkwardly swim away like Musk Turtles do. 

Didn't I just clean this exact spot last year with Greco? Oh yeah, I did. New stuff and old stuff that must have been hidden last year. Even glass soda bottles with the metal caps. 

Also found in the strainer above were this volleyball (left) and little blue token (right) with a dogs back end on it.

About a third of the way to Allentown there is a lock that I have to portage around. During the portage I found this overflowing trash can. I cleaned up around it, took some recyclables and left behind a heavy, thick, plastic seat/cooler top and a fishing rod. Both items did not fit well on the kayak and I was happy to get rid of them right away. I think the trash can looked much better after I left.

Back on the canal I cleaned up around the top of the lock and found some keepers. On the left was a blow horn. Anyone know what kind of figurine it is on the right? Had a microphone in its hand.

More and more bottles. 

I specifically remember cleaning up this same section of canal bank last year. The nice thing was that this year it wasn't nearly as bad. This was one of a few places that I could see a clear difference as a result of what I did last year. Still a lot of trash though. 

This angered me. I found four similar bags, all had the same type of water bottles in them and three of the four had paperwork in them. Two of them I opened and took a look at the paperwork. It seems that employees of Norfolk Southern like to bag up their trash and throw it into our canal. One of the two bags that I opened also had rotting organic items in it that really smelled like vomit. That got on the side of my boat. I am not too pleased with Norfolk Southern and had there been a PFBC officer at Canal Park I would have handed these over instead of throwing them out. I doubt the PFBC would do much about it though, at least locally they don't seem to be too good at going after people who illegally dump into out waterways.

Apparently none of this paperwork really mattered. It is sad that I am to the point I don't believe anyone would fine Norfolk Southern for this. It is clearly trash from the company and their employees.

When I went to pick up one of the bags I noticed these two Painted Turtles slide into the water. Like the Musk Turtle they did not seem pleased that I said hello. Hopefully they learned from this experience and will do more in the future not to get caught by a predator. I placed them back by there basking area one immediately disappeared into the leaf litter and other debris in the water, the other stayed near the surface. I have hope for one of them surviving at least.  

My first whole RC vehicle ever! 

Then there was this... A basket, the inside cover of which is folded over on top of its contents and floating in the water. On top of the cloth cover are flies and because who knows what someone would put in a basket and float down the canal I had to see what the contents were. I was happy and confused. Multiple whole, decapitated, unfeathered chickens. I did not remove the basket or the contents. 

By this point exiting the canal I was tired. For at least the last quarter of the paddle up the bag in the front was hanging off enough in the water to create drag and slow me down a lot. That meant more paddling. I was also happy to be done with this part because the entire inside of my kayak was full of bottles and cans to the point my legs were resting on them in the front. It was extremely uncomfortable and I was happy I was able to move things around before setting out on the river and back to my car. 

After I cleared out the kayak the bag that doesn't have much in it in this photo was completely full. The other bag was non-recyclables. 

After dropping off the non-recyclables in the can by the parking area I took my boat and recyclables down to the river. The trip down river will be posted sometime soon. 
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

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA