Solid Waste Management on the Marina Bottom
After I got a new fish-finder with down scan imaging, I was intrigued
on what could be seen lying on the bottom. Some things were quite recognizable.
The river water is not all that clear; it has a 2 to 3 foot visibility
most of the time. Add to that, gators,
and you really are reluctant to do any diving. What you can see on the down
scan image are for the most part, hard objects. Things like tree branches, old
chairs, concrete blocks, and old metal objects show up nicely. Soft plastic
stuff is not seen well.
I have a cheap under-water camera that I can drop over the side
also. If I find something like a chair; I can drop the camera down to see it. It
is surprising what you can pull up with a grappling hook. A large magnet can
retrieve other things. What upsets me the most is what I call soft trash:
plastic and glass bottles, old tarps, aluminum cans, batteries and junk. You
cannot snag most of this stuff with a hook. There are alligators in our area and I am reluctant to swim with them just to pick out trash.
Most of the stuff could have simply been trashed in a waste can on shore. It is sort of fun pulling up junk but it is also depressing to
see what is down there that is not easily retrieved. Lets keep our waterways clean.
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