'Last year we found a cover for an outboard motor in the Platte River on one of our cleanups," said National Park Service ranger Vern Korkus to a group of volunteers that were getting ready to head out for a cleanup last week.
"It wouldn't surprise me if you found the motor this time. We've found some strange things in the Platte."
The group of 23 paddlers had been organized by John Heiam and Lois Goldstein to perform a cleanup -- one of two they do annually -- on the Platte. It is one of several area rivers that they organize cleanups for during the summer and fall. A retired teaching couple from the Chicago area that now calls Traverse City home both feel strongly about preserving the pristine quality of our area rivers.
"We moved up here because of the quality of outdoor life, and, in particular, the outstanding number of rivers that there are in this area for paddling," Goldstein said. "We've found quite a number of paddling buddies since moving up here, and when we want to perform a river cleanup we just send out an e-mail. The response is normally good, but this is one of our most popular rivers in terms of the number of people that come out to help.
"We feel strongly about keeping the rivers as clean as possible so that we and others can enjoy them in pristine condition. They are a Northern Michigan treasure and a real attraction for the area," she added. "Many of the liveries that service area rivers works with us providing shuttles and trash pickup, because they also appreciate the help in keeping rivers clean and attractive for their customers."
Most liveries do perform cleanups of river sections they service, but during their busy season it's hard to keep up with all the river traffic.
On the Platte River the group works with the park service since this portion of the Platte runs through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
"We have a number of groups that do volunteer cleanup on the Platte, but Lois and her group is one of our largest," said Lisa Myers, Chief of Interpretive and Visitor Services at Sleeping Bear. "They come at least twice during the paddling season, and unfortunately seem to always find a good amount of trash. I appreciate their enthusiasm and dedication, but look forward to the day they don't find any trash.
"However until that day occurs we really appreciate them and other volunteer groups that help to keep the Platte River as pristine as possible," she added. "It gets a lot of use. Hundreds of paddlers and tubers will go down it in a season, and unfortunately many of them aren't as careful about keeping the river clean."
Meyers oversees about 900 volunteers that perform 35,000-some hours of cleanup throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes during the year.
On this particular Wednesday, the group filled six giant garbage bags with trash, plus finding an outdoor folding chair, a lot of construction material -- lumber and bricks -- and a large link of old chain that some thought might have been left over from the lumbering era.
Other area rivers that the group routinely performs cleanups on at least twice per season are the Boardman, Jordan, Upper Platte, Pine, Betsie, South Branch of the AuSable and Upper Manistee rivers.
In addition to the normal amount of trash they've picked up on area rivers, one of the most unusual items they've found was a large, plush armchair, complete with a folding leg rest sitting on sandbar in the Pine River.
"We often have a laugh over some of the things we've found in area rivers," Heiam said. "But, it's also sad that people are so careless and uncaring about dumping items."
Occasionally you can find something useful. Helping with the cleanup on the Platte River I found an unopened can of beer that somebody had lost. After I washed it off, it tasted quite good later after a long day helping to clean the river.
For anybody that wishes to volunteer for cleanup work at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, contact Myers at (231) 326-5134, extension 300. They are always looking for more volunteers, either individuals or groups. It's a rewarding experience.
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