May 9, 2009 FBR Annual Spring Paddle

The East Fork of the Black River near Hatfield was spotted with brightly colored kayaks and canoes this past Saturday. An always popular event, the FBR Annual Spring Paddle attracts many paddlers to our local scenic river and streams. This year twenty five boats carrying twenty six participants launched at the East Fork Road Bridge and were paddled to Lake Arbutus. “We like to try a different section of the river each year so folks get a chance to see new stretches of river,” said Andy Ellingson, FBR president.

Several of the Friends of the Black River paddlers started their day near Shamrock joining Robinson Creek Preservation Association in a Hwy 27 roadside cleanup. A pickup load of tossed trash was removed from the roadway. The clean up spirit was continued on the river as FBR and RCPA members located and removed a discarded refrigerator along the bank. Group effort was required to hoist the rusty relic into Bill Steele’s canoe, dubbed “garbage scow” for the day. This may be the first refrigerator to be transported by canoe on the Black River, but it is certainly not the first unsightly object removed by dedicated FBR and RCPA members. Cutting torches and chainsaws are regularly brought along on clean up excursions to remove, in pieces when necessary, dumped items from the river and its tributaries. These efforts are appreciated by canoeists and kayakers who enjoy a more scenic and safer time on the water.

Lake Arbutus Association board member, Mike Peterson, extended an invitation to the group to join him at his lakeside cabin following the paddle. Many of the paddlers enjoyed the warmth of his campfire and the chance to visit. It was clear that all three local citizen stewardship groups, Friends of the Black River, Robinson Creek Preservation Association and the Lake Arbutus Association share a common dedication to protection and enhancement of local water resources.