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Paddle down Flint River impresses Congressman Dan Kildee

July 1, 2015

Paddle down Flint River impresses Congressman Dan Kildee

About two miles into our trip down the Flint River, I told Congressman Dan Kildee that I had finally for the first time watched "Apocalypse Now" and that my story would be infinitely better if he could slowly go crazy and start muttering "The horror, the horror," by the time we reached Mott Lake. But he seemed more impressed with the serenity and wildlife of the river for that. Not that you can blame him. He and I were out with some other media folks and some members of the Flint River Watershed Coalition on their second annual river float during which they spew pro-river propaganda and try to butter us up and show how great the river is. And you know what? It works. I'm sold. I was sold last year, when we put our kayaks in at a Flint Township ramp and floated down to Flushing. This year, we launched at Davison and paddled about 6.3 miles to Mott Lake. Along the way we saw a bald eagle -- twice. Once, we spooked him and he spread his expansive wings and soared away down the river. The second time, either thinking he was hiding or feeling less intimidated, he perched high in a tree while we floated under, pointing, barely paddling, and saying nothing, hoping he'd stay put for us. There were turtles and either several blue herons or just one that we kept chasing down the river (that often happens, our guides told us) and Kildee turned out to have the sneakiest kayaking skills among us, getting the closest to our blue feathered friend to take pictures before it headed farther down the river. It was Kildee's first time on the river, though the Flint Township Democrat's done his share of kayaking, he said, in northern Michigan and in Colorado. He said he wanted to come out in part to help draw attention to the natural resources like the Flint River that Genesee County has to offer, and "to help redefine what the Flint River is in people's minds. It's a beautiful river. It's right at home." He said part of what we have to overcome are lingering perceptions of the river from Flint's industrial days. But Rebecca Fedewa, director of the Flint Watershed Coalition, said that recent issues have hurt perceptions of the river as well.