“Many of the rivers of the world are in a state of crisis,” says Mark Angelo. The British Columbian is an internationally celebrated river conservationist, writer, speaker and paddler, and key player in new documentary RiverBlue’s production.

The documentary explores the damage of the textile and tannery industry, now estimated to be responsible 20% of industrial freshwater waste. “It’s way more than we were expecting and it’s flown pretty much under the radar and been underreported,” says Angelo.

The documentary takes special note of blue jeans—over 450 million pairs of jeans are sold in the US each year, with over 70% of denim fabric production taking place in China, Indonesia and other Asian markets. Most of those factories discharge the toxic wastewater directly into rivers, spreading contamination to plants, animals and people wherever it flows.  “River advocates appreciate how everything is interconnected,” says Angelo.

As an avid kayaker, canoeist and rafter, Angelo has traveled to almost 1,000 rivers spanning 100 countries. Within the documentary he revisits an Indonesian river where it was once possible to make a living fishing. Now fishermen sift through the massive amount of debris in the water, collecting scraps to take in for recycling.

Angelo saw a similar story along the Pearl River in China—just a few decades ago, fishermen could make a living, now many of the same fishermen sift through the mud in search of worms to sell as bait for other areas that still have fish to catch. At times, film crew members had to don protective clothing and gas masks to traverse the waterways.

“I’m fearful of what lies ahead, clean water and healthy rivers becoming increasing scarce,” says Angelo. “Already, a billion people don’t have access to clean water.”

Producer Roger Williams is hoping the documentary inspires change. “RiverBlue brings the issue to the consumers,” he says, adding that he hope it inspires consumer consciousness for buying textiles and leather goods in the same way that consumers have begun to change the way they think about buying food.

“Our waterways are in a state of crisis. As paddlers, we know rivers have immense cultural, natural and recreational values. They’re lifelines in the truest sense,” says Angelo.

Visit RiverBlue online here. You can also follow their Twitter and Facebook updates, and participate in a contest to win cash.  

RIVERBLUE EXTENDED TRAILER from RiverBlue on Vimeo.

The first annual, 74-kilometer Paddle Marathon took place over two days, May 2nd and 3rd 2014, on Laguna Bacalar in Quintana Roo, Mexico, with competitors racing in kayaks and on SUP boards.

The Paddle Marathon traversed the 50-kilometer length of Laguna Bacalar, situated near the Caribbean coast on the east side of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and sometimes known as Laguna de Siete Colores for its multi-hued blue and aquamarine waters. This freshwater lake is of mixed depth and very clean water, fed by clear cenotes and a few slow-moving jungle streams. Entrants reported the race course beautiful and remote, with nearly all the shoreline either pristine jungle or low mangrove flats with no human habitation in sight. Bromeliads and orchids distracted paddlers the length of the journey and fish, turtles, fresh-water rays, rainbow-billed toucans and many other birds were spotted during the two days on the lake.

Gustavo Escamilla Flores of Monterrey, Mexico, took first place in the Kayak/Paddle Ski category, and Raul De Lille of Cozumel, Mexico, in the SUP category. Times for the 74-km course were 8:00:39 and 12:43:48 respectively.
 
Also in the kayak division were Gunnar Jentsch (2nd place, Bacalar, Mexico), Luis Fernando Amezcua (injury withdrawal day two, Mahahaul, Mexico). In the SUP division Ivan Segura (Cozumel) took 2nd place and Carlos Granados (Cozumel) took 3rd. SUP teams were Nicole Ferroni and Laura Chisolm (1st place, Cozumel) and Carolyn Thomas and Simone Kiedaisch (2nd place, Mahahual.)
 
Weather for the inaugeral event was mixed, with five-to-10-kilometer headwinds and low chop for much of the two-day race and moderate rain several times on both days. Balancing that were blue skies with sun and fair winds for half of Day 2. Although this first year was lightly attended, the event is important to the region and was well organized with support boats, emergency personnel, maps and buoys, Navy oversight, a paddle cine festival, events for spectators and an afternoon of free paddleboard instruction by De Lille Sports.

Scott Wallace piloted a safety boat for the event and is a freelance journalist who has lived in Bacalar for more than a decade. For more info about the Paddle Marathon, visit http://paddlemarathonlagunabacalar.blogspot.mx/