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Baltimore Floatilla Once Again Raises Money For Cleaner Waterways

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Paddlers in Baltimore's Inner Harbor showed their Harbor Love Saturday.

The third annual Floatilla brought out more than 300 people in kayaks and canoes to rally for cleaner waterways.

Baltimore's waterways struggle with F ratings for water quality from fecal bacteria to algae overgrowth.

"We kayak down in Fort McHenry, down in Mallow's Bay, and it's a little gross to kayak on the Inner Harbor sometimes. You worry about the splashes getting on your hands," kayaker Megan Boddy-Pickard said.

Kayakers hope to see a day when the harbor is safe and "swimmable."

And this year's Floatilla theme, Harbor Love, brought our more kayakers than ever before.

"I think it's really important to make people aware, that the harbor is very important to us. And keeping it clean -- I mean, water is what we need to live," kayaker Randy Dalnekoff said.

Mr. Trash Wheel and his counterparts have collected 850 tons of trash from the harbor in just four years. But the Healthy Harbor Initiative floats the idea--everyone can help.

"Every person can do something to clean up the Baltimore harbor. Whether it's making sure you recycle and have a tight-fitting lid on your trash can, whether it's making sure you don't put fats, oils, and grease down the drain, it's all part of cleaning up the harbor," said Adam Lindquist of the Healthy Harbor Initiative.

The Baltimore Floatilla raised more than $9,000 for harbor initiatives.

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