Shut Down Line 5!

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I was honored to take part in the 

Pipe Out Paddle Protest 

yesterday on the Straits of Mackinac.

Kayaks are 'smudged' using smoke from burning sage

Kayakers and a few stand up paddle boarders gathered near the Mackinac Bridge to call for the shut down of Enbridge Line 5 that is submerged in the water here between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.   

This event was organized by Jannan J. Cornstalk and there were many tribal members at the event. 

Blessing the water ceremony

"Water is Life!" was the call of the day

Jannan J. Cornstalk, event organizer

 Two tribal canoes led the protest.

Tribal canoe

Paddling on the Straits

Flotilla of around 50 kayaks

 The pipeline underneath the water here is 65 years old and is well past its safe lifespan. It is time to decommission this pipeline. 

The clouds moved in as the flotilla headed back to shore

Several tribal members and politicians spoke abut the need to retire Line 5

 Thank you to the tribes and especially Jannan J. Cornstalk for organizing this event.

Learn more about Enbridge Line 5 that runs under the water in the Straits of Mackinac by viewing this movie:  https://youtu.be/ViYpuMZXdzM