Few things beat floating down the cool, refreshing waters of Penticton’s channel on a hot summer day, and one Okanagan resident is doing his best to keep it clean and thriving.
David Pennylegion has been picking up garbage carelessly tossed or accidentally dropped into the beloved waterway, and raising awareness about the need to care for nature.
To date, Pennylegion says he’s scooped up scads of empty cans and bottles, around a dozen cellphones, shopping carts, glass, clothing and more.
“I went swimming here, probably four years ago, in the (Penticton) channel, and I noticed that there’s lots of garbage. And the garbage gets piled up,” said Pennylegion, who has a YouTube channel that shows his dives.
“So it interferes with the stream, causing it to overflow in some areas and can also cause accidents.”
Pennylegion says protecting freshwater habitats is a significant motivator.
“The fresh waters are very important for salmon and special types of fish that come through here,” said Pennylegion.
“I’m trying to get the word out that freshwater is just as important as the oceans. There are ecosystems, there’s fish, there’s wildlife that go through this stuff. So it’s just as important.”
A certified diver, Pennylegion films his underwater adventures to provide a rare look at what truly lies beneath the surface.
“First time I did it, I thought not everyone can do this kind of thing. And not everybody can see what’s underwater. But it interests a lot of people. So I like to show them what’s underwater, what’s under their home,” said Pennylegion.
“Also, I wanted to film it just to show how bad it really is. And how bad the damage can be.”
Pennylegion doesn’t just dive the channel; he also visits other local waters, like Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake and the north end of Kelowna.
The largest item he’s pulled up to date? An empty safe.
Pennylegion feels this is an opportunity to do some good while also giving back to the community. As a result, he returns many of his lost finds to their rightful owners.
“I always try and return the valuables,” he said. “I’ve returned lots of sunglasses, really nice ones, too. There were some really nice Burberry ones, and they were like $500, and I got them back to the owner.”
Pennylegion, who has a full-time job, uses his weekends and time off to pursue his passion for diving and cleaning up the environment – which can only be done during summer.
“Right now, I’m working 10 hours a day,” said Pennylegion, “so I’m only getting weekends and my vacation time to do it. So that is a challenge.”
However, he remains driven and the Penticton resident has many ideas to raise environmental awareness. He also hopes one day that his diving services won’t be needed.
“Hopefully, people realize that they are doing a lot of damage to their home,” said Pennylegion, “and to the place they like to travel to.”
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