Posted on Aug 19, 2023
Loot the Deschutes offers lost and found on Bend’s high-traffic river
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On a recent afternoon in Bend, kids and adults squealed as their inner tubes bumped down river rapids designed for summer fun. When it’s hot outside, the city’s whitewater park on the Deschutes River can draw more than 7,000 floaters a day. The scene gets chaotic with tubes, kayaks and paddleboards piling up on each other.
One floater held an iPhone in one hand, and a beer can in the other. Others clutched soggy shoes, and more than a few lost control. Lled Smith studied the fray with a trained eye.
“Watch this lady,” said the 53-year-old database administrator from Bend. He pointed to a woman sprawled over a flimsy pool float, and tried to guess exactly where it would flip over.
If she dropped something, Smith wanted to know where to look for it later.
He’s an avid river surfer who rides a wave at the park most mornings, but he also puts his wetsuit to another use: diving with a snorkel and mask to find what gets lost in one of Oregon’s most popular recreational rivers. He and two friends — Miranda and Kea Eubank — started doing this regularly in 2018, and Smith created an Instagram account to post pictures of their underwater finds. Now, @LootTheDeschutes has nearly 8,000 followers, and a compelling mission to reunite lost items with their rightful owners.
“It’s like treasure hunting,” Smith said, “And the littlest thing can turn into the biggest thing.”
A delicate silver ring slipped off Layla Yako’s finger in the rapids last summer. A year later, she saw a photo of it on Loot the Deschutes’ Instagram and messaged Smith. He asked her to send a picture of herself with the ring, which is one way he verifies people’s claims. Yako responded quickly and they met up.
One floater held an iPhone in one hand, and a beer can in the other. Others clutched soggy shoes, and more than a few lost control. Lled Smith studied the fray with a trained eye.
“Watch this lady,” said the 53-year-old database administrator from Bend. He pointed to a woman sprawled over a flimsy pool float, and tried to guess exactly where it would flip over.
If she dropped something, Smith wanted to know where to look for it later.
He’s an avid river surfer who rides a wave at the park most mornings, but he also puts his wetsuit to another use: diving with a snorkel and mask to find what gets lost in one of Oregon’s most popular recreational rivers. He and two friends — Miranda and Kea Eubank — started doing this regularly in 2018, and Smith created an Instagram account to post pictures of their underwater finds. Now, @LootTheDeschutes has nearly 8,000 followers, and a compelling mission to reunite lost items with their rightful owners.
“It’s like treasure hunting,” Smith said, “And the littlest thing can turn into the biggest thing.”
A delicate silver ring slipped off Layla Yako’s finger in the rapids last summer. A year later, she saw a photo of it on Loot the Deschutes’ Instagram and messaged Smith. He asked her to send a picture of herself with the ring, which is one way he verifies people’s claims. Yako responded quickly and they met up.
Loot the Deschutes offers lost and found on Bend’s high-traffic river
Posted from opb.org
Bend
Diving
Posted 9 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."At a separate, one-day river cleanup this summer, volunteers hauled out nearly 2,000 pounds of litter, weeds and debris from the most trafficked stretch of river in Bend. Smith has personally found refuse dating back a century. At his fellow divers’ house, a hodgepodge of river junk accumulates in a backyard shed.
“Check out the size of this bullet,” Smith said proudly, combing his fingers through a pile that also included dog tags, two pairs of false teeth and some brass knuckles.
He led the way to a pile of old parking meters and rusty metal. He poked through a basket of wallets, and wrenched open drawers filled with watches, vape pens, lighters, ruined Bluetooth speakers, cameras, and one drawer so chocked full of cell phones it wouldn’t open.
The growing mountain of debris speaks to the rising popularity of the Deschutes River, and the need for groups to help clean up people’s impact on the ecosystem.
The self-described river looters post most everything but the trash they collect online, in the hope of finding an owner. The majority of items go unclaimed.
Smith eventually gives away much of what he finds if it remains unclaimed. But the rings, about 300 found so far, he keeps for as long as it takes, just in case someone comes looking. This year, 11 of about 40 found rings have been claimed. Smith said he has no interest in pocketing or selling them.
“Because they’re mostly wedding rings,” he said, “These are all mainly men’s wedding rings.”
One thing he would keep, if it turns up, is his own wedding ring. Smith is still looking for the platinum band that came off years ago in the same stretch of water. If someone else finds it first, he hopes they’ll try to track him down."...
..."At a separate, one-day river cleanup this summer, volunteers hauled out nearly 2,000 pounds of litter, weeds and debris from the most trafficked stretch of river in Bend. Smith has personally found refuse dating back a century. At his fellow divers’ house, a hodgepodge of river junk accumulates in a backyard shed.
“Check out the size of this bullet,” Smith said proudly, combing his fingers through a pile that also included dog tags, two pairs of false teeth and some brass knuckles.
He led the way to a pile of old parking meters and rusty metal. He poked through a basket of wallets, and wrenched open drawers filled with watches, vape pens, lighters, ruined Bluetooth speakers, cameras, and one drawer so chocked full of cell phones it wouldn’t open.
The growing mountain of debris speaks to the rising popularity of the Deschutes River, and the need for groups to help clean up people’s impact on the ecosystem.
The self-described river looters post most everything but the trash they collect online, in the hope of finding an owner. The majority of items go unclaimed.
Smith eventually gives away much of what he finds if it remains unclaimed. But the rings, about 300 found so far, he keeps for as long as it takes, just in case someone comes looking. This year, 11 of about 40 found rings have been claimed. Smith said he has no interest in pocketing or selling them.
“Because they’re mostly wedding rings,” he said, “These are all mainly men’s wedding rings.”
One thing he would keep, if it turns up, is his own wedding ring. Smith is still looking for the platinum band that came off years ago in the same stretch of water. If someone else finds it first, he hopes they’ll try to track him down."...
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