“ MY HOPE IS THAT THIS SWIM
CONTINUES TO PUT
BALTIMORE ON THE MAP , NOT ONLY AS A CITY TO VISIT
BUT AS A [ DESTINATION ] FOR MY SPORT .” ��KATIE PUMPHREY
her husband , Joe Mahach ; kayakers to help her avoid the many buoys that mark crab cages in the Chesapeake Bay ; and a city cheering for her as she reached the finish line .
With the Bay to Baltimore swim , Pumphrey — an artist who will have a solo show at the Creative Alliance this fall that includes works inspired by this event — hoped to promote the harbor ’ s strengthened water quality .
“ I wanted to encourage the idea of being open to and supporting progress ,” she said . “ I [ also ] wanted to spread the word that we have a swimmable harbor and we can use this resource and celebrate our city .”
This May , Pumphrey plans to take on the Bay to Baltimore swim again . She also wants to direct other experienced ultra-marathon swimmers on the same route with the ultimate goal of making this an annual registration event for U . S . and international open-water swimmers . “ My hope is that this swim continues to put Baltimore on the map , not only as a city to visit but as a [ destination ] for my sport ,” she said .
“ MY HOPE IS THAT THIS SWIM
CONTINUES TO PUT
BALTIMORE ON THE MAP , NOT ONLY AS A CITY TO VISIT
BUT AS A [ DESTINATION ] FOR MY SPORT .” ��KATIE PUMPHREY
EVAN WOODARD IS AN EXPLORER AND HISTORIAN WHO ENJOYS FINDING RARE ITEMS IN BALTIMORE .
Evan Woodard Is Using Marine Fishing to Clean the Baltimore Harbor
3
Walking along the iconic Inner Harbor promenade on a Thursday evening , odds are you ’ ll run into Evan Woodard and his cohort throwing hockey-puck-sized magnets into the water . A local historian and urban excavation expert known for the unexpected objects he discovers during this “ fishing ,” Woodard has been hosting these weekly meetups for more than two years . Like standard fishing , when participants feel a tug , they pull on their marine rope to haul out their magnet and the variety of random items that are attached to it .
“ It ’ s a great , sustainable way for kids and adults to get involved , have fun and potentially find treasure . But at the same time , they ’ re cleaning up the water ,” said Woodard , who announces these weekly events on his social media platforms , @ salvagearc .
In just one evening , Woodard ’ s group can remove 500 pounds of trash from the Harbor , including scooters , sets of keys and e-bikes . During his two years of marine fishing , Woodard — who also does digs in privies ( old outhouses ) in city backyards to find classical artifacts — has discovered two historical valuables : a Victorian bench and a shipping hook used on cranes in Fell ’ s Point , both from the 1800s .
BRENDAN FELCH
BALTIMORE . ORG 35