Listen to the underwater sounds of the Cuyahoga River as contestants paddle upstream past Scranton Flats during the 3rd annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest, on July 24, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Cuyahoga River, famous for catching on fire many times, has come a long way toward a vibrant recovery. During most of the 20th century, kayaking this carcinogens-laced stretch of the river would have been insane. The fact that people are now recreating on the river is a testament to the hard work done. Decades of abuse have been reversed through grassroots movements to government mandates.