Experts seek the cause of 'river nose'

mjc · Thu Aug 09, 07 3:46 pm

I glad to hear what has been posted....yet disturbed at the same time. Sad

For the past year and a half, I thought my immune system was failing and some major health disaster was about to befall me. Turns out....the Colombia is just a filthy, toxic haven for nasty bacteria. Twisted Evil

I've developed so many ear infections recently that I felt like a Girly Man Shocked

. Also developed a serious infection in my chest/armpit couple weeks ago that I've been placed on major anti-biotics to keep me from septicemia and potential death. To think I thought it might be cancer....So beware. If you develop an abnormally sore area with swelling and have been huckin in the Colombia recently, get that checked out by a physician!

broadbandito · Since 26 Apr 2005 342 Posts CSO headwaters WheatHead

Pure H2O has its merits. But what about flavor? Would you big beer drinkers ever drink 200 oz. of flavorless water in an evening. No way! All our local bodies of water have a taste that gets familiar over the years.

If you take a big fall and come up sputtering and disoriented with the sun in your eyes, it's best to have an immediate connection to location, like, "Cough, hmm--skunky, astrigent, oddly salty, right, I'm at Sauvie!"

Like Forrest Gump says, "I seen the dogs drink it and they's popular with ladies and them's population growin' too."

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2025 Posts Windward

Fern Ridge Is one of the cleanest lakes in OREGON
It's a brown color
but because of the shallowness of it it heats up to a point where the harmful bacteria in our water cannot live
but i did see a turd float by one day
maybe it was a baby ruth

tekko · Since 20 Feb 2006 376 Posts White Salmon Liquid Force

I have been coughing up S#$T for over 2 weeks now.. since returning after an all night drive from SF that wore me out completely... arriving back in town mid day and taking a session before heading home to sleep.

Had head cold, nose, flem and all that shit... Still can cough up a mouthful on demand... any time of the day.

This is Bullshit!!!

We can't get a permit to move natural sand around the beach to improve safety or access, but industry can pump whatever into the river leaving us all sick???

While I'm sure many would want to keep this on the DL to not interrupt summer recreation tourists from coming to HR... but I say making ALL of the river users aware and raising attention might at least lead to some research... as it would put the microscope on the quality of the river... and how many people come spend $$ in the Gorge specifically to be on the river...

The barges, trains and shit drive the industry and need the river... but Hood River exists as a summer destination because of the wind chasers and river users...

While we are small... how many people are on the CGWA list??? Yet another reason that windsurfers and kiters should be working on the same side, to improve access and river quality for all river users!!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2025 Posts Windward

Most of the problems probably come from what we eat
FARMING
It doesn't make for a pristine ecosystem
instead of filtering the water it thickens it

Giardia from what I can find didn't exist in the west until about 50 yrs. ago ,we drank out of the Mckenzie as kids
now almost every body of water has it .
One of my employees tried the Beaver Fever when drinking out of a beautiful mountian stream ,he said he shit over 50 times in two days
and that sounds hotter than Thai food
Progress is a tough thing to make easy on the planet
but I do enjoy my food

synergy12 · Since 31 May 2007 135 Posts Stoked

For those who have problems with ear infections, as do I, the solution is to use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol in your ears after every river session. It is recommended that it stay in the ear 60 seconds.

I have been doing this for years when in contact with questionable water and it has kept me from infections since I have been on this program.

If you suffer from "River Nose" wear a nose plug. A friend of mine started wearing one years ago to solve this problem. I picked one up early this season and it has kept river nose at bay. Looks dorky as shit, but I sure feel better. It could be years before the culprit in the water is identified. Better to be safe than risk your health to some unknown nasty in the mighty Columbia.

synergy12 · Since 31 May 2007 135 Posts Stoked

For those who have problems with ear infections, as do I, the solution is to use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol in your ears after every river session. It is recommended that it stay in the ear 60 seconds.

I have been doing this for years when in contact with questionable water and it has kept me from infections since I have been on this program.

If you suffer from "River Nose" wear a nose plug. A friend of mine started wearing one years ago to solve this problem. I picked one up early this season and it has kept river nose at bay. Looks dorky as shit, but I sure feel better. It could be years before the culprit in the water is identified. Better to be safe than risk your health to some unknown nasty in the mighty Columbia.