A Journey to Protect the Great Lakes
About The Film
Two friends embark on an epic standup paddle journey through the Great Lakes and join a fight to shut down the most threatening oil pipeline in the country.
Troubled Water is an exhilarating adventure, conservation film that beckons viewers to follow along on a transformative journey down the stunning coast of Lake Michigan. As the journey unfolds, we unveil the sheer significance of the Line 5 pipeline issue, the power of grassroots initiatives to protect our most precious natural resources and the historic precedent that this movement would establish. If successfully shutdown, it would become the first active pipeline in US history to be terminated before it ruptures.
For as long as they can remember, lifelong friends Chris Yahanda and William Wright have spent their summers exploring the lakes and shores of Northern Michigan. Recently however, they noticed the lakes around them changing and, as tensions build surrounding a particularly threatening oil pipeline, the two are determined to take action. Chris and William embark on an audacious 425 mile standup paddle journey through the Great Lakes to raise awareness and help protect their favorite place in the world.
Two friends embark on an epic standup paddle journey through the Great Lakes and join a fight to shut down the most threatening oil pipeline in the country.
Troubled Water is an exhilarating adventure, conservation film that beckons viewers to follow along on a transformative journey down the stunning coast of Lake Michigan. As the journey unfolds, we unveil the sheer significance of the Line 5 pipeline issue, the power of grassroots initiatives to protect our most precious natural resources and the historic precedent that this movement would establish.
The Journey
The Inspiration
Lighting the Fuse
June 25, 2020
Camped on a beach halfway through our summer paddle trip down Michigan’s western coast, Chris received an alert on his phone: “BREAKING: Given Enbridge’s failure to act, a judge granted a temporary restraining order to shut down Line 5.” Looking out at Lake Michigan bathed in the flare of the setting sun, we couldn’t help but wonder: How can any Michigander stomach the risk of an oil spill on this coastline?
As we spent time investigating that question, it became apparent that most Michiganders can’t and many have been fighting to shut down Line 5 for the last 15 years. We also discovered that we were not as knowledgeable as we thought. There are numerous water issues in our backyard that we didn’t know anything about: invasive species leading to the death of a fishing industry, climate change wreaking havoc on fruit farmers, bottling companies relocating our fresh water, farming runoff causing deadly algal blooms, and more.
So, we committed to making a documentary to shed light on these issues and underscore the critical importance of the Great Lakes. Given the current political climate and widespread disregard for our natural world, there has never been a more important time for this film. Our film is about protecting the places that you love, wherever that might be. It’s about the importance of communities banding together to solve problems. And about the incredible feats that a passionate grassroots movement can accomplish. The time to act is now. We hope you will join us.
Team
Davis
Huber
Director
Email: davis@davishuber.com
Phone: (260) 414 9192
A filmmaker focused on conservation storytelling and branded content, Davis has worked on series including “100 Foot Wave”, “Tiger King Season 2”, and “Big Beasts”. Davis’s debut feature documentary, “Project Home” is streaming on VOD worldwide.
William
Wright
Producer / Paddler
Email: wswright95@gmail.com
Phone: (260) 446 1211
A lifelong lover of Northern Michigan and its waters, William’s energy for adventure is unrivaled. Needless to say it was he who came up with the crazy idea to paddle 425 miles from the Mackinac Islands to Michigan’s capital.
Chris
Yahanda
Producer / Paddler
Email: chrisyahanda@gmail.com
Phone: (260) 494 5485
With deep family ties to N. Michigan and a passion for environmental causes, Chris jumped at the opportunity to join the paddle adventure. When not exploring Michigan’s waters, Chris’ work focuses on helping scale business ventures that address climate change.