June 25, 2021
Hi friends, my name is Peter Wassmann. I was born and raised in Chicago, and I live and work there now. I’m a relative newcomer to the Troubled Waters project, but as soon as Chris and Will told me about their journey back in January, I knew I had to get involved. Why? Just like Will and Chris, Northern Michigan has a special place in my heart. It’s a family thing for me. My great grandparents first started visiting Charlevoix, MI in the 1940s. For nearly 60 years they operated a bed & breakfast on the shores of Lake Michigan called the Sunset Lodge. While the lodge is no longer operational, the spectacular sunsets remain. Northern Michigan has been my ‘happy place’ for as long as I can remember, and I am thrilled to join the guys on this mission to help protect the waters which make it so special.
My family’s long history in Northern Michigan has also been a story of environmental threats and disasters. In my lifetime alone I have seen the tremendous impact on the Great Lakes of invasive species, overfishing, rising water levels and erosion. Trips to the ER because someone cut their foot on a Zebra mussel were commonplace, and beaches full of schools of dead Alewives tried (but failed) to ruin our summer fun. We grew accustomed to dealing with the effects of these ecological disasters, but now it is time to do something about the causes, and the Line 5 project is a great place to start. It’s a rare opportunity to get ahead of an environmental issue, rather than try and deal with the aftermath of one, which is something I think we have grown too accustomed to in this day and age.
At first my plan was to just paddle with the guys for a few days as they pass my neck of the wood near Charlevoix, MI. I wasn’t crazy enough to tell my bosses that I wanted to take the summer off and I’m relatively new to the whole paddle/camp/paddle thing. As I learned more about the project it became clear that the team could use all the help they could get to try and make the project as big, successful and impactful as possible, so I decided to help however I could. I recently completed 6 days of paddling with the guys from Charlevoix, down the coast of the Leelanau peninsula to Empire, past the Sleeping Bear Dunes. When I’m not paddling, I will support the trip as boots-on-the-ground along the coast while Chris, Will and Davis are on the water.
The project has been going well so far and our fingers are crossed for more fair winds. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and please reach out if you are interested in getting more involved! The sky is the limit with this project, and everyone is able to help our cause. If you are not sure how, just ask!
Best,
Peter
Peter and his family have been so supportive of the project from the moment they heard about it. Peter quickly asked if he could join the team and we were stoked to incorporate him. Peter and his father Dan took the burden of media relations off our hands. They help coordinate tv, print, and local sponsorships – a huge reason that we have been able to reach so many people in Northern Michigan. – William