SPOKANE, Wash. — Metal rubbish that may be hundreds of years old is swirling around beneath the surface of the Spokane River. A group of magnet fishers has dedicated their time to pulling that metal out of the water.
Paul Swanson started H2O Magnet Fortunes two years ago as a way to bring change into his life while he was sick. Now, the club is working on setting a new world record.
"It's surreal. I just thought it was just a crazy thing to pass the time, it was a good hobby. But now it's turned into more than that," Swanson said.
The club will weigh all of their metal at the end of the summer to attempt to set the record for the most iron collected by a magnet fishing club in one season.
Swanson is confident they will set the record, but the club is centered on more than setting records and cleaning the river. H2O Magnet Fortunes gives people in need a hobby that can turn their life around.
"I'm recently in recovery," magnet fisherman Thomas Waller said. "I'm finding a sober clean activity. Magnet fishing is it."
Waller said that in the past two months he has spent most of his days fishing or riding his bike along the river. He has also remained sober during that time.
The fishermen have seen hundreds of items pulled out of the water, including guns, jewelry boxes, electrical boxes and cameras.
Once they are pulled out, the metal scraps are used for art or recycled.
"We're just the common guys that are trying to make something great happen," Swanson said.