This Wednesday, April 5, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., between the media library and the Colette-Besson sports complex, there will be an afternoon of initiation on the canal. Free entry and free for all.
Here is an unusual story, which could almost inspire a director for a next film or series. This is the story of Jordan, Maxim, Pierre-André and Maxence. Four college mates who, by chance, discovered a new passion in 2020: magnet fishing.
Armed with their ropes and magnets, they roam the shores of nearby waterholes and fish for any metal objects they can find. “We were inspired by YouTuber Chris Detek who specializes in magnet fishing and from there the idea was born”says Jordan, recalling the memories of the beginnings.
Clean the Lunel canal while having fun
After buying their first magnet for around sixty euros, the then 15-year-old band embarked on the boarding of the Lunel canal, in its part closest to the Colette-Besson sports complex. “We very quickly found construction signs, bits of scrap metal and a pile of odds and endsexplains Pierre-André. This encouraged us to continue our activities. At the beginning, we went back there every two weeks!”
Still too little known a few years ago, magnet fishing is becoming more and more democratized in France, in particular thanks to the rise of social networks. With each find, the young people contact the municipal service “Hello Mr. Mayor” allowing them to take a picture of the waste brought up and to be geolocated by the municipal employees who then take care of evacuating the bulky items.
Among the biggest discoveries, the “fantastic four” have reassembled car hoods, a bicycle or even a shopping cart, enough to make people think about human pollution.
A meeting with their elders
After more than a year of practice, the four scrap fishermen have made a name for themselves in the Lunello region. Enough moreover to reach the ears of Anne-Marie Lefebvre, vice-president of the association Pour le canal de Lunel. “I heard about this group and I wanted to help themshe recalls. The association participated in the purchase of a bigger magnet so that these young people could make better finds.”she concludes, before Pierre-Gabriel, a member of the association, explains in turn: “Seeing our youth involved and motivated to save our channel is beautiful. It makes me proud to see their motivation.”
If Pierre-Gabriel is so proud, it is also because the four acolytes challenged themselves to organize an awareness day along the banks of the canal. This Wednesday, April 5 from 2 p.m., several workshops will flourish on both sides of the equipment.
Among them, archery, clean-walking (walking on the banks with the aim of collecting waste), tug of war, mölkky and of course an introduction to magnet fishing. “Boat trips will be made on the canal, since the association Pour le canal de Lunel kindly makes theirs available to us”explains Maxim.
So, even if the association and the four fishermen are not of the same generation, they have a common objective: to keep the Lunel canal in perfect health for as long as possible.
Useful information
On the half-day program: magnet fishing, archery, tug of war, clean walking and mölkky. All the proposed activities will take place in the same place, near the canal between the intercommunal media library and the Colette Besson sports complex. Free entry and free to all. Youtuber Chris Detek will be present for the occasion.
