This week I came in close contact with what ails the once-pristine St. Lucie Estuary.

In 1964, I was born on that very river, in Martin Memorial. My family left Stuart before I was 1, but my mom tells me stories of how clean and pristine the river was almost 50 years ago. I returned to Stuart in 1997 and have lived on the river ever since.

My iPhone was accidentally dropped in the river one recent Sunday. It fell near my dock so I had an idea of where it was. I borrowed a 120-volt underwater Q-beam and dove down to find it. Even with the Q-beam, I still could not see my hand if it was more than 3 inches from my face. Unless you are a fish accustomed to living in total darkness how do you survive in that?

The only way I felt I could find the phone was to rake a 10-by-10-foot section of muck under the boat and dock. The bottom is so loose that it required little effort. I had a mound of muck around my feet and then I dove down and felt through all the rocks, oyster shells and muck that was raked up. Miraculously one of the handfuls of stuff included my phone.

Our river is in sad shape. I knew we had a problem. But I felt like someone else was handling it. However activism is required — standing by won’t solve this or any other issue that negatively impacts our community.

I would like to know from those who have studied this issue whether a practical solution is available to us.