BThe Instagram account Loot the Deschutes is basically a time capsule of Bend, offering a glimpse into the things people have thrown into the Deschutes River. The folks behind the account are helping people find these lost valuables.
I sat down by the river with the three friends who started the account, Miranda Eubank, Kea Eubank and Lled Smith. The three founders started surfing together and after swimming around a few times and finding things on the river bottom, they came up with an idea.
“I found a gold ring with diamonds in it and that was the catalyst,” Smith said. They began posting the things they found on Craigslist. While the initial thought of returning a lost item to its rightful owner seemed far-fetched, finding the owner of a lost, meaningful ring made the idea seem possible.
The group, which now includes about 12 divers searching for lost items, searches the river several times a week and posts everything they find on Instagram. In their search, the group has found all kinds of treasures, from dog tags and rifles from World War I to dentures and 30-year-old handbags.
With nearly 12,000 followers, the account attracts both locals and visitors who are either looking for a lost item or are simply curious about what they have found. Other followers join the hunt – helping to find the owner of a lost item or searching for it on the river bottom themselves.
“I think it’s the detective in people,” said Miranda Eubank. “It’s really cool and very interactive.”
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Plunder the Deschutes