Wounded Tigris

Leon McCarron is no stranger to Iraq, having spent 6 years their establishing the Zagros Mountain Trail. After returning to set himself up in London, and finding himself needing more action, he packs up with girlfriend Emily Garthwaite, a photographer, and sets out to travel the length of the Tigris River, from its headwaters in Turkey to the sea in the Persian Gulf. Joining them are Claudio von Planta (the Swiss cameraman best known for his journey with Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman on their motorcycles in various locations) and local guides for each country. Some time in Turkey and briefly Syria, but the lions share of the journey is in Iraq. In Iraq they are assisted by environmental activist Salman Khairalla and interpreter Hana Ibrahim, both of who feature a lot.

McCarron's intent was to travel as much of it by boat as possible, meeting those who live adjacent the river, learning their stories, and combine them with the river's history. Given this travel occurs during covid, and also through areas where ISIS remain active (if not very successfully active), the journey is quite an undertaking, and while they travel predominantly by boat, there are many periods where we it is just not safe, or permitted to be on the river. In the end the calculation is around 68% of the distance travelled is on the river (approx a 1200 mile journey).

Initially there is no real mention of the environmental condition of the river, but this quickly becomes a major feature of this book - the environmental damage being done to the river, the impacts of this, and really, to raise the issue to the public. Having read Rory Stewart's Occupational Hazards I have some understanding of the complexities of governing and the disfunction in Iraq. Army, police, other factions, militias with conflicting intents, power struggles and lack of cohesive intents mean that the river is treated for local issues not national issues - this becomes readily apparent as they progress downstream. There are many issues, but water control based on the dams is a major factor. Changing the flows, releasing or not releasing water effects all downstream people. This includes the flooding of many villages within the dam catchments, often with little or no assistance in relocating these suddenly homeless people.

There are just so many other issues - excavation of aggregates for concrete and asphalt, depleted uranium left over from military caches, waste from oil refineries, effluent pipes dumping sewerage, the river used as mass grave by ISIS, medical waste discharging directly into the river bypassing a broken treatment plant and water salinity and stagnation in the marshes.

McCarron does a good job of cataloguing all of these depressing things while still identifying some cultural positives, as anyone who has read of the Middle East will know the extent of hospitality, especially from people with so little. Many Iraqi people go out of their way to be of assistance to the travellers, or share their stories with them.

As much as a nautical journey down the Tigris in a traditional boat appeals, that was never viable with the unrest and uncertainty in Iraq. This was certainly an alternative that had plenty to keep me satisfied - still an epic journey, massive challenges and ultimately a really sad state that the Tigris River is now in. The only hope is that this sort of exposure may raise enough concern for changes to be made.

4.5 stars.