Kayak outfitters and tour operators say that despite Hanford's contamination problems, few visitors express fear about swimming, fishing or boating near the reactors.
Grant Nakamura, a computer programmer from Kennewick who took a kayak tour of the Hanford Reach, said that he had faith in the crews monitoring and cleaning up the land.
"People in the tri-cities know what it's all about, and they are not worried," he said.
In fact, Hanford's contamination is fodder for some lighthearted humor in nearby Richland.
At the Octopus' Garden, a T-shirt and novelty store, customers can buy shirts emblazoned with the radiation warning symbol and expressions such as "I came, I saw, I glow," "Hanford is a rad place to work" and "Kiss me, I'm hot."
And if the Hanford site becomes the tourist hot spot that locals envision, visitors can pick up souvenirs at the Octopus' Garden and then walk a few blocks to the Atomic Ale Brewpub and Eatery, where they can order atomic chicken skewers, chocolate containment cake and Atomic Amber beer, which is promoted as "radiating with flavor."
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hugo.martin@latimes.com
