what is that in the canal?

Weather threatened yesterday, so rather than do a group ride, I did this solo, and then we drove to Philly to see the Museum of the American Revolution, which was better than I thought it was gonna be. The Excellent Wife (TEW) goes to such places to critique them for what they get wrong, but I think even she was happily surprised.

We'd planned to go to the Reading Terminal Market for food, but walking from the car to the Market, we kept seeing these interesting eateries. We stopped at High Street on Market, where I had the pastrami sandwich that makes lesser pastrami sandwiches kick the sand and grumble about the unfairness of life, it was that good.

But that's not what I'm writing about today.

TEW and I had thought to do something today, but that didn't get together. I went out and did this ride to test some neighborhoods in Princeton (one of my Princeton routes goes up Mt Lucas, and the last time I led a group that way, the ensuing bitchification suggested that perhaps another route should be sought). I think it passes within inches of Andrew A's house, so if he rides in, he can peel off as it's convenient to do so.

I went early to try to avoid some rain that may come later (although if yesterday is any guide, I needn't have worried). Now, as I was riding by the canal, I noticed these orange and black tubes floating on the water. In some places, there were two sections, one on either side of the canal, but most of the way, there was just this one, and it went on for miles:

That's at some bridge or other, looking upstream and down.

It's floating too high to have water going through it. Perhaps it's to guide debris floating on the surface somehow? I saw this at the same bridge:

I'm not sure that's anything to do wit the tubing, but there certainly was enough debris hung up at the bridge.

I haven't got a clue. Any ideas?