Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Cartwheel, Holland Mill, Stevens Creeks & White Oak
The weather reports said southwest winds. When we arrived at Bicentennial Park at Swansboro the flags were blowing straight out by a northeast wind. We reversed our trip and put in upstream on Cartwheel Creek.
We were on the water at 9:45. It was a narrow creek starting out. We past a branch on the left which goes under Swansboro Loop Road. This probably could and should be opened up to that road for public access there.
The creek soon widened and we past a farm where we have seen goats in the previous paddles. No goats today. We came to Holland Mill Creek and turned up stream. This creek could and probably should be cleared all the way to the Swansboro-Belgrade Road to provide public access. The reeds were very tall and we had the sense of being in a tunnel. Picture #1.
Dale and I were paddling tandem in a Discovery 174. We had to turn around and paddle backwards it was so narrow.
As we approached the White Oak we saw more and more birds, egrets, great blue herons, kingfishers and ducks. Jumping mullets and shrimp were everywhere.Dale had a shrimp jump in his tash bag..
With the wind and tide we cruised down the Whte Oak with ease.. We past many beautiful homes along the way. We stopped at a sandy beach for lunch and a swim. As we paddled past my sons house Duke and Earl talked to us from behind their fence.
We then came to Stevens Creek and paddled up as far as we could. This creek is silted in. It used to be very deep and was a refuge for deep keeled sailboats during storms. Plantation Estates, River Reach and River Reach West border this creek.
We sailed down the White Oak. Stopped for another swim across from Jones Island and were back at Bicentennial Park before 3:00. It was a beautiful and very pleasant day on the water.
Our haul of trash was two tires, one crab pot, two large plastic crates and the usual bottles, cans and pails. This stretch of the White is now clean and does not have to be revisited during Big Sweep this year. Pictures 2,3,and 4. All on the our web site.
Next week Wednesday we plan to put in at Holland Mill creek and paddle upstream on the White Oak and do Hargetts Creek and Web Creek and take out at Stella at Boondocks if we have a southwest wind. We will reverse it if wind is from the northwest or northeast. We can almost guarantee you will see an aligator on this trip.
Todays participants were Marie Justen, Jim Stevens, Dale Weston and the writer. Maries' pictures are forwarded seperately.
Elmer
We were on the water at 9:45. It was a narrow creek starting out. We past a branch on the left which goes under Swansboro Loop Road. This probably could and should be opened up to that road for public access there.
The creek soon widened and we past a farm where we have seen goats in the previous paddles. No goats today. We came to Holland Mill Creek and turned up stream. This creek could and probably should be cleared all the way to the Swansboro-Belgrade Road to provide public access. The reeds were very tall and we had the sense of being in a tunnel. Picture #1.
Dale and I were paddling tandem in a Discovery 174. We had to turn around and paddle backwards it was so narrow.
As we approached the White Oak we saw more and more birds, egrets, great blue herons, kingfishers and ducks. Jumping mullets and shrimp were everywhere.Dale had a shrimp jump in his tash bag..
With the wind and tide we cruised down the Whte Oak with ease.. We past many beautiful homes along the way. We stopped at a sandy beach for lunch and a swim. As we paddled past my sons house Duke and Earl talked to us from behind their fence.
We then came to Stevens Creek and paddled up as far as we could. This creek is silted in. It used to be very deep and was a refuge for deep keeled sailboats during storms. Plantation Estates, River Reach and River Reach West border this creek.
We sailed down the White Oak. Stopped for another swim across from Jones Island and were back at Bicentennial Park before 3:00. It was a beautiful and very pleasant day on the water.
Our haul of trash was two tires, one crab pot, two large plastic crates and the usual bottles, cans and pails. This stretch of the White is now clean and does not have to be revisited during Big Sweep this year. Pictures 2,3,and 4. All on the our web site.
Next week Wednesday we plan to put in at Holland Mill creek and paddle upstream on the White Oak and do Hargetts Creek and Web Creek and take out at Stella at Boondocks if we have a southwest wind. We will reverse it if wind is from the northwest or northeast. We can almost guarantee you will see an aligator on this trip.
Todays participants were Marie Justen, Jim Stevens, Dale Weston and the writer. Maries' pictures are forwarded seperately.
Elmer
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