Thursday, August 19, 2004
Southwest Creek, August 18, 2004
Paddle trip August 18, 2004, Southwest Creek
We put in at Route 53 at 10:00 and took out at Rte 17 shortly after 3:00. We picked up scattered litter at the put-in but had to leave the mattress and other stuff under the sign, "Do not litter. This site is monitored)!
The water was still very high due to Bonnie and Charley. Indications were that it was as much as three feet higher earlier. Wish we could have done it then..
These high waters flushed out this creek. We encountered scattered trash along the way, all of which was discarded off the bridges. This trash is floated off the main stream back into the swamps where it will remain forever. Perhaps it will build up in the next 100 yeasrs and fill in all our wetlands.
The high waters also flushed out the fallen trees and old logs in the river. The high water cut across the normal bends in the river and these logs became trapped in the woods where they will remain until a higher flood of waters picks them up again.
We follow the flow of water when canoeing down a stream. At times we were mislead as to where the main stream went and we followed the same course these floating logs took only to be come trapped behind them.
Sometimes we were able to break through these logs jams. At other times we had to turn back and find the original stream bed where we missed the turn. I was interesting to be canoeing through the woods.
Also, there were new blowdowns. The present high water enbled us to work our way around most of them without getiing out of our boats. While Dale and Brian were working on removing one of these (see pictures) Tom and Marie made their way around it.
These new blowdowns will make a portage around each necessary after the water recedes. Blowdowns like these occur regularly on all rivers and need to be removed to maintain an open free flowing Canoe Trail.
Brian and Dale plan to do Cowhorn Creek to Rhodestown Road on our new County Canoe Trail next Wednesday to see and clear whatever is necessary to keep it open. This is a wonderful and most valuable service they are providing. I am sure they will appreciate additonal volunteers.
We encountered a very serious and disappointing situation on Southwest Creek between Route 53 and Haws Run Road bridge.
Alligator weed was so thick it was almost not to possible to get through it. As the water level goes down we expect it will close the river completely.
This is a shame as this is a lovely long river to paddle for all to enjoy. Can anything be done about this alligator weed?
Participants were Dale Weston and Brian Wheat from Jacksonville, Tom Fineco from New Bern and Marie Justen from Spooners Creek and Elmer Eddy from Swansboro. Pictures are courtesy of Marie Justen. Elmer
Elmer, The White Oak River TrashmanStewards of the White Oak River BasinPlease visit: www.whiteoakstewards.org----------------------------------------------------------------
We put in at Route 53 at 10:00 and took out at Rte 17 shortly after 3:00. We picked up scattered litter at the put-in but had to leave the mattress and other stuff under the sign, "Do not litter. This site is monitored)!
The water was still very high due to Bonnie and Charley. Indications were that it was as much as three feet higher earlier. Wish we could have done it then..
These high waters flushed out this creek. We encountered scattered trash along the way, all of which was discarded off the bridges. This trash is floated off the main stream back into the swamps where it will remain forever. Perhaps it will build up in the next 100 yeasrs and fill in all our wetlands.
The high waters also flushed out the fallen trees and old logs in the river. The high water cut across the normal bends in the river and these logs became trapped in the woods where they will remain until a higher flood of waters picks them up again.
We follow the flow of water when canoeing down a stream. At times we were mislead as to where the main stream went and we followed the same course these floating logs took only to be come trapped behind them.
Sometimes we were able to break through these logs jams. At other times we had to turn back and find the original stream bed where we missed the turn. I was interesting to be canoeing through the woods.
Also, there were new blowdowns. The present high water enbled us to work our way around most of them without getiing out of our boats. While Dale and Brian were working on removing one of these (see pictures) Tom and Marie made their way around it.
These new blowdowns will make a portage around each necessary after the water recedes. Blowdowns like these occur regularly on all rivers and need to be removed to maintain an open free flowing Canoe Trail.
Brian and Dale plan to do Cowhorn Creek to Rhodestown Road on our new County Canoe Trail next Wednesday to see and clear whatever is necessary to keep it open. This is a wonderful and most valuable service they are providing. I am sure they will appreciate additonal volunteers.
We encountered a very serious and disappointing situation on Southwest Creek between Route 53 and Haws Run Road bridge.
Alligator weed was so thick it was almost not to possible to get through it. As the water level goes down we expect it will close the river completely.
This is a shame as this is a lovely long river to paddle for all to enjoy. Can anything be done about this alligator weed?
Participants were Dale Weston and Brian Wheat from Jacksonville, Tom Fineco from New Bern and Marie Justen from Spooners Creek and Elmer Eddy from Swansboro. Pictures are courtesy of Marie Justen. Elmer
Elmer, The White Oak River TrashmanStewards of the White Oak River BasinPlease visit: www.whiteoakstewards.org----------------------------------------------------------------
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