Monday, February 13, 2006
2006-02-08 Hadnot Creek
Subject: 2006-02-08, Hadnot Creek
Dale Weston of Jacksonville, Ed Gruca of Emerald Isle and Elmer Eddy of Swansboro met at the bridge on Old Church Road over Hadnot Creek at 9:30. The main purpose of this trip was to clear a way through blown down trees blocking the creek downstream so we would have a clear paddle trail to the White Oak River.
Ed Gruca took off by car to the White Oak River where he launched his kayak and paddled upstream to meet us. His car was to be our shuttle transportation back to Old Church Road.
Dale and I started upstream to scout the posssiblilty of extending a clear navigable trail upstream into Croatan Forest for about two miles. It became apparent that this needed to be a complete separate project in itself and we turned around and went downstream to be sure we could open a passageway to The White Oak River.
The blocked section was less than a mile. About the time we got through it Ed Druca showed up paddling up stream from the White Oak. Julia Miner of Arapahoe called and said she was at the bridge on Old Church Road as planned. We told her to launch her kayak and start downstream to join us.
We paddled back upstream to meet her and improved on our clearing as we did. It was not long before Julia came into view and we all turned around and started back down again clearing still more as we went.
Our mission accomplished we relaxed and had a very enjoyable paddle down to the White Oak River. On our way down we went past Pat Mathews house. She was out there on the dock to greet us. She had returned from California and plans to go back as soon as she sells her house. Pat and other members of the White Oak Bluff Homeowners Association are to be thanked for keeping Hadnot Creek litter free. Pat has also paddled with us on many other streams picking up all litter along the shores.
Except for the goat who came out on the whole length of a fallen tree to greet us all pictures are by Ed Gruca. A you can see we saw many domesticated animals on this trip . But we also saw great blue herons, an otter, an eagle, and a racoon.
One can now launch his canoe or kayak in Hadnot Creek on Old Church Road and paddle downstream to the White Oak River and from there continue on down to the Atlantic Ocean. As water levels change up or down more obstructions can appear but, we paddled it today without getting out of our boats. This is definetly a new paddle trail which can be paddled downstream all the way from Old Church Road to The White Oak River.
Thursday I drove into Croatan Forest to check out Hadnot Creek bridge 2 miles upstream from Old Church Road. An otter greeted me at the bridge on North Gulley Branch Road. There was plenty of good water here so this 2 miles can be cleared to make a fine wilderness canoe trail from here to the White Oak River.
How can we get this done? It will be a great asset to our National Croatan Forest and give the public and Craven County a new Canoe and Kayak Trail they can proudly advertize by Tourism Development Association. Elmer
Elmer, The White Oak River Trashman,Stewards of the White Oak River Basin,Please visit: http://www.whiteoakstewards.org/ Cell Phone 910-389-4588-
These are the horses we saw as we paddled down stream We ate lunch here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the goat that came out on that log and greeted us. He actually talked to us.
These are today's paddlers. Dale Weston from Jacksonville, NC on the left, Julia Miner from Araphoe, NC next, Elmer Eddy from Swansboro, NC next and Ed Gruca from Emerald Isle, NC on the right
This is Hadnot Creek as seen from North Gulley Branch Road 2 miles up into Croatan National Forest from Old Church Road. Plenty of water here. An otter greeted us as we drove up. Hadnot Creek should be opened to paddling this additional two miles. All that is necessary to be done is to clear out the blown down trees blocking navigation. Who is going to help us do this? It will be a wonderful wilderness trail.
A pretty prancing filly who entertained us at lunch.
Dale Weston of Jacksonville, Ed Gruca of Emerald Isle and Elmer Eddy of Swansboro met at the bridge on Old Church Road over Hadnot Creek at 9:30. The main purpose of this trip was to clear a way through blown down trees blocking the creek downstream so we would have a clear paddle trail to the White Oak River.
Ed Gruca took off by car to the White Oak River where he launched his kayak and paddled upstream to meet us. His car was to be our shuttle transportation back to Old Church Road.
Dale and I started upstream to scout the posssiblilty of extending a clear navigable trail upstream into Croatan Forest for about two miles. It became apparent that this needed to be a complete separate project in itself and we turned around and went downstream to be sure we could open a passageway to The White Oak River.
The blocked section was less than a mile. About the time we got through it Ed Druca showed up paddling up stream from the White Oak. Julia Miner of Arapahoe called and said she was at the bridge on Old Church Road as planned. We told her to launch her kayak and start downstream to join us.
We paddled back upstream to meet her and improved on our clearing as we did. It was not long before Julia came into view and we all turned around and started back down again clearing still more as we went.
Our mission accomplished we relaxed and had a very enjoyable paddle down to the White Oak River. On our way down we went past Pat Mathews house. She was out there on the dock to greet us. She had returned from California and plans to go back as soon as she sells her house. Pat and other members of the White Oak Bluff Homeowners Association are to be thanked for keeping Hadnot Creek litter free. Pat has also paddled with us on many other streams picking up all litter along the shores.
Except for the goat who came out on the whole length of a fallen tree to greet us all pictures are by Ed Gruca. A you can see we saw many domesticated animals on this trip . But we also saw great blue herons, an otter, an eagle, and a racoon.
One can now launch his canoe or kayak in Hadnot Creek on Old Church Road and paddle downstream to the White Oak River and from there continue on down to the Atlantic Ocean. As water levels change up or down more obstructions can appear but, we paddled it today without getting out of our boats. This is definetly a new paddle trail which can be paddled downstream all the way from Old Church Road to The White Oak River.
Thursday I drove into Croatan Forest to check out Hadnot Creek bridge 2 miles upstream from Old Church Road. An otter greeted me at the bridge on North Gulley Branch Road. There was plenty of good water here so this 2 miles can be cleared to make a fine wilderness canoe trail from here to the White Oak River.
How can we get this done? It will be a great asset to our National Croatan Forest and give the public and Craven County a new Canoe and Kayak Trail they can proudly advertize by Tourism Development Association. Elmer
Elmer, The White Oak River Trashman,Stewards of the White Oak River Basin,Please visit: http://www.whiteoakstewards.org/ Cell Phone 910-389-4588-
These are the horses we saw as we paddled down stream We ate lunch here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the goat that came out on that log and greeted us. He actually talked to us.
These are today's paddlers. Dale Weston from Jacksonville, NC on the left, Julia Miner from Araphoe, NC next, Elmer Eddy from Swansboro, NC next and Ed Gruca from Emerald Isle, NC on the right
This is Hadnot Creek as seen from North Gulley Branch Road 2 miles up into Croatan National Forest from Old Church Road. Plenty of water here. An otter greeted us as we drove up. Hadnot Creek should be opened to paddling this additional two miles. All that is necessary to be done is to clear out the blown down trees blocking navigation. Who is going to help us do this? It will be a wonderful wilderness trail.
A pretty prancing filly who entertained us at lunch.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]