Friday, February 11, 2005
Calico Creek Paddle, February 8, 2005
Calico Creek Paddle, February 8, 2005
Every paddle is different. This one certainly was. We put in the water at 10:30 at Public Access on Radio Island. This is on the northeast shoulder of the high rise bridge.
The tide was strong and running out. We paddled across Newport River past the bridge and into Calico Creek past the large white phosphate holding tanks where the barges tie up to unload. Next came the new marina and then the Army Core of Engineers depot.
On the other side was a spoils island with a steep sandy beach. This is where the unusual birds were. See picture. They are Brown Pelicans per Jamie Cameron.
Going further upstream we came upon a large red boat See picture. Would love to know the history of this old beauty. It is an eyesore or an historical relict depending on you point of view.
Beyond this was a real boat grave yard of discarded and abandoned boats. Not exactly a tourist’s attraction.
The river then became very shallow and lined on both shores with residential buildings. Some large live oaks became a photo shot. See picture.
We soon came to 20th Street bridge. It was noon and we pulled out for lunch stepping in thick sticky mud to get ashore. We had a pleasant lunch on the bridge and then noticed our boats were stranded on the mud flat and a long way from the water.
We found firmer ground close to the bridge and launched there still in muddy conditions.
The low tide prevented us from getting to the shore where high tides deposit the trash. The trash did seem to be light and scattered except for the shore line across from the marina. This is a high steep firm sandy shore line covered with shrub like growth. See picture.
Time restrictions required that we pass up picking up this trash off this spoils island. Perhaps it can be done during upcoming Clean Sweep by some group.
Next week, weather permitting, we will continue to explore this area of the Newport River going upstream to Crab Point or vice versa depending on the tides and the wind.
All pictures courtesy of Bob Welden. (Sorry, I can't seem to get his pictures on here.) I can e-mail them to you if you would like to see them.
Beyond this was a real boat grave yard of discarded and abandoned boats. Not exactly a tourist’s attraction.
The river then became very shallow and lined on both shores with residential buildings. Large oyster beds contained beautiful succulent appearing and tempting oysters but it is "Closed Waters". Some large live oaks became a photo shot. See picture.
We soon came to 20th Street bridge. It was noon and we pulled out for lunch stepping in thick sticky mud to get ashore. We had a pleasant lunch on the bridge and then noticed our boats were stranded on the mud flat by the outgoing tide and a long way from the water.
We found firmer ground close to the bridge and launched there still in muddy conditions.
The low tide prevented us from getting to the shore where high tides deposit the trash. The trash did seem to be light and scattered except for the shore line across from the marina. This is a high steep firm sandy shore line covered with shrub like growth. See picture.
Time restrictions required that we pass up picking up this trash off this spoils island. Perhaps it can be done during upcoming by some group.
Clean Sweep
We all enjoyed the trip very much.Particpants were Dale Weston, Jim Stevens,Bob Welden, Brian Leavy and the writer.
Next week, weather permitting, we will continue to explore this area of the Newport River going upstream to Crab Point or vice versa depending on the tides and the wind.
All pictures courtesy of Bob Welden.
Every paddle is different. This one certainly was. We put in the water at 10:30 at Public Access on Radio Island. This is on the northeast shoulder of the high rise bridge.
The tide was strong and running out. We paddled across Newport River past the bridge and into Calico Creek past the large white phosphate holding tanks where the barges tie up to unload. Next came the new marina and then the Army Core of Engineers depot.
On the other side was a spoils island with a steep sandy beach. This is where the unusual birds were. See picture. They are Brown Pelicans per Jamie Cameron.
Going further upstream we came upon a large red boat See picture. Would love to know the history of this old beauty. It is an eyesore or an historical relict depending on you point of view.
Beyond this was a real boat grave yard of discarded and abandoned boats. Not exactly a tourist’s attraction.
The river then became very shallow and lined on both shores with residential buildings. Some large live oaks became a photo shot. See picture.
We soon came to 20th Street bridge. It was noon and we pulled out for lunch stepping in thick sticky mud to get ashore. We had a pleasant lunch on the bridge and then noticed our boats were stranded on the mud flat and a long way from the water.
We found firmer ground close to the bridge and launched there still in muddy conditions.
The low tide prevented us from getting to the shore where high tides deposit the trash. The trash did seem to be light and scattered except for the shore line across from the marina. This is a high steep firm sandy shore line covered with shrub like growth. See picture.
Time restrictions required that we pass up picking up this trash off this spoils island. Perhaps it can be done during upcoming Clean Sweep by some group.
Next week, weather permitting, we will continue to explore this area of the Newport River going upstream to Crab Point or vice versa depending on the tides and the wind.
All pictures courtesy of Bob Welden. (Sorry, I can't seem to get his pictures on here.) I can e-mail them to you if you would like to see them.
Beyond this was a real boat grave yard of discarded and abandoned boats. Not exactly a tourist’s attraction.
The river then became very shallow and lined on both shores with residential buildings. Large oyster beds contained beautiful succulent appearing and tempting oysters but it is "Closed Waters". Some large live oaks became a photo shot. See picture.
We soon came to 20th Street bridge. It was noon and we pulled out for lunch stepping in thick sticky mud to get ashore. We had a pleasant lunch on the bridge and then noticed our boats were stranded on the mud flat by the outgoing tide and a long way from the water.
We found firmer ground close to the bridge and launched there still in muddy conditions.
The low tide prevented us from getting to the shore where high tides deposit the trash. The trash did seem to be light and scattered except for the shore line across from the marina. This is a high steep firm sandy shore line covered with shrub like growth. See picture.
Time restrictions required that we pass up picking up this trash off this spoils island. Perhaps it can be done during upcoming by some group.
Clean Sweep
We all enjoyed the trip very much.Particpants were Dale Weston, Jim Stevens,Bob Welden, Brian Leavy and the writer.
Next week, weather permitting, we will continue to explore this area of the Newport River going upstream to Crab Point or vice versa depending on the tides and the wind.
All pictures courtesy of Bob Welden.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Newport River trip February 2, 2005
The following is from the Carteret County News Times, Sunday, February 6, 2005. Elmer
County cleanup of Newport River a boon to paddlers
By Mark Hibbs
THE CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES, Sunday, February 6, 2005
NEWPORT – A group of canoe and kayak enthusiasts with a mission to clean up trash along local rivers is ecstatic now that a county project to clear fallen trees has opened miles of new wilderness for paddlers to explore.
County commissioners last July approved a request to apply to the state for funds to snag fallen trees in the Newport River ’s upper reaches. The logs and heavy overgrowth there made the prongs impassable to even the most adventurous explorers.
The Stewards of the White Oak River Basin, a loosely organized volunteer group that picks up litter while paddling local waterways, gathered Wednesday armed with reaching tools and garbage bags at a bridge on Newport ’s Nine Mile Road to launch their maiden voyage on the newly cleared waterway.
Chief steward, Elmer Eddy, also known as “the White Oak River trash man,” said county commissioners deserve “profuse praises” for their decision to clean up one of the county’s most scenic attractions.
“It’s a gem that’s right here in our backyard,” Mr. Eddy said as he dipped his oar and began the more than 6-mile winding journey toward the Wildlife Commission’s boat ramp in town.
“It makes a whole lot of U-turns. The trip is at least seven or eight miles due to the twists and turns in the river,” Mr. Eddy said after the trip.
He said the team of paddlers had just rounded the first bend when they entered a silent and deep wilderness, insulated from the din of civilization.
“This river is unique in that it’s heavily forested,” Mr. Eddy said.
He said the dense curtains of trees and vegetation along the outer river basin filter the noise and protect the trees on the banks from damaging winds.
“Blow downs,” as the paddlers call the fallen trees that blocked passage and collected floating debris like the tines of a rake, were cleared in a three-week job completed Tuesday.
A $52,000 grant from the State Division of Water Resources and a $13,000 county appropriation made the project happen.
County Soil and Water Conservation technician Todd Kelly supervised the snag line cleanup, which was performed by an 11-man crew from Blackmon Construction of Smithfield. He said the crew, working on johnboats and canoes with chainsaws and hand tools endured extreme conditions.
“They worked the coldest days we’ve had. A couple of days the temperature was only 16 or 18 degrees ― they were tough,” Mr. Kelly said.
He said the preliminary work of counting fallen trees was also hard work. Fortunately, the cold weather kept mosquitoes, snakes and other pests at a minimum.
“Most of the creepy-crawlies are in hibernation this time of year,” Mr. Kelly said.
The stewards enjoyed much warmer weather Wednesday as they embarked on their journey. The group, which in addition to Mr. Eddy included Bill Murray, Robert Wendel, Brian Leavy, Joanne Somerday and Dale Weston, buzzed with excitement as they paddled away under the sunny midday sky.
Mr. Eddy’s excitement was still evident two days later.
“They did a beautiful job of cleaning up the river,” Mr. Eddy said Friday.
The group is dedicated to bringing the White Oak River Basin to a trash-free condition and keeping it that way.
The basin includes the New River , White Oak River , creeks along Bogue Sound, Bogue Sound, Newport River , creeks along Core Sound, and Core Sound.
The area covers from the Jones-Duplin county line to North Topsail Island , northeast to Cape Lookout and Atlantic , and back toward Maysville.
The Newport River project is just the latest cleanup effort for the stewards. Their previous endeavors have included work on the White Oak River, Shark’s Tooth, Sugarloaf and Brandt islands, Shackleford Banks, and other areas.
The volunteers also campaign to stop littering. Large white letters affixed upside-down to Mr. Eddy’s red canoe (so that they may be easily read while strapped bottom-up to the vehicle rooftop) say, “Y’all pledge…I will not litter!”
Roadside and neighborhood litter finds its way to the rivers. A July 2004 canoe trip on the middle reaches of the river with steward Gary Scruggs revealed an endless dotted line of bottles, cans, old dog toys, basketballs, tires, paper, plastic and other debris blown or washed in by heavy rains.
But the fallen and partially submerged trees that before had snagged much of the litter are now gone, Mr. Eddy said. The volunteers said they were there Wednesday to enjoy a pleasant paddle on a sunny day, and to pick up any remaining trash along their journey.
The stewards said the cleared river is an untapped tourist attraction that will surely draw visitors to the county. Eco-tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the vacation business.
The paddlers, who traveled the river’s southwest prong between Roberts Road and Nine Mile Road , said they had no trouble with obstacles. They easily crossed two newly built beaver dams, each nearly two feet high, thanks to Wednesday’s high water level.
“They rebuild those dams overnight,” Mr. Eddy said.
But their canoes bumped a few unknown objects beneath the water’s surface that Mr. Eddy said could possibly present problems to inexperienced paddlers when the level drops.
“But it’s a nice canoeable river right now,” he said.
The river’s northwest prong, which extends toward Lake Road , was also cleared in the project.
County cleanup of Newport River a boon to paddlers
By Mark Hibbs
THE CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES, Sunday, February 6, 2005
NEWPORT – A group of canoe and kayak enthusiasts with a mission to clean up trash along local rivers is ecstatic now that a county project to clear fallen trees has opened miles of new wilderness for paddlers to explore.
County commissioners last July approved a request to apply to the state for funds to snag fallen trees in the Newport River ’s upper reaches. The logs and heavy overgrowth there made the prongs impassable to even the most adventurous explorers.
The Stewards of the White Oak River Basin, a loosely organized volunteer group that picks up litter while paddling local waterways, gathered Wednesday armed with reaching tools and garbage bags at a bridge on Newport ’s Nine Mile Road to launch their maiden voyage on the newly cleared waterway.
Chief steward, Elmer Eddy, also known as “the White Oak River trash man,” said county commissioners deserve “profuse praises” for their decision to clean up one of the county’s most scenic attractions.
“It’s a gem that’s right here in our backyard,” Mr. Eddy said as he dipped his oar and began the more than 6-mile winding journey toward the Wildlife Commission’s boat ramp in town.
“It makes a whole lot of U-turns. The trip is at least seven or eight miles due to the twists and turns in the river,” Mr. Eddy said after the trip.
He said the team of paddlers had just rounded the first bend when they entered a silent and deep wilderness, insulated from the din of civilization.
“This river is unique in that it’s heavily forested,” Mr. Eddy said.
He said the dense curtains of trees and vegetation along the outer river basin filter the noise and protect the trees on the banks from damaging winds.
“Blow downs,” as the paddlers call the fallen trees that blocked passage and collected floating debris like the tines of a rake, were cleared in a three-week job completed Tuesday.
A $52,000 grant from the State Division of Water Resources and a $13,000 county appropriation made the project happen.
County Soil and Water Conservation technician Todd Kelly supervised the snag line cleanup, which was performed by an 11-man crew from Blackmon Construction of Smithfield. He said the crew, working on johnboats and canoes with chainsaws and hand tools endured extreme conditions.
“They worked the coldest days we’ve had. A couple of days the temperature was only 16 or 18 degrees ― they were tough,” Mr. Kelly said.
He said the preliminary work of counting fallen trees was also hard work. Fortunately, the cold weather kept mosquitoes, snakes and other pests at a minimum.
“Most of the creepy-crawlies are in hibernation this time of year,” Mr. Kelly said.
The stewards enjoyed much warmer weather Wednesday as they embarked on their journey. The group, which in addition to Mr. Eddy included Bill Murray, Robert Wendel, Brian Leavy, Joanne Somerday and Dale Weston, buzzed with excitement as they paddled away under the sunny midday sky.
Mr. Eddy’s excitement was still evident two days later.
“They did a beautiful job of cleaning up the river,” Mr. Eddy said Friday.
The group is dedicated to bringing the White Oak River Basin to a trash-free condition and keeping it that way.
The basin includes the New River , White Oak River , creeks along Bogue Sound, Bogue Sound, Newport River , creeks along Core Sound, and Core Sound.
The area covers from the Jones-Duplin county line to North Topsail Island , northeast to Cape Lookout and Atlantic , and back toward Maysville.
The Newport River project is just the latest cleanup effort for the stewards. Their previous endeavors have included work on the White Oak River, Shark’s Tooth, Sugarloaf and Brandt islands, Shackleford Banks, and other areas.
The volunteers also campaign to stop littering. Large white letters affixed upside-down to Mr. Eddy’s red canoe (so that they may be easily read while strapped bottom-up to the vehicle rooftop) say, “Y’all pledge…I will not litter!”
Roadside and neighborhood litter finds its way to the rivers. A July 2004 canoe trip on the middle reaches of the river with steward Gary Scruggs revealed an endless dotted line of bottles, cans, old dog toys, basketballs, tires, paper, plastic and other debris blown or washed in by heavy rains.
But the fallen and partially submerged trees that before had snagged much of the litter are now gone, Mr. Eddy said. The volunteers said they were there Wednesday to enjoy a pleasant paddle on a sunny day, and to pick up any remaining trash along their journey.
The stewards said the cleared river is an untapped tourist attraction that will surely draw visitors to the county. Eco-tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the vacation business.
The paddlers, who traveled the river’s southwest prong between Roberts Road and Nine Mile Road , said they had no trouble with obstacles. They easily crossed two newly built beaver dams, each nearly two feet high, thanks to Wednesday’s high water level.
“They rebuild those dams overnight,” Mr. Eddy said.
But their canoes bumped a few unknown objects beneath the water’s surface that Mr. Eddy said could possibly present problems to inexperienced paddlers when the level drops.
“But it’s a nice canoeable river right now,” he said.
The river’s northwest prong, which extends toward Lake Road , was also cleared in the project.
Paddling Tuesday, February 8, 2005, Calico River, Calico Bay and Crab Point Bay
( Rain predicted for Wednesday). These are all on the north side of Morehead City.
We will meet at 10:00 at the Public Access on the north side of Route 70 being the west bound lane at the High Rise Bridge (east end of the bridge), turn off north into Bay Blvd into the park). This will be our take-out too.
If the North wind is bad off of the Newport River we will move to 11th Street access as our put-in and take-out and do the north shore of Bogue Sound including Peletier Creek and Spooners Creek.
Should be off the water by 3:00. Elmer
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We will meet at 10:00 at the Public Access on the north side of Route 70 being the west bound lane at the High Rise Bridge (east end of the bridge), turn off north into Bay Blvd into the park). This will be our take-out too.
If the North wind is bad off of the Newport River we will move to 11th Street access as our put-in and take-out and do the north shore of Bogue Sound including Peletier Creek and Spooners Creek.
Should be off the water by 3:00. Elmer
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