Well, work and play have kept me from doing much posting recently, so here i am trying to get back on track.  I'll start with another trash record.  Needless to say since my last post i have picked up quite a bit of garbage that i do not have photographic record of or listed out... oh, well.  Let's just pick up where we left off.  Click the "Trash 2013" link above to see the on-going record.

Local River Rescue Crescendo

The poor choices have been coming out of the woodwork.  We have had unseasonably immense rainfall, high water, and flooding.  ...and this, some how, makes people decide it's time to try their first river run in their dick's sporting goods recreational kayak or that walmart inflatable tube.  ...Folks! These are not just flowing rivers, they are flooded rivers!  That means lots of debris, tree branches, entire trees, river wide blockages, ...not to mention lots of fast flowing water that surges violently and has rough hydraulics.  Over 4 days we have had  2 Eno River rescues, 3 Haw River rescues, and 1 Neuse River rescue. Eno rescues were folks in recreational kayaks, Haw rescues included 2 tubers on a 12,000 cfs water day going over Bynum Dam, 1 was a couple in recreational kayaks, 1 was a couple in a canoe that involved a helicopter rescue, Neuse rescue was a family of 5 in tubes.  

                                                                     
As we teach in all of our kayak classes - know what you're getting into, be realistic about your (and others) abilities, and make good educated choices. 

Whitewater paddling can be one of the most amazing, opening, spiritual, freeing things ever.  Take a class, go out with an experienced buddy, approach the sport/activity with the idea of learning a new skill set.  Get out and enjoy the water!

The Ongoing Trash Effort

Well, the trash cleanup effort continues.  I had the pleasure of getting out on the water with a small crew of kids from Cary Academy to pick up trash on the lower Eno.  We found quite a bit of the normal stuff, as well as a couple surprises.  Check out the TRASH 2013 link above to see how things are adding up for the year so far.

Paddling the lower Eno River (AKA Three Rivers Area)

I love this time of year in NC!  One day we're wearing fleece jackets and thermal underwear, the very next we're stripping down to shorts and t-shirts.  It keeps things interesting :) This time of year also typically means, rain.  Our local rivers have been blessed most of this past winter and early spring with nice water levels which has been great for my line of work.  When water levels are up it also means one of my favorite flat water paddling locations has access opened up to tons of small creeks and floodplain forest that can be paddled.  This is what i refer to as the 3 Rivers Area.  This is the lower Eno River nearing Falls Lake, and there is a great Wildlife Resources Commission Boat Ramp called the Eno Boat Ramp that is smack in the middle of a huge swath of undeveloped game land (if you want some specifics on the location, message me, and i can fill you in on more details).  Anyway, i have found this and similar areas really allow for kids and adults imaginations to run wild.  The mix of wide flat-water rivers, tiny creeks, open lake, and flooded forests, makes the perfect combination of environments to keep any flat water paddler happy.  If you decide to check out this area, a map is extremely helpful (here is a link to a topo map of the area http://www.froghollowoutdoors.com/MapThreeRivers.pdf ).  Looking at the map, every little creek you can see on the map, can be paddled (when water levels are a bit up), and are part of what makes this area so awesome.  Anywho, enjoy the Spring.  And dress appropriately for the day :) 

Coming out onto the Flat River after paddling through floodplain forest off of Cut-Through Creek

Our trash haul for the day

Kids Expeditions starting up for 2013!

 I had the joy of working with some great kids over this past week during Frog Hollow's first kid camp of 2013.  It was an intersession camp and we had a very small number of participants, but that often means we've got a lot more flexibility doing things.  This was one of those groups that it was easy to remember why i do the work i do :) They were gung ho, cooperative, inquisitive, full of life, and committed to having awesome experiences! I wish every group we worked with gelled as well as this crew did.  We did a ton of stuff! We located about a half dozen geocaches, worked on kayak skills in an indoor pool, kayaked and canoed on the Eno, learned climbing communication skills, bouldered on Hager's Mountain, learned map and compass skills and hiked to the top of Occoneechee Mountain, picked up tons of trash (check out the tally on the Trash 2013 link above) and marked storm drains for Creek Week, went to an arbor day celebration in Downtown Durham, and more!  And all this in crazy weather swings from below freezing and rain to 70+ degrees in blazing sun, all with smiles.  It was a good week and i'm looking forward to more!

Trash Pick Up on the Eno

So, here i am after over a year since last trying to keep up with a blog, trying it again.  Well, we'll see.  I figure the beginning of a year is a good time to try, and why not get the ball rolling with a trash cleanup.

So, our family paddling picnic turned into an impromptu stream cleanup with some significant results for only being on the water for about and hour and a half with 3 adults, an 8 year old, and a 3 year old.  Below are some specs, and i will attempt to catalog all of our 2013 Trash Cleanup Efforts on a page that will be linked above.

The amount of trash in the Three Rivers floating around was significant.  Much more than normal.  Sure we've had an above average rain year flushing out our streams and creeks, and sure the lack of leaves this time of year exposed lots of trash, ...and sure it's winter and there has been less of a presence from the paddling community on our water ways to be good stewards,...but all of those reasons...excuses...don't make the fact that there was a crap load of garbage in our water. 

01-13-13 - Eno Boat Ramp in the Three rivers Area - Our family picnic outing ended up being a trash cleanup.  There was more trash floating around than i had ever encountered here before :(
Our Haul (exact count): 61 plastic bottles, 4 glass bottles, 6 cans, 15 Styrofoam cups (this does not include the random chunks, this is over half complete cups), 1 rolling cooler (-wheels), 1 basketball, 1 baseball, 4 fishing bobbers, 1 old school water thermos, 1 can of "engine spray," 1 empty bottle of antifreeze.
Paddlers Present: Banks Dixon, Andrea Dixon, Miles Dixon, Zella Dixon, Kendra Rosa-Nusbaum
Photos coming soon.