Welcome! New to our site? Feel free to look around! Register and/or Login (below) to post Comments. Registering will also sign you up for our e-mail list, but you can unsubscribe anytime.
|
Northeast Creek, Paddle #1, Lead by Stewards Joanne Somerday of River Bend.
Pictures by Ed Gruca of Emerald Isle.
2010-04-22 Earthday Camp Lejuene. This picture of of the whole group at the
orientation meeting place in the Commissary parking lot.
This is Cpl Jones a Combat Photographer for the Globe who accompanied Elmer
Eddy of Trenton and Leo Schmidt of Emerald Ilse in his motor boat. She took
pictures and interviewed participants on all seven trips except the Scales
Creek trip as they were way up the creek as we went by the entrance.
Who is the buffalo and who is she?
Whose back is this?
Francine Popkin and Tess Saunders, White Oak-New Riverkeeper wearing a Pitt hat loaned
by Ed Gruca for the day.
Capt. Orlando Chaparro, Deputy Director of the Environmental Management
Division aboard Camp Lejeune, who handled all the planning and details on
the Camp Lejuene end and Elmer Eddy of Waterway Stewards who did the
same on the civilian side.
 This is the put in at Tarawa Terrace on Northeast Creek. This shot and
the next three were taken from the bucket truck by Cpl Jones, Combat
Photographer. These paddlers are doing Paddle Trails #1 and #2. #1
paddlers went east and #2 went west.
Steve and Allen of the Power Company were very gracious in taking
Cpl Jones up in their bucket. They were istalling solar panels to power
the flood light at the ramp.
That is Ed Gruca of Richmond and Emerald Isle who is The Stewards
photographer on this trip for Canoe Trail #1 on Northeast Creek. .
I think that is Joanne Someday, trip leader int my sigle canoe and
Marine Donte in her kayak.
Marines Armando and Donte head up the creek along the north shore
toward the Rte 24 bridge.
Donte Simmons is getting the hang of it
Marine, Armando Martinez, learns quickly
April Clark from Swansboro discovers a bed headboard. We left it for
the Mother Ship but they did not get it so we picked it up on the way back.
Paddlers gather around the Mother Ship piloted by Leo Schmidt with
Elmer aboard to off load from the kayaks.
Cpl Jones gets Armando and Donte picking up litter.
Marine Donte looks at home in Joanne’s kayak.
They are rocking now.
Marrie Donte at a Cable Crossig sign.
A fallen red cedar tree.
Lunch stop at the RT 24 bridge.
There was a lot of trash under the bridge.
April and Armando trashing under the bridge. We picked up several bags of trash here.
Sadly, there were at least 20 tires on the other side near the gas station.
Donte is loaded.
So is April.
Joanne Somerday, using Elmer’s small canoe collected everyone’s bag.
The old railroad bridge which is now a bike and walking trail.
Here is Joanne with a canoe full of litter.
Phil Guardino told us he had 18 days left in the Marines. So where did he get this shirt???
We have no idea! Good luck Phil in Law Enforcement. Has Ed pulled
some trick photography here?
Heading back to Tarawa Terrace dock.
This green heron was curious about my whistle and emerged from hiding.
Ed Gruca with the headboard picked up on the way back. Good thing we
were paddling directly into the wind when it kicked up briefly.
The two Northeast Creek groups and their collection of trash.
Armando holding what we believe once belonged to an alligator.
This photo was taken from high above in the bucket truck by Marine photographer.
As published in The Globe April 29, 2010 Edition.
That is Elmer on the dock. Joanne Somerday to the right and
Ed Gruca getting ready to shove off April Clark.
Thanks Ed ;and Cpl JOnes for the excellent pictures.
It was a great day on the water. This Earthday paddle
accomplished in one day what it would have taken us
seven days to do without the Marines.
Thank you Mainres who volunteered. And thank you
Capt Chaparro and Cpl Jones. And thank all you Stewards.
All of you who participated automatically become Waterway
Stewards.We have no dues, no officers, and no meetings.
The only meetings are when we meet on the water to paddle
and pick up trash wherever we paddle.
If you want to get notices of all trips plesae send us your
e-mail address and we will add you to our address book.
You can even start a small group where you live and do the
same thing for your local waters.
We plan to continue cleaning up all waters in Camp Lejeune
as we have for the past nine years. We hope to have many
volunteer Marines as swe did today. Thanks, Elmer
Elmer: You need to ask Jim if he delivers TopsyTurvy tire plants.
Thanks to Francine Popkin for these photos.
We put in at Tar Landing at 10:15 after setting up
our shuttle at Jacks Island in Lawson Park.
A view from Tar Landing. WE couldn’t ask for a more
beautiful day with excellent conditions for padding.
We saw very few people but were greeted by such
as these frequently.
Also ospreys like this.
Spanish moss adds to the scenery.
Francine nets her first piece of litter.
And becomes a Waterway Steward
Lunchtime at 12:00
One of hundreds of beautiful homes along the Trent
The whole trip was worth it just to see them.
Osprey on the nest, his or her’s beautiful home!
Osprey guarding the nest. There was
a home like this on many channel markers.
New Bern Golf and Country Club.
Jim prepares his boat for take off.
Jim turns into the wind.
And fires up the afterburner on the Morris Mach 2
River Eater.
What is this in the water?
It is or was a boat. Will it stay there forever?
Rte 70 bridge over the Trent.
Jim coasts under the dual bridges.
A great trip on a great day on a great river. Very little
scattered trash. But, it did add up at the end of the trip.
We had to pass lots of trash in the marsh grasses in the
last half mile of the trip. It was 3:30. All this trash is very
visible and should be removed. This needs to be done at
high wind tide time to get at it. The water is shallow and
the wind and waves have pushed the trash back into the
marshes. It is ugly and destroys the beauty of this lovely
setting in the New Bern harbor on the Trent.
The trash today was the usual beer cans and bottles plus
two tires, a very large boat seat cushion in good condition,
Jim’s jet engine, and the usual styrofoam and other plastics.
Our participants today were Jim Morris from Morehead City,
Bill Murray from PIne Knoll Shores, Ed Gruca and Rancine
Popkin from Emerald Isle, Harry Paterson from Jacksonville
and Elmer Eddy from Tenton.
Thank you Ed for the wonderful pictures. Elmer
2010-04-01, Trent River, River Bend to Lawson Park in New Bern, NC
April Fools Day. Come and have some fun with us and do some good by leaving the lovely Trent River free of all trash and litter.
This will conclude our last paddle paddle of the Trent River. We started last fall up near Pleasant Hill
paddling section after section as we come downstream to New Bern.
On each trip we picked up all trash and litter. We paddle for fun because this is our sport but we do take the time to stop and remove all trash and litter. We can’t stand seeing the ugly stuff destroying the beauty of our play grounds.
In 2009 we received The Green Paddle Award from the American Canoe Association. This is a very
prestigious National Award. We formerly operated as Stewards of the White Oak River Basin. Now we operate as Waterway Stewards.
You can read and see pictures of our adventures on our web site: www.waterwaystewards.us
This Thursday we will meet at 9:00 AM at Tar Landing in River Bend where we took out last week. We will unload our boats and set up our shuttle vehicles at Lawson Park in New Bern. This is at 1309 Country Club Road.
Take the easterly exit off of Rte 70. This is the first exit coming from Morehead City after you go over the bridge. Take your immediate right into the park.
From the north take your left on Country Club, which is the last exit before the bridge then immediate right into the park after you go under 70.
We will meet in the parking lot at the entrance. We plan to be off the water by 3:00.
All are invited to join us. Many of us, including myself, are also members of The Twin Rivers Paddle Club. We would especially like to see a large turn out of our club members. After all, The Trent is one of our Twin Rivers.
With enough people we can split into two groups, one on each side of the river. The river is wide here and this would get both sides clean easily. We would like for the groups to stay opposite each other as we paddle downstream.
Hope to see you on the river. Thanks, Elmer
This map shows you where we paddled today. Tar Landing is right
after the northern most point on the river where the T is.
T
The early flowering trees have bursted out in full blume all over and
are very beautiful
A vulture caught by Ed Gruca just before he took off.
Harry Patterson and Ed Gruca on very calm water but good flow.
Ed snuck up on a redtail hawk here.
Another shot of this beautiful bird.
Nice boat. Nice house.
The cliffs of Trent. Very interesting.
Ed: Is that a snake?
Turtles were out everywhere. One.
Two.
About to get wet.
Low bridge for Harry.
He made it!
Elmer and Jim.
Lunch stop.
This tree will be in the river soon and take a big hunk of land with it.
A dump at: N35deg 02.528 W077deg 10.932. Jim says this is in
Jones County. This should not be here on the banks of this beautiful river.
We have asked Jones County to see if they can get rid of it.
This is a sorry ending to an otherwise lovely day on this wonderful
Trent River.
Next week we hope to continue on down to New Bern where the Trent
joins the Neuse.
We picked up two bags of trash and litter. All was the usual perpetual stuff,
nothing unusual.
The participants were Bill Murrray of Pine Knowl Shores, Ed Gruca of
Emerald Isle, Jim Niedermeyer of Hubert, Harry Patterson of Jacksonville
and Elmer Eddy of Trenton.
Hope you all can join us next week. Plans not final yet.
Thanks, Elmer
2010-03-17 Southwest Creek, Camp Lejeune, NC
A view of Southwest Creek just upstream of the bridge. The alligatorweed is gone
down stream to die in salt water. We will be floating more downstream today.
A lonely cormorant.
We saw many fish jumping. Probably gar.
Again.
A view of Godzilla’s (the alligator) favorite area. We had lunch here across
from this shot. Alligators haven’t showed up yet but ospreys have already returned.
Elmer and Jim breaking up a mass of alligator weed. The entire river was
completely blocked in this area.
Here are some masses floating down past Godzilla beach.
We have been working one day a week. The current is constant 24/7.
Here is more approaching the bridge. Pictured a very effective tool to tow masses
of weed out into the current.
This is typical of the heavy old masses of alligator weed we dislodged today.
The under water stems were thick and large and extended down from five to
eight feet deep.
Today we can now say we have 95% of all floating weed already gone down to salt
water or on its way. This for the section from US Rte 17 down to salt water in the
main channel.
Some of it will get hung up again on strainers caused by fallen trees and branches
of live trees and river side brush. It is very easy to dislodge again before it gets
tangled and entwined.
Handy tool for getting it under the bridge.We have the bridge pilings almost
completely cleared of all weed for the fourth time now.
Our goal is take this river back from this foreign invader that has taken it over.
The volunteers today were Ed Gruca of Emerald Isle, Jim Niedermeyer of Hubert
and Elmer Eddy of Trenton. Thank you Ed for the excellent pictures.
This trip is by Ed Gruca. Thank you Ed for the story and beautiful pictures. Anytime any of you Stewards want to make a trio like this please do so and let me know and I will get it out to all for you. I will be tied up on alligatorweed for a while longer.
2010-03-10 Bear Inlet
2010-03-10 Bear Inlet
Three paddlers for this day were Eg Gruca, Emerald Isle, Bill Murray, Pine Knoll Shores, and Julia Minor of Arapahoe.
We put in at Shell Rock Landing at 10:30 which was at stated low tide. We picked our way out and only had to get out and walk a short distance once on our way through the marsh.
Here is a shot of the inlet at low tide. That is Browns Island to the right, off limits by order of the USMC.
Julia and Bill going to the edge of the surf. This was just before the tide turned and the wind was very calm.
Bright sunshine! 70 degrees! Great day!
Coming in thru the surf was a lone paddler, R.W. Hixson of Bear Creek. We didn’t expect to see
anyone out here. He put in after us and went out via Saunders creek so he got out before us.
We were slowed while waiting for Bill Murray who decided to take a side channel and got
into a mud paddle.
This is Ed in the Inlet.
We returned with an incoming tide through the marsh taking the first creek to the left hoping to
link up with Saunders Creek. We paddled East, West, North, South and over again through low water and dead
ends. At time were were facing the ocean and others the water tower at the Hatteras Boat Plant.
This will be a fun paddle with more water at high tide.
We exited the Marsh at the inersection of Saunders Creek and the ICW. We climbed the spoils pile
on the ICW island and tried to review our trail thru the marsh.
When we got back to the take out, R.W. Hixson came in and he told us we had taken what was called,
Fools Channel on the way back. ‘
So now there are at least four trails out to the inet, including the Murray Mud Channel, blazed by Bill Murray on this day.
Trash was light with only a few items left by those that enjoy??? the put in. There is some big stuff along the waterway.
Elmer Eddy
Elmer, The White Oak River Trashman
Waterway Stewards
http://waterwaystewards.blogspot.com/
207 Spann Road, Trenton, NC, 28585
910-389-4588 e-mail: elmer@whiteoakstewards.org
Please visit our website: http://www.whiteoakstewards.org/
“If no one litters, there will be no litter!”
Elmer Eddy
Elmer, The White Oak River Trashman
Waterway Stewards
http://waterwaystewards.blogspot.com/
207 Spann Road, Trenton, NC, 28585
910-389-4588 e-mail: elmer@whiteoakstewards.org
Please visit our website: http://www.whiteoakstewards.org/
“If no one litters, there will be no litter!”
More litterbugs were swatted in 2009 than in 2008.
More than 11,700 littering reports were received and processed through the
N.C. Department of Transportation Swat-A-Litterbug program from
Jan. 1 through Dec. 30, 2009 — a 20-percent increase from the 9,600 processed in 2008,
according to an NCDOT news release.
Information required to make a report includes:
the vehicle’s license plate number;
date and time of the incident; street name;
city; county;
and a description of the littering offense observed.
For more information about the department’s anti-litter efforts or to make a Swat-A-Litterbug report online, visit
http://www.ncdot.gov/~beautification.
Call in a report at 1-877-DOT-4YOU. Mail-in Swat-A-Litterbug cards can be obtained by calling 1-800-331-5864.
Check out our video describing what we’ve done and our call to action for you! The Waterway Stewards Story
Welcome!
We are Waterway Stewards. We strive for clean waterways while paddling for fun. We try to paddle at least once every week year round. Anyone is welcome to join us. Just e-mail elmer@waterwaystewards.us We have no officers. We hold no meetings. Every trip is a “meeting”. We have no dues. When you come with us you become a Steward automatically. Those with motor boats are welcome too. We paddle eastern North Carolina, mainly Jones, Onslow, Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico Counties. Formerly Stewards of the White Oak River Basin www.whiteoakstewards.org Check there for posts prior to 2009-07-27.
Thanks,
Elmer.
|
The Waterway Stewards Video
|
