It was a hot one today. Being down by the river doesn't help much unless you are swimming or floating. I didn't partake in either today, just worked on taking out the trash. Three bags was the total, two of recyclables and one of junk. I worked on the Lehigh Gap Nature Center's property down stream of the boat launch. I hadn't been to this area recently so I didn't know what to expect.
Right below the boat launch there were a couple debris piles like this one, but not much trash. Seeing this I didn't think there would be much to collect all day. When I was at this particular debris pile I think I startled a man who was fishing. He swam from a small island over to around where I was to get something from his bags that were on the shore. He didn't see me until he was only about 15 feet away. Talked to him for a minute and he said that an area further down river had a good amount of trash.
Found this nice pair of specs. Added them to the collection.
Someone is truly missing this fancy footwear. If you are paddling or tubing down any river, please wear an old pair of shoes that can be tied. Sandals, crocs and water shoes often come off. It is for your own safety that you should wear something that won't come off and it helps keep unwanted footwear off our riverbanks. Also, just think what it would feel like if you stepped barefoot on a torn aluminum can.
A nice view of the river with a small beach. It is views like this that make cleaning up other peoples trash bearable.
I want to take this out of there, but it is huge and I don't know where I would go with it. I am sure I can get it downstream with my kayak, I just don't know where I would be able to take it off the river.
For the longest time today the trash was really sporadic and then... I found these bottles...
Then I saw this. Bottles and styrofoam were everywhere. Walked to what I thought was the middle of the trash field, set down my bags and just started collecting.
This American Toad was in the heavily trashed area. Only two amphibian species all day. The other was a Pickerel Frog that didn't want to stick around for a photo.
I did however find these fake amphibian eggs. At least I think that's what this is. Any other ideas as to what this might have been from?
Filled my first bag of plastics then started piling up for the second bag. The trash field just kept going and I kept going and I really did feel overwhelmed.
I had to stop collecting non-recyclables and topped the bag with the styrofoam cooler.
Found this when surrounded by plastic bottles and I just started laughing. Bottle, if only your message got out to more people. Definitely my favorite piece of trash today.
This second pile topped of my second recyclable bag. Once that was filled I was done and had to try to figure out a way back to my car with three large garbage bags. I could't go out the way I came in because the path was just too narrow.
I ended up making my way out to this field. Never had seen this view of Lehigh Gap before. The Goldenrod and other plants in this field were up to six feet high and it wasn't easy making my way through. When I got out I realized my camera no longer had a lens cap. I already lost one this year, so I left the trash by the D&L Trail and went back in. It was like finding a lens cap in the field above. Only took me about fifteen minutes to find it and I was relieved. I don't want to leave anything behind when I am out cleaning up and especially not something I need.
Non-recycleables were left by the D&L Trail in this can. Loaded the recyclables in my car and I was off.
Sorted the recyclables when I got home. There should not be this much trash on our river banks. There is and there is more out there. Will probably pick up tomorrow on the same shore I worked on today going further downstream.
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