Lehigh River: Lehigh Gap (4-Aug-2016)

Since I didn't get as far upriver as I wanted to on my last paddle at Lehigh Gap I returned for another round. I also wanted to check the area around the rope swing and see how much was left behind in just about a weeks time. I put in at the launch and started paddling against the current. 

Like the last trip I paddled across the river and followed the shore up. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. The temperature was perfect and look at the skies I had above me! 

There were some kids at the rope swing platform and I yelled up and asked if there was any trash around it. From the river you can't see over the bank. They said there was and I docked my boat and headed up. One of the kids offered to help and I thanked him, but declined his offer. It wasn't nearly as bad as last week, still a problem though. It didn't take long to clean up this time and I was happy about that.

While picking up at the fire ring, my kayak left the point where I had docked it and I had to scramble to grab it before it went out too far in the deep water. I enjoy swimming, just didn't want to on this trip. When I secured it along the bank I noticed something I wouldn't have, had I not had the drifting boat issue. Another syringe, feet away from where kids were just swinging off a rope and having a good time along the river. It has now been removed.

Paddling further up river I spotted something lying on the bank. It was Tigger! He looked excited when I picked him up. Strait into the trash bag he went. 

Looking down river through the gap. 

This is exactly how I found this razor. To me the photo looks like an advertisement. The new improved rivers edge razor, only the closest shave comes from rivers edge. Yep, these are the things that run through my head when I find certain items of trash. 

A Great Blue Heron hunting in the shallows. Palmerton is the town in the background. The heron wasn't able to catch anything while I was watching. 

The area on the left I have cleaned up many, many times, generally I walk to it though from an access near Palmerton. This time there was a downed tent on the bank. I chose not to get out and remove it. The tent from what I could see looked new, just down. I hope that its owner comes back and picks it up. I will check this area again soon and if it isn't gone I will end up throwing it away. This is also where the Aquashicola Creek enters the Lehigh. I had never Paddled the Aquashicola before so I started up it. 

The chair could be seen from the river and the stroller was not far up the creek. The chair was a simple grab and fit nicely on the front of my boat. The stroller however was entangled on a piece of rebar and gave me some trouble removing it. I didn't know how it was going to go on the back of my boat, but it settled nicely on the back of recyclables I was already carrying. No need to even strap it in. 

My boat was getting full at this point, yet I wanted to see more of the creek. I continued on and kept collecting smaller items like bottles and styrofoam. 

At a short portage point, I went to get this piece of plastic. When I started pull on it one larger Water Snake came out and then I saw another juvenile Water Snake underneath. The plastic was wedged, I probably could have removed it, went with leaving it though. Trash isn't the greatest home for wildlife, but the local Water Snakes seemed to like this piece. I may pick it up on another trip when it isn't inhabited. 

Didn't make it that far up the Aquashicola before it became too shallow to paddle. I think if my boat wasn't loaded down with trash I could have gone farther. It was nice seeing something new. 

I turned around and headed back to the river. Picked the basketball up in a strainer along with a few recyclables. 

On the way down the river I was watching an Osprey. At first it was hunting in flight. Flying up and down the river seeking out its fishy prey, two times it went into a dive and pulled up before hitting the water. It then landed in a tree and I kept paddling down stream towards it. When I got about two hundred feet away it took off and I thought maybe I had scared it. That was not the case and it went into another dive and impacted the water not far in front of me. 

The scene was spectacular and it is astonishing how a bird that size can slam into the water then have the ability to just fly away. 

It was somewhat disappointing that the Osprey left the water without a fish. The Osprey then landed in the same tree it had been sitting in before. I hope it was able to catch a meal after I left. 

Made it back to the launch with all the trash intact and started the unloading process. 

There really is a lot of trash in this river. The bag on the far right is empty and was just a contractor size bag I found on the river. I did keep it and it will be used for another clean-up. The trash was thrown away, recyclables loaded into my car. I think this was another successful trip. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA