| I did not make the May 30th Rockaway River trip. I was tired from the long paddle on the Delaware the day before plus I did not know you were going to stop for hot dogs.
Although I missed a good trip, I will try to flesh out Dave's Birds and Wildlife list: "Birds with green necks and dull looking companions" were probably mallard ducks and/or common mergansers. "Black necks protective of babies" =Canada Geese. "Log jumpers making plopping sounds" were probably painted turtles with an occasional stinkpot thrown in. "Marsh birds with skinny legs" indeed were herons, great blues and/or greens and if bright white...great and/or snowy egrets. "Swimming things" were probably mating carp, it's the season. Also, if you heard any mewing in the bushes it was probably catbirds, sometimes they sound like the house tabby, hence the name. I hope I have been of some assistance, especially to the newer members. It is nice to be talked about when you're not around. Like that old show-biz saw, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Final word to the wise. If you are an aspiring naturalist, you may want to bring a field guide or two along on the next paddle...Roger Torey Peterson's Field Guild to Eastern Birds is a good one. Bob Rancan |
Rockaway River
by Dave Miller
Sunday, May 30, 2010
SUMMARY:
22 Boats
25 Actual Paddlers
1-Early Cancellation
2-Cancellations on Fri
2-Cancellations on Sat
3-Cancellations on Trip day
5-No Shows
10-People who wanted to register (Some were new members) but I turned away because 38 people had already registered
REASONS FOR CANCELLATIONS & NO SHOWS: Medical conditions, Hostage situations, Family obligations, Amnesia, Kidnappings, Pirates and Sea Monsters
Anyway - - - I think everyone gets the point.
APOLOGIES: To those we turned away
WEATHER: Beautiful, Warm, Clear, Nice breeze
SHUTTLE: Interesting but successful
BOB KELLY: Special thanks for stopping Main St traffic in both directions so we could all make the left turn!
PUT-IN: All on water by 10:39 AM (Not bad)
CONDITIONS: Nice riffles in beginning, scratchy depending on your boat. (2) major trees to get around. Shady & Peaceful w/some wildlife
BIRDS & WILDLIFE: There was some, but Bob Rancan wasn't with us so we can only report: There were those birds with the green necks and dull looking companion, Those larger flying birds that land in groups with the black neck and they make a fuss when you come near the babies with fuzzy heads, Those things that jump off logs with a 'Plopping' sound when you approach them, Those marsh birds with the skinny legs and they are always in a hurry (Herons?), and there were also some of those swimming things in the water. Well that's about it. See Bob Rancan for details.
LUNCH: Nice lunch stop in Shady Denville, including hot dogs & Stewart's Root Beer.
DISTANCE: 7.8 Miles
PHIL: Thanks for helping paddlers get started into deeper water and being the trip sweep
HERDA & ROBYN: Thanks for keeping an eye on Claire as she guided her vessel on it's maiden voyage
JAYSON & AL: Thanks for being lead boat all day & all your hard work at the take-out, lifting everyone's boats out of the muck. Hope you didn't break-out with Poison Ivy
GEORGE: Thanks for reading the signals and sending 3 boats at a time up to the waterfall area (We didn't lose anyone).
BOB & LOUISE: Thanks for your patience. They were one of the shuttle cars bringing us to the Put-In. After we all left, they ended up doing their own shuttle and loading their boat by themselves. We'll make that up to them next time. [UP-DATE: Thanks for the great slide show (With music !), now available to view on the web-site]
WATER SHOES: Someone left a pair at the take-out. They have been rinsed, dried and will be at the June 1st meeting for claiming.
[UP-DATE: They were Herda's]
Dave Miller, HRCKC Trip Coordinator