That swimming copperhead is pretty cool. Where are the underwater photos?
CNF Snorkels 2013
Started by
Guest_Casper_*
, Aug 01 2013 06:56 PM
51 replies to this topic
#42
Guest_IsaacSzabo_*
Guest_IsaacSzabo_*
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- Guests
Posted 17 September 2013 - 11:41 PM
3 more weeks til my departure. Bryce may come down early to help me setup, maybe you can consider as well? Scouting, logistics. We will stay at my friend's house a day or 3 before everyone's arrival Sunday afternoon...
I don’t know, I might be able to come a day or two early. I will have to see how things are going as it gets closer to time to leave. I want to be able to spend a little time in the Panama City area (St. Andrews, Ponce de Leon, etc) on my way there or back.
#43
mattknepley
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- NANFA Member
- Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.
Posted 18 September 2013 - 05:13 AM
That sir, is one good story. I'll try to remember it if I ever have the pleasure of partaking mushrooms with you. No worries, I'll play along. In fact, I'll even start practicing my "mouth agape" look now...Very well said Matt. I'm sure they were enjoying telling the story with a smile.
They sound like wonderful Grandparents.
I have a little story too...
After the SC convention, while hiking with our host Chip Rinehart along with a young lady NANFan we came across a big flush of Yellow Chanterells, a highly prized edible. I filled my shirt full and after inquiring suggested we take them to Chip's Mother's nearby home where i asked for an old toothbrush, cast iron, and a dollup of butter. Soon they were simmering with a wonderful fruity apricot aroma in the kitchen. I forked some onto each of their plates and after a blessing they sang of how good they were... but noticed i had not eaten any. "Why had i not tried them?" Chip asked. I replied... "I NEVER eat wild mushrooms". You could have heard a pin drop, all mouths agape!
We had a wonderful lunch that day. Chip's mother opened up canning jars of homemade pickles, South Carolina sweet tea, fresh sandwiches and our Chanterells.
I remember envisoning Chip at the age of 5 running round and round through the house and kitchen that he was raised in as his Mother spoke of memories.
I miss Chip.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#44
Guest_Casper_*
Guest_Casper_*
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- Guests
Posted 21 September 2013 - 01:43 PM
...North Whitfield, again! August 30
The next morning was made easy with our nearby camp presence, as we awaited Jim's arrival with the snorkel gear. We have to trolley or hand carry down the large plastic tubs of wetsuits, tents, tarps, masks and snorkels and other assorted gear to the snorkel hole. We set up 2 tents as changing rooms for those so inclined, lay out the cleaned wetsuits onto a tarp in a sized order, prepare a bucket of river water with a splash of Clorox to germacide the mouthpieces, and a bucket of rinse water. Snooks, rescue rope, first aid kit, posters, mask defogger and a federal government issue fly swatter add to the equipment list.
My last group, several are painted with the mark of the Hogsucker. If you paint the right student first, they all want it, but you only get annointed if you actually observed a Hogsucker doing their thing. I do relent though if they can find the one suffering a headache on the sign.
This girl found a pair of Buckeye eyes. Muscadines are on the ground too.
Amy, helping out today, Mr. Ed of course and our Snorkel Boss, Jim Herrig, creator of the program. Packing up! We have put thousands of people in the water! He will give me a headcount at the end of the 2013 season... and every year it has increased! They keep coming back and bringing their friends.
Never satisfied i returned to the water for perhaps my final look in the Conasauga waters this season. Turned a stone and watched a black Sculpin color shift into this green eyed glutten predator.
Lush Riverweed. The more the better. It seems to prefer the faster flows. Rub your hand over it, flushing out the micro organisms and the fish will soon be at your finger tips.
I found this stack of stones, it just needed an orange finned Hogsucker working the base to complete the composition.
Easing downstream i came into 3 blood red tailed River Reds feeding in the shallows. Not enough time to get my camera ready as they slowly receded but this big Drum came close. Note the little thin ray trailing off the pelvic fin, perhaps they use that as a whisker sensor feeler? I often see them with their heads pointed downward and i have been told they emit sounds... radar like hunting?
And again the difficulty of the Logperch identity. Mobile to the upper left and perhaps a Conasauga to the lower right? Not so according to Pat and JR. Both Mobiles.
If Ed gets another back to back trip, perhaps i will return for camping and assistance but so far no such days are planned...
The next morning was made easy with our nearby camp presence, as we awaited Jim's arrival with the snorkel gear. We have to trolley or hand carry down the large plastic tubs of wetsuits, tents, tarps, masks and snorkels and other assorted gear to the snorkel hole. We set up 2 tents as changing rooms for those so inclined, lay out the cleaned wetsuits onto a tarp in a sized order, prepare a bucket of river water with a splash of Clorox to germacide the mouthpieces, and a bucket of rinse water. Snooks, rescue rope, first aid kit, posters, mask defogger and a federal government issue fly swatter add to the equipment list.
My last group, several are painted with the mark of the Hogsucker. If you paint the right student first, they all want it, but you only get annointed if you actually observed a Hogsucker doing their thing. I do relent though if they can find the one suffering a headache on the sign.
This girl found a pair of Buckeye eyes. Muscadines are on the ground too.
Amy, helping out today, Mr. Ed of course and our Snorkel Boss, Jim Herrig, creator of the program. Packing up! We have put thousands of people in the water! He will give me a headcount at the end of the 2013 season... and every year it has increased! They keep coming back and bringing their friends.
Never satisfied i returned to the water for perhaps my final look in the Conasauga waters this season. Turned a stone and watched a black Sculpin color shift into this green eyed glutten predator.
Lush Riverweed. The more the better. It seems to prefer the faster flows. Rub your hand over it, flushing out the micro organisms and the fish will soon be at your finger tips.
I found this stack of stones, it just needed an orange finned Hogsucker working the base to complete the composition.
Easing downstream i came into 3 blood red tailed River Reds feeding in the shallows. Not enough time to get my camera ready as they slowly receded but this big Drum came close. Note the little thin ray trailing off the pelvic fin, perhaps they use that as a whisker sensor feeler? I often see them with their heads pointed downward and i have been told they emit sounds... radar like hunting?
And again the difficulty of the Logperch identity. Mobile to the upper left and perhaps a Conasauga to the lower right? Not so according to Pat and JR. Both Mobiles.
If Ed gets another back to back trip, perhaps i will return for camping and assistance but so far no such days are planned...
#45
Guest_Casper_*
Guest_Casper_*
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- Guests
Posted 05 December 2013 - 02:22 PM
Season 2013 Summary
Snorkel Boss Jim tells me that this year we put 629 snorkelers in the water. A few less than last year only because most of May was high water and we can't risk losing folks over the raging falls downstream. Being most of the May CNF snorkel trips were canceled and June was occupied with the NANFA KY gathering and wandering MO / AR it was not til July when i was back in the CNF waters.
Jim created a chart which illustrates the attendance numbers over the years starting in 2000 when he first created the program. Note the 250% increase of participants in 2010 when he began charging a $20. fee and added guides. That was my first year guiding and we are already signing up groups for 2014.
While leading trips people are always asking how they can participate and Jim has agreed with the idea of having business cards available to pass out. Though they are not water proof, they will be kept dry and handy for those who inquire. Jim asked me to design the cards and let us print the NANFA logo on the backside with our contact information. Some of you active members or state reps may want something similiar.
2013 was a wonderful year and i enjoyed meeting new folks and reconnecting with previous participants as many return year after year. Several NANFA members visited, helped out, and participated this season and we also gained a few new snorkeling members. Jeremy, Dave and Jeff from Freshwater Ilustrated came and filmed for a few days gathering more footage for their film projects. Pat, JR, Peggy and crew from Conservation Fisheries assisted as this is part of their involvement with the Cherokee waters. Dave and Anna from the Tennessee Aquarium along with a gathering of teachers were at the snorkel hole one day. Of course my fellow guide Ed, Boss Jim and Amy helped a few days along with our excellent crew of assistants and lifeguards. It is a great program to be involved with and everyone leaves with smiles and enthusiasm.
Freshwaters Illustrated.
This is the back of the Snorkel Hole Sign. I composed this graphic using the wonderful photos from Jeremy Monroe and Dave Herasimtschuk. Note the snorkeler at the top center snorkeling with the River Cooter.
After composing, printing and applying the graphic at the end of last season the turtle boy returned this year. To his suprise I showed him his picture on the back of the sign. I think he will be in the film too.
You can see a short preview of the Hidden Rivers film at Vimeo...
Here is a complete list of all the species found in the Conasauga River and its watershed, both native and introduced. I have marked in yellow the species i observed at the snorkel hole this year. Other species can be found in adjoining tribs ( Rainbow Shiners, Creek Chubs ), upstream ( Trout ) and downstream ( Blacktail Shiners, Blackbanded Darters, etc ). Some species are missing only to return a following season. In the winter months we surely have cooler water species move in but i am not getting in... brrr. There are also some non descript shiners that i cannot identify with confidence and a few questionable IDs like Black vs Golden Redhorse, same for the Hogsuckers, Madtoms, Bullheads and Sculpins. I do not have the ability to seperate those species apart. I suspect one has to catch them and start measuring and counting rays and such. A bit much for me.
I am behind on other reports and would like to do one for KY, Tates Hell 2013 and especially my 2 week MO / AR wander if folks are interested.
Snorkel Boss Jim tells me that this year we put 629 snorkelers in the water. A few less than last year only because most of May was high water and we can't risk losing folks over the raging falls downstream. Being most of the May CNF snorkel trips were canceled and June was occupied with the NANFA KY gathering and wandering MO / AR it was not til July when i was back in the CNF waters.
Jim created a chart which illustrates the attendance numbers over the years starting in 2000 when he first created the program. Note the 250% increase of participants in 2010 when he began charging a $20. fee and added guides. That was my first year guiding and we are already signing up groups for 2014.
While leading trips people are always asking how they can participate and Jim has agreed with the idea of having business cards available to pass out. Though they are not water proof, they will be kept dry and handy for those who inquire. Jim asked me to design the cards and let us print the NANFA logo on the backside with our contact information. Some of you active members or state reps may want something similiar.
2013 was a wonderful year and i enjoyed meeting new folks and reconnecting with previous participants as many return year after year. Several NANFA members visited, helped out, and participated this season and we also gained a few new snorkeling members. Jeremy, Dave and Jeff from Freshwater Ilustrated came and filmed for a few days gathering more footage for their film projects. Pat, JR, Peggy and crew from Conservation Fisheries assisted as this is part of their involvement with the Cherokee waters. Dave and Anna from the Tennessee Aquarium along with a gathering of teachers were at the snorkel hole one day. Of course my fellow guide Ed, Boss Jim and Amy helped a few days along with our excellent crew of assistants and lifeguards. It is a great program to be involved with and everyone leaves with smiles and enthusiasm.
Freshwaters Illustrated.
This is the back of the Snorkel Hole Sign. I composed this graphic using the wonderful photos from Jeremy Monroe and Dave Herasimtschuk. Note the snorkeler at the top center snorkeling with the River Cooter.
After composing, printing and applying the graphic at the end of last season the turtle boy returned this year. To his suprise I showed him his picture on the back of the sign. I think he will be in the film too.
You can see a short preview of the Hidden Rivers film at Vimeo...
Here is a complete list of all the species found in the Conasauga River and its watershed, both native and introduced. I have marked in yellow the species i observed at the snorkel hole this year. Other species can be found in adjoining tribs ( Rainbow Shiners, Creek Chubs ), upstream ( Trout ) and downstream ( Blacktail Shiners, Blackbanded Darters, etc ). Some species are missing only to return a following season. In the winter months we surely have cooler water species move in but i am not getting in... brrr. There are also some non descript shiners that i cannot identify with confidence and a few questionable IDs like Black vs Golden Redhorse, same for the Hogsuckers, Madtoms, Bullheads and Sculpins. I do not have the ability to seperate those species apart. I suspect one has to catch them and start measuring and counting rays and such. A bit much for me.
I am behind on other reports and would like to do one for KY, Tates Hell 2013 and especially my 2 week MO / AR wander if folks are interested.
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