Holy crap! Hope you're feeling OK! Seems like the aches and strains really show up a couple days after...
CNF Snorkels 2014
Started by
Guest_Casper_*
, May 16 2014 02:46 PM
52 replies to this topic
#42
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
-
- Guests
Posted 01 September 2014 - 12:30 PM
Whoa! I am glad you are all right. I always tell people that fish sampling ain't no sissy sport. Between the roads, the locals, the snakes, and the slippery streams, we should all be wearing snake chaps, helmets, and a sidearm.
Bet that scared the crap out of you. I am scared, just looking at the pictures.
Bet that scared the crap out of you. I am scared, just looking at the pictures.
#43
Isaac Szabo
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- NANFA Member
- Marble Falls, AR
Posted 01 September 2014 - 12:55 PM
Wow, sorry about the wreck. That's really scary. I'm glad you are OK.
Your underwater photos from this trip look great. Good job on the color balance. I like that one of the Coosa Crayfish.
I need to go see if the pawpaws are already ripe around here.
Your underwater photos from this trip look great. Good job on the color balance. I like that one of the Coosa Crayfish.
I need to go see if the pawpaws are already ripe around here.
#49
Guest_Casper_*
Guest_Casper_*
-
- Guests
Posted 15 September 2014 - 07:12 PM
I appreciate your concerns and phone calls.
There was not enough time to be afraid as i just held onto that steering wheel as i plunged and corkscrew rolled down the ravine. My first week of dreaming were disturbing reliving the experience and thinking anger of the guy who spilled all the oil on the road and fled the scene. Things are near normal now though i miss my van and still have to deal with all the consequences.
Wear your seatbelt, you truely never know what is around the next curve.
There was not enough time to be afraid as i just held onto that steering wheel as i plunged and corkscrew rolled down the ravine. My first week of dreaming were disturbing reliving the experience and thinking anger of the guy who spilled all the oil on the road and fled the scene. Things are near normal now though i miss my van and still have to deal with all the consequences.
Wear your seatbelt, you truely never know what is around the next curve.
#50
Guest_Casper_*
Guest_Casper_*
-
- Guests
Posted 15 September 2014 - 07:19 PM
September 10
I had been planning for a back to back camping trip with Ed to assist him for a couple days on the Conasauga but recent rains had "Risen the Creek" washing out the previous 2 day's scheduling. Arriving late on Tuesday afternoon we took a sweltering, humid, walk through the woods. The few mushrooms found were mostly old and or had been turned to mush by the recent rains. We kept a few of the better interests to study back at the picnic table and after a cooling, rejuvinating early evening rinse in the Conasauga we settled down for a meal of marinated venison, fancy mashed taters and fresh salad but... no fungi.
Vanless and now driving my shop truck i took the first floor of Ed's pop up VW while he snored from the top. Mosquitoes drilling me while sleeping in the back of my truck is not a favored option.
TWRA's David Sims, Shell Underwood, Snorkel Boss Jim, and Whitfield's middle school principal and teachers arrived with a class of 7th graders. Shell is a primary mover for these student events, herself a recent teacher and now a facilitator. We broke the students into two groups putting the first into the river before our lunch break of grilled hotdogs and more contemporary nutritional fare that mostly remain uneaten. After lunch David, aka Mr. Mussel, gave an impromptu talk about Rabbit Feet, Warty Backs, Wash Boards and Three Ridged Pimple Backs. Indians did not leave behind any lunch recipes for mussels but white men made buttons from them as illustrated in this photo showing two circular cuts in a shell. Sometimes pearls were found and today native mussel shell pieces are used to culture natural pearls in oysters. David is involved with a new aquatic rearing facility northeast of Nashville where TWRA hopes to raise Lake Sturgeon, Hellbenders, Mussels, Snails and such and invited us and fellow NANFA members up for a tour sometime. Nearby is also a freshwater pearl museum and prime snorkeling waters so perhaps another camping weekend could be planned.
http://www.tennesseeriverpearls.com/
Ed, waterspot and photog David upstream of the falls.
A pack of snorkeling students beyond. If the water is too high the snorkel hole's downstream boundary of boulders is overrun with rushing water and in such conditions could easily sweep someone to Alabama. Today the water was ideal.
Nature's classroom, a field trip to be remembered. Whitfield Middle School, just one group of 7 scheduled for September. These students come from the Dalton Georgia area of which the Conasauga flows through as it heads south to the Oostanaula, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Alabama and eventually the Mobile River and Bay out into the salty Gulf of Mexico. Years ago the Conasauga flowed whatever color the carpet mills were dyeing that day so it is of great value to let these students experience what wonderful life is found in the forested headwaters of the river. Indeed, as they are potential... River Keepers.
One of the happiest and most well painted.
The boys found this round eyed docile snake that played dead for the most part. Maybe someone knows what name it has. Rat?
Native Snakehead.
Insect unknown assassin. It stayed on this fence post all day, perhaps laying eggs. On closer inspection it has a lot of spider web thread on it. Restricted, injected?
Another crazy faced mystery caterpillar. I always find a lot of critters on this fence post and i often leave treats atop.
Skink, 5 lined probable. I count 4. Common round these parts. A nearby sunning Eastern Fence Lizard was more photo wary.
After everyone departed, Ed and i drove a descending drive through the national forest and came across this patterned fella laying in the gravel. I took this cropped telephoto shot and as Ed approached the 3' snake crawled into the bank brush and beyond, or so i thought. However... though i could hear its tail rattling in the leaves i could not see where it was. Finally i could make out the Copperhead's near obscure camouflaged shape in the leaves, just at the gravel's edge. Caution.
Shaggy Stalked Bolete. Looking like it fell from space this mushroom is edible though sour and of a lemony taste. Perhaps a good compliment for Redhorse grilling.
We picked ripe muscadines, fallen pawpaws and after a long chigger walk returned to our vehicles and found this califlower mushroom, Sparrasis crispa, a most excellent edible. I presented these to my fungal mates the following next day at a weekend foray at Oconee State Park in SC. Not many fish photos today, when i am with the fishes the students come first.
This will likely end my season at the Conasauga.
I had been planning for a back to back camping trip with Ed to assist him for a couple days on the Conasauga but recent rains had "Risen the Creek" washing out the previous 2 day's scheduling. Arriving late on Tuesday afternoon we took a sweltering, humid, walk through the woods. The few mushrooms found were mostly old and or had been turned to mush by the recent rains. We kept a few of the better interests to study back at the picnic table and after a cooling, rejuvinating early evening rinse in the Conasauga we settled down for a meal of marinated venison, fancy mashed taters and fresh salad but... no fungi.
Vanless and now driving my shop truck i took the first floor of Ed's pop up VW while he snored from the top. Mosquitoes drilling me while sleeping in the back of my truck is not a favored option.
TWRA's David Sims, Shell Underwood, Snorkel Boss Jim, and Whitfield's middle school principal and teachers arrived with a class of 7th graders. Shell is a primary mover for these student events, herself a recent teacher and now a facilitator. We broke the students into two groups putting the first into the river before our lunch break of grilled hotdogs and more contemporary nutritional fare that mostly remain uneaten. After lunch David, aka Mr. Mussel, gave an impromptu talk about Rabbit Feet, Warty Backs, Wash Boards and Three Ridged Pimple Backs. Indians did not leave behind any lunch recipes for mussels but white men made buttons from them as illustrated in this photo showing two circular cuts in a shell. Sometimes pearls were found and today native mussel shell pieces are used to culture natural pearls in oysters. David is involved with a new aquatic rearing facility northeast of Nashville where TWRA hopes to raise Lake Sturgeon, Hellbenders, Mussels, Snails and such and invited us and fellow NANFA members up for a tour sometime. Nearby is also a freshwater pearl museum and prime snorkeling waters so perhaps another camping weekend could be planned.
http://www.tennesseeriverpearls.com/
Ed, waterspot and photog David upstream of the falls.
A pack of snorkeling students beyond. If the water is too high the snorkel hole's downstream boundary of boulders is overrun with rushing water and in such conditions could easily sweep someone to Alabama. Today the water was ideal.
Nature's classroom, a field trip to be remembered. Whitfield Middle School, just one group of 7 scheduled for September. These students come from the Dalton Georgia area of which the Conasauga flows through as it heads south to the Oostanaula, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Alabama and eventually the Mobile River and Bay out into the salty Gulf of Mexico. Years ago the Conasauga flowed whatever color the carpet mills were dyeing that day so it is of great value to let these students experience what wonderful life is found in the forested headwaters of the river. Indeed, as they are potential... River Keepers.
One of the happiest and most well painted.
The boys found this round eyed docile snake that played dead for the most part. Maybe someone knows what name it has. Rat?
Native Snakehead.
Insect unknown assassin. It stayed on this fence post all day, perhaps laying eggs. On closer inspection it has a lot of spider web thread on it. Restricted, injected?
Another crazy faced mystery caterpillar. I always find a lot of critters on this fence post and i often leave treats atop.
Skink, 5 lined probable. I count 4. Common round these parts. A nearby sunning Eastern Fence Lizard was more photo wary.
After everyone departed, Ed and i drove a descending drive through the national forest and came across this patterned fella laying in the gravel. I took this cropped telephoto shot and as Ed approached the 3' snake crawled into the bank brush and beyond, or so i thought. However... though i could hear its tail rattling in the leaves i could not see where it was. Finally i could make out the Copperhead's near obscure camouflaged shape in the leaves, just at the gravel's edge. Caution.
Shaggy Stalked Bolete. Looking like it fell from space this mushroom is edible though sour and of a lemony taste. Perhaps a good compliment for Redhorse grilling.
We picked ripe muscadines, fallen pawpaws and after a long chigger walk returned to our vehicles and found this califlower mushroom, Sparrasis crispa, a most excellent edible. I presented these to my fungal mates the following next day at a weekend foray at Oconee State Park in SC. Not many fish photos today, when i am with the fishes the students come first.
This will likely end my season at the Conasauga.
#53
Casper
-
- NANFA Fellow
-
- Chattanooga, TN alongside South Chickamauga Creek, just upstream of the mighty Tennessee River.
Posted 18 May 2015 - 11:06 AM
We have already started the 2015 season, though i have yet to douse myself in the natural waters.
However the Cement Pond has yielded another fine crop of Stonies and the Shiners are whilring color above the solitary Chub mound.
Jim sent us the attendance list from 2014 so i thought it proper to share.
Last year was our best season since its creation 14 years ago. 2014, we put more snorkelers in the water than ever before.
And this year looks promising beyond.
It is hard to think of a better activity to experience on a hot Summer day.
Should i make Cherokee National Forest ( CNF ) Snorkel Reports to the NANFA Forum for the 2015 season?
Edited by Casper, 18 May 2015 - 11:07 AM.
Casper Cox
Chattanooga, near the TN Divide on BlueFishRidge overlooking South Chickamauga Creek.
Chattanooga, near the TN Divide on BlueFishRidge overlooking South Chickamauga Creek.
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