36 replies to this topic

[Casper]

There are lots of Blue Shiner photos in past postings.  A protected species but common where i snorkel.  They are the most beautiful, elegant shiners of the snorkel hole.  Alabamas are the most powerfull, robust.

[Casper]

CNF   Conasauga River   July 21, 2015

 

 

Today, a Tuesday, we had a group of Youth Conservation Corps members that had been camping and working upstream while constructing Blue Shiner spawning structures.  And today, special for their enjoyment, the Blue Shiners were in high form displaying in the sandy calm flows near the beach.  In addition to that group my friend, Professor Rob, who assisted me as a young lad when i hosted the 1998 Convention here in Chattanooga, was visiting from NY and Keith Williams of River Snorkeling who made the drive from his Nashville vacation bringing his young son Christopher along.  We got into the water about noon and visibility was only about 6' but we all had fine views of the riffle diversity.  Unfortunatly thunder drove us from the water at about 3 and then a few bolts of sharp lightning motivated us into our vehicles.  By 4 heavy rain was falling and you could see milky rivlets leading from the trails and parking areas to the still clear river, so more snorkeling was probably not going to be an option.  Rob and i decided to walk in the rain and hunt the fungi but after about an hour felt more discomfort than joy being soaking wet and chilled.  Changing into dry clothes under what little shelter was available, we left the parking area just as the rain stopped.  Instead of rushing home we decided to drive slow and hunt the road side with the windows down and stopped at promising sites for short walks.  Doing this i turned onto a road i had not traveled and discovered several nice camping spots and a spring time ideal Rainbow Shiner pools deep enough to lay in.

 

 

 

Just enough for a small dinner.  Freshly cleaned Milkcaps and a pair of Yellow Brittlecaps.

 

 

 

Chanterelles, typical yellows in a ring and the small orange reds are Cinnabars which have a spicy flavor when eaten raw.

 

[Casper]

Rob McDougal's Photos & $5000.

 

Rob sent me a few photos from our past trip.  He has purchased an UW case for his camera and took several nice photos to share.  His camera provides much more detail than my point and shot.  I enjoy the convenience of my small camera but becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of performance... though it still may be the operator more than the camera's limitations.  Anyway here are 3 and Mikella and me.

 

 

 

Alabama.  That big fat caudal spot is a dead giveaway.

 

 

 

Handsome Bronze, The Prize so the Latin sez truely.

 

 

 

 

The Mighty Hogsucker... like a wild hog he roots too.

 

 

 

 

Mikella, bleach in hand and myself a lookin with the Snook.

 

The really big news is that the Cherokee National Forest Snorkeling Program won a $5000. Education / Outreach grant to be used however Snorkel Boss Jim deems.  I made the nomination, filling out forms and writing with what eloquence i could muster late into the night about the program's history and future goals.  TVA & the 2015 Aquatic Biodiversity Network awarded the grant and 4 other groups won as well including CFI.  In addition to the 2 day event at the Tennessee Aquarium i made contact with a fella that may well alter my future to one of great interest.

[Isaac Szabo]

Wow, congrats on winning the $5000 grant! That's great.

 

How might your future be altered?

[Casper]

August 17  New Hope 7th Graders

 

 

A big group, about 30 students and 2 teachers into the water churning it into a  Jukuzi with all the thrashin' and splashin'.  After lunch and a 2nd session we packed the gear with distant rumbling in the air.

 

 

 

 

Putting the wetsuits on can be a challenge... as can their removal!

 

Just as Mikella and i finished loading the gear the sky commenced to raining hard upon us.  I moved and reparked at a nearby campsite and curled into a ball and slept for 2 or 3 hours with the rain pelting the top of my van like a tin roof.

I slept good catching up on deprivation from a couple days prior sleeping under the rain of comet debris, the annual Persieds meteor shower.

 

Ed arrived at dusk with a box of Bojangles chicken and we sat in his VW camper until midnight catching up on our adventures over the past couple months.  A second group of hopeful 7th graders were scheduled for the next morning and Ed had volunteered to drive down, camp and assist me the next day.

 

The next morning i checked out the Snorkel Hole and it was high and flowing swift over the downstream boulders, way too dangerous for another group of young 7th graders.  This has certainly been the most rainy August i can recall.  We had to cancel events over the next 2 or 3 days.

 

After a breakfast of blueberry pancakes Ed and i returned to our homes, him hunting Elderberrys along the way for another batch of summer wine.

 

 

August 22 BSA Troop 205

 

The recent high waters had washed out much of the accumulated floam making for a pretty substrate and clean boulders.  Visibility was a stunning 12' plus as temperatures were dropping with the crest of Summer heat waning.

Mikella and i had 30 scouts and 6 adults from Cummings, Georgia in the water splitting them into 2 groups for safety and gear concerns.  Fish wise, new observations to the Snorkel Hole were about 5 or 7 big Spotted Bass, maybe 24" in length.  Marked prey for a skilled fisherman.

 

 

 

 

 

Scout Michael sporting the Mark of the Hogsucker.

 

 

After the troop left i snorkeled the perimeter hoping to catch sight of a reported Gar but instead found a nice vibrant red-orange finned River Redhorse amongst a swarm of Drum and a couple additional Darter species making for 7 different Darters for the day.  Coosa, Speckled, Bronze, Holiday, Greenbreast, Bridled & Logperch.

 

 

 

 

Hoilday

 

 

 

 

 

Coosa

 

 

 

 

 

Bridled

 

 

 

 

 

The Bronze Darter was taking advantage of this active Hogsuckers rooting about and paired with him for several minutes hoping to snatch something exposed.

 

 

 

 

No spawning activities nor color this late in the season but these 2 Bamas were still practicing a whirl of sparrings.

 

 

Other folks began to arrive at the Snorkel Hole as the overcast cleared.  An awning was popped up and preparations were made for young girl of 7 turning 8 today.  Snorkeling had turned to magic light but i was shivering in the 66 degree water and with my battery was drained to red i was ready to head home.

 

 

 

 

Getting ready for the party.  I never know what i will see at the Snorkel Hole.  If i had stayed around longer i might have enjoyed a piece of birthday cake.

 

 

[Casper]

August 25 Catholic 8th Graders

 

My camera has leaked about the 3 or 4 times this season, and this time excessively wet with beads of water.  With that issue and the deep scratch on the lens will likely have me looking for a replacement this winter.

 

 

 

 

Mikella with all our gear laid out and awaiting the students.

 

 

 

 

I snapped the first group just as they readied to enter the water...  and a few minutes later the viewing window was fogging up... a clear sign of internal leaking.  I do not know if the seals are going bad or becoming less pliable, but more likely a hair or grain of sand was preventing a clean seal, as the leakage has been inconsistent.  I quickly got the camera out of the water to prevent further damage or worse, shorting out, thus few photos for the day.

 

 

August 28  Home Schoolers Channel 12

 

This was a great group.  Though they were late arriving in 3 separate staggered vehicles with over 45 minutes of delay, the water was 12' clear and the sky blue.  With only 9 students and parents i was able to spend time with each individual.  The bonus was Channel 12's Megan Wise and her 2 man crew snorkeling for a short feature that will be broadcast later in the week.

 

My camera has not recovered from the leaking and in fact had beaded up behind the LCD screen.  I guess i will try the bag of rice trick.  I'm also afraid the internal lens has been marred by evaporated condensation.

 

 

 

 

A blurry Megan and Jacob.

 

[Casper]

August 30  University Ecology Class

 

This was a great group, very attentive, excited to see various species and their behaviors and enthusistic til their departure.  We broke into 2 groups with several of the first students staying in the water with the 2nd group.

 

The rice trick helped but there is still an overcast blur to the few photos i took.  And the scratch i have tried polishing out remains, causing a consistant blur in the mid upper left of each photo.  It is time to research a replacement camera for the 2016 season.

 

 

 

Post Icon NANFA

 

 

 

 

An International Array of Ecology Students.

 

 

 

 

Like a string of flattened black beads appears the Bridled Darter.  There have been quite a few this year and are unique to the Conasauga system.

 

 

August 31  Normal Park 3 X 13

 

Chaotic, dividing the students into 3 groups only allowed for about 45 minutes of watertime for each group.  Though the air and water was 68 degreees the sky was cloudy and most of the 7th graders were ready to get out after 45 minutes anyway, shivering and with teeth chattering.  But 45 minutes is only enough time to get into the water, get over the initial cold water rush, learn to fit and use the snorkel and mask, calm down, relax, float free and breath.  For first timers, and most folks are, it takes a good bit of time to orient oneself to the flowing watery underworld.  It works best when folks get about an hour and a half in the water, break for lunch and return for another hour and a half with renewed focus.  Often the water is warmer and the sun higher making for a more comfortable and sunny session.

 

We had an enthusiastic writer along who will be doing a story on the snorkeling activities presented within the Cherokee National Forest.  I will provide a link when it is available.

 

 

 

Crossing the Jacks River bridge and looking downstream to the Snorkel Hole.  I typically follow Old Highway 2, the only Georgia Highway with portions still unpaved.  This route must have been from the wagon train days crossing multiple creeks, streams, ridges with about 9 miles through the Cherokee National Forest.  I have learned to slow down and enjoy this time.  On my recent forest drives i have seen several gobbles of Turkeys, another roadkill Copperhead and yesterday a lanky cub Blackbear not to mention all the summer flowers, Joe Pye, Ironweed and others.

 

 

 

 

7th Graders somewhat listening to the day's safety concerns.

 

 

 

 

There have been 2 or 3 young silvery Redhorses working the cobbled sandy beach area this year.  I can generally get close to them for photos, unlike their wary parents.

 

 

 

 

Diving under ledges looking for Cooters i caught a Banded Sculpin in my right eye while clearing my mask.

 

 

 

 

Southern outdoor writer Jenni and her friend warmed up after their snorkel experience.

 

Here is a link to Jenni's short account...

 

http://nooga.com/170...ational-forest/

 

 

And here is a link to Megan Wise Goes Outside broadcast a week or so ago here in Chattanooga.

 

 

The season is coming to an end, just 3 more trips for me scheduled.

 

[Isaac Szabo]

Nice redhorse shot. I'm glad your program is getting some good press. It certainly deserves it.

[mattknepley]

Great work, again, Casper. The grant is a coup as well. With the success this program has sustained over the last few years it would seem about time for other national forests, parks, etc to notice and start tailoring such programs to their local waters.

[Casper]

Thank you Isaac and Matt.  The participation continue to grow year after year.  I am unsure of our numbers for 2015 as we have had to cancel many trips due to the odd August rain events.  I think we were set to crack 1000 for 2015.

 

Ed seems to think the silvery Redhorse may be a River Red due to its red tinged fins and for me it is much more docile than most Redhorses.  A proper ID for the scale counters and lip checkers to determine.  These were too small to grill.  We were keen on snagging a Drum for the Gumbo but Ed has been under the weather.

 

I am hearing of other groups trying to develop snorkeling programs, and some have visited our outings for review, tips and techniques.  Clear water is the priority but there are a lot of issues to consider.

[Casper]

Whitfield 7th Graders 9/8/15

 

Swarmed with young ones, i was told 41 students and Amanda counted into the 50's well beyond.  Chaotic yelping, thrashing and splashing.  An endless effort to calm them down and to keep their heads in the water and to simply, calmly float free... like an AQUANAUT.

 

 

 

Safety Concerns.

 

 

 

With the cooler water, actually a comfortable 70 degrees for air, water and rain, the Bamas were looking better, colors returning and a bit of frolicking amongst the males.

 

 

 

Rummaging Hogsucker with 2 Coosas looking for fleeing delicious items.

 

 

 

A new Darter for the snorkel hole.  Finally after years i found a lone juvi Blackbanded spending time with local Bronze and Bridled.  He seemed most happy around this twiggy branch, their preferred habitat being near a log jam full of snags and limbs.

I snapped several pictures with him and the others along with a Holiday but all those images were too blurry to share.  This camera continues to frustrate me with limited focus and low light issues, but the leakage and len's film issues were resolved for these 2 days.

 

 

 

Colored Stones

 

 

 

The small feeder stream looking down to the crossing.  After packing gear in the rain the sun came back out and the air felt magical.  I returned to the river chasing the Blackbanded for photos, getting out about 6 pm when the Snorkel Hole shadowed. 

 

 

 

The bridge to somewhere.

 

 

 

Eft

 

 

 

Lair of the biggest spider i have seen in these parts.  Half Fisher, half Wolf.

 

 

 

After changing into dry clothes i took an hour  long 5 mph drive through the Cherokee National Forest hoping to meet a bear.  I have taught a few to snorkel but the masks tend to leak.  I did find several patches of berries, these unknown and did not taste none too good.  A sharp bitter twang and twitch.  Muscadines will soon be falling and they are a burst of sweet pleasure.

 

Camped in the van, awoken by the rain falling in the wee hours and continuing into the morning light.

 

 

Whitfield 7th Graders 9/9/15  2nd Group

 

By the time the busload arrived the morning rain had stopped and a 10 am sun was coming up over the ridge line.  Amanda was late so we enlisted a bit of help and quickly got the gear staged and the tents setup.  Dividing them into 2 groups we had the first group into the water with the accompanying thrashing, splashing, yelping and hollering.  After giving them 30 minutes of such behavior i lured several of the more aquatic minded up to the riffle run were we watched Hog Suckers vacuuming, herds of Stonerollers or as a recent snorkeler called them, "Mississippi Stone Nibblers" which i will hence forth refer to them as, along with Bronze, Bridled and Holiday Darters darting and fleeing from the extended green, pink and purple fingernailed hands.  Getting a few of the young aquanauts settled calm and facing downstream we had a fine freckle nipping session courtesy of the Alabama Shiners. 

Rocks were turned and Sculpins color shifted, crawfish were admired and Hellgrammites feared.  A couple Logperch visited from the bouldered run and turned stones to the students astonishment. Greenbreasts made fleeting appearances.

 

A caravan of parents commenced to roasting wieners in the oncoming drizzle as others broke out umbrellas to stand alongside the river and shout encouragement to their waist deep wetsuited yelping and shivering youngsters. By the time group 2 had finished their creek wade, critter catch and dog eating, the rain had commenced from a drizzle to a steady pelting but once in the water, just as the fish don't mind, neither did the students.  It actually felt pretty good, certainly better than just standing in the rain.

 

 

 

After awakening i drove to the bridge to check the river conditions.  Still clear. This beaded web caught my eye.

 

 

 

Group 1 ready to stretch on the wetsuits.  Though you tell them 6 times to turn the suits inside out and that the zipper goes in the back you should have told them 7 times.  I think in 2016 we may use taped messages and a bullhorn for convenience.

 

 

 

As we were wrapping things up in the rain many fled to the yellow bus for shelter.  I snapped this picture just as the sun came out and several were back in the water with masks in the shallows.  It is amazing how much emotional range there is from a cool drizzle to warm sunshine.  As the bus left we could hear students calling out "Thank You!"  from the open windows, that feels mighty fine to me.

 

 

 

I reckon he thought i could not see him, this little Holiday tucked tight in the stones.  The camera does great if you are super close and steady.  Chasing Shiners is not this camera's shining point.

 

 

 

Grazing herd of Conasauga Stone Nibblers.

 

 

 

A nice rush with a few old Dobbsinfly nests on the northside.  Drip drip into the water more Hellgrammites fall.

 

The clarity was good when we first got in the morning water, but as the rain increased the clarity diminished.  By the time we got out about 2 pm, the water was like a blowing cloud of milky particles.  However when i returned to the water about 3 with the sun shining bright the clarity was again returning.  A living filter the trees, plants and bushes provide.

 

Having had enough watery immersal and rain over the last 2 days i headed for home stopping for Chinese.

1 more trip scheduled... a group of Tennessee Valley Canoeist, whom should be a well focused and attentive group.  October 3rd, brrr.

Might be a double suit day.

[loopsnj64]

I have never heard of fisher/wolf spider hybrids, when i see spiders like that, i always assume that they are fishers, nice pics of all the river/riffle fishes too

[Casper]

I do not think the spider was any kind of hybrid.  The oddity was that though i think it some kind of fishing spider it was far from the water's edge and high on a tree lurking in a deep crevase.  Catching things quite different than fish.

[Casper]

My Snorkel Boss gave a 1.5 hour talk last Thursday night at the Chattanooga Outdoor facility.  He projected slides and videos entertaining the small group attending.  Hopefully some of them will take a look below the surface this Spring.  He used several images and videos from our fishy group but the most stunning images were those that Isaac provided.  They sure looked nice on the big screen.

 

Come May we will start my 7th season immersed, probably about 15 for the program.

 

 

 

 

Jim forgot his laser pointer but his shadow became quite adept at pointing out details and tickling darters.

[Isaac Szabo]

Cool. I didn't know they were going to use any of my photos, except for that one of you and the chub mound, which I wonder if they even ended up using?

[Casper]

I recall seeing your fantastic ones easily... the single Rainbow Shiner, the Tennessee Shiner spanning swirl, the Horny Head, the Tangerine... along with several more including the Chubby Chub's nest.

I think he mentioned another promo coming up or had just recently shared in Athens.  He tells me he will refine all for an upcoming AC.  I certainly heard ohs and ahs when your images flashed up, so beautiful they be.  Connie came along and was educated a good bit by Jim's talking.  She does not listen to me.

Besides his lack of a laser the other problem was moving from various types of videos back to images and graphics.  Clunky.  He forgot some kind of government security key which would have made transitions smoother.  I have seen computer issues like this occur way too many times with all the various formats and operating systems.

 

Yesterday Jim also spoke at the Lookout Wild Film Festival.  Jeremy's "Bringing Back the Brooks" was shown and afterwards Jim and Travis of TWRA shared a bit about the film short during a Q & A session.

The film festival ran 4 days and had scheduled a multitude of films, some short, some long.  Several were about fish and featured underwater photography.  Saturday night it sold out.  This was the 4th year and has greatly increased attendance each subsequent year.  There are a lot of gifted, interesting filmmakers out there and they had 80 hours of submissions to sort through to find the 66 to screen.

 

This is a link Jeremy's "Bringing Back the Brooks".  About 9 minutes with beautiful videography and a neat story.  Hopefully NANFA will be supporting Jeremy's upcoming project.

 

[Isaac Szabo]

That film festival sounds like a lot of fun. I've seen the brook trout video before, and it's very well done.