36 replies to this topic

[Casper]

So much for promises...

I went back Sunday for about 4 hours and i have to say most of the trash is now gathered and and bagged.  3 years of activity has really gleaned this 300 yard stretch.  At the end i was able to uproot several more tires, flush them out and perch them in log jams or up on the banks.  Still a good bit of work to haul them up the steep banks to the roadside.  Weather looks good for this Saturday, a chance of rain on Friday but not enough concern to alter plans.  I need help!

 

I did find this very old Coca-Cola bottle.

 

 

The 3 bass followed me eager for another meal, many pods of logperch, several turtles sunning, and the standard assortment of sunfish.  The water is way low and all the shiners are missing.  I presume they have moved to higher flow zones.

 

The next issue of American Currents will have an article about the first 2 years doing this.  This will be my 3rd and likely last as this North Chick site.

[littlen]

Kudos to you, good Sir.  This is all very impressive and admirable work you're doing.  I'm looking forward to reading more in the next issue of AC.  Thank you for all your contributions.

[Casper]

I'm happy and relieved to say i am going to be assisted by 7 snorkeling trash mongers!  Final preparations today and tomorrow, weather is ideal.  RV Camping afterwards.

[Casper]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We done good.  After 3 years this 300 yard stretch is pretty much clear of all tires and trash.  I'm curious what the next flood scour event will expose if anything.

I'm very grateful for the volunteer assistance.  We had 3 Hefters and 3 Snorkelers which worked out perfectly.  Afterwards we enjoyed a fine Cajun meal at J. Gumbos, socialized and returned to our homes.  I rested, recovered and dreamed of bottles left behind.  Sunday i returned and dumpster dove to sort through the 13 bags finding a few prizes i we overlooked.

[Chasmodes]

Very cool.  Nice work!

[Fleendar the Magnificent]

Wow!  Look at all of that stuff! Do you ever find glass or porcelain electric insulators? Glad to see someone taking an initiative to clean up the rivers.

Thank you!

[Casper]

This Saturday.

Noon.

October 3rd.

2020.

No tires, just pulling up the bags I've filled during this Spring & Summer.

[Casper]

 

October 3 2020.

Snorkeled up 10 bags and picked up another 10 from the bank.

A great crew on a fine day.

[Casper]

Tennessee River Rescue 2021

 

It was a low key event for me this year.  I did not have the get up and go, nor with the ongoing Ciovid concerns, to organize an effort with friends.  Nonetheless i have spent several days in North Chickamauga Creek myself gathering trash and observing fish this year.

Young Robert assisted me on Saturday, as well as Connie picking up several bags of trash along the creek and roadside.  Robert and i snorkeled the creek for a couple 3 hours.  There are still a lot of tires but it takes a team to get them out.  Today we focused on bottles, cans and shards.

A few photos...

 

 

 

The T-Shirt i designed for this year's event.  Each volunteer gets one.  We only printed 500 this year due to Covid concerns but we had an excellent turnout from reports shared so far.

 

 

 

Young Robert and i in the dumpster.  Connie already headed home to shower the bugs away.  Small but an efficient 2021 Team.

 

 

 

A crawfish alongside an electric stove burner.  They be big uns in these waters.

 

 

 

This is for you that snorkel and have close encounters of the disturbing.

i was gonna shake the larvae mat loose but Robert first wanted to move himself upstream.  I was expecting a fish feeding frenzy but oddly none were taking advantage of the endless buffet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robert Lamb]

That crayfish shot turned out great!

The sight of that deer will stick with me for quite a while I imagine lol. I had never seen so many maggots at once before

[Fleendar the Magnificent]

Do you ever run across any insulators while diving in these rivers?

 

Yes.  I have a small collection of them.  Find them often enough creek walking and mushroom hunting.  The broken ones are in the cement pond.  The nice ones on window sills.  A friend is a member of the Dixie Jewels Insulator Club.

Hi Casper,

 

I am sorry so late on this, but will you post a picture of the insulators you have found in your window?

 

That being said, and to keep on-topic, yesterday I went out to the Olentangy river to look for driftwood and river rock for my 29 gallon aquarium that I am getting out of storage so I can move my sunfish and spotfins into a bigger house. After getting 2 large Japanese trapdoor snails from the river and some flat sandstone rocks, I went to a nearby large lake where driftwood is aplenty. I found a nice root structure and some other pieces that are well worn and weathered that will make perfect structure for my tank. Wish I had a market for driftwood because good pieces are everywhere at  this lake! So as I set up my larger tank I'll incorporate this driftwood and some insulators into the structure. I think that the natural wood along with some of my favorite common pieces will add some nice character to my tank! The weathering and texture of this piece of wood is awesome!

 

Great photos, Casper. Check out those bottles and insulators you find! I wish I could find that stuff. Not only would it be cleaning out the rivers, lakes and streams, but adding more vintage bottles and insulators to mine and other collector's collections and recycling the common stuff, all the while enjoying and cleaning up nature.

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[Casper]

I find lots of very old bottles but the chore of cleaning them is extensive and not fun.

I have a friend, Bill Haley who is a member of the Dixie Jewels Insulator Club.

He has a MAJOR collection.

Check them out on FaceBook.

As for mine, about 7, i would have to take the time to photograph them.

[Chasmodes]

Nice work on your scaled down clean up.  The creek is a better habitat because of you.  And, if you find a few relics or treasure along the way, so much the better.

[Fleendar the Magnificent]

I find lots of very old bottles but the chore of cleaning them is extensive and not fun.

I have a friend, Bill Haley who is a member of the Dixie Jewels Insulator Club.

He has a MAJOR collection.

Check them out on FaceBook.

As for mine, about 7, i would have to take the time to photograph them.

Hi Casper,

 

I know Bill Haley very well. He's a great guy! See him yearly at the Ohio insulator show. Wonderful person to associate with and chat hobbies.

 

Anyhow, no problem. I understand about photography and time. Time anymore seems precious little!

However, speaking of tight time-windows, tonight I DID make it down to the river, got wet, caught a few more fish, and I DID get my bigger tank set up. It'll take a few days to cycle (even after seeding), but I'll post pics once it clears up. Caught (2) 1.5" stonecat madtoms, 2 male banded darters and some small shiner fry for my Northern sunfish to eat. Was a lot of rewarding fun to go out and catch the specimens for my tank!

 

Lastly.

Thank you for your work and efforts to clean up our creeks, streams and rivers. I try to remove whatever I can. If everyone did this, our environment would be SO much cleaner and healthier. Just be sure to send ALL insulators you find to ME!

 

P.S. Use oxalic acid to clean insulators and bottles. Put them in a bucket of the solution (I use 5 ounces per 3 gallons of water), let them sit a day and scrub them off. Most of the time all it takes is a wash rag to get the gunk off and a bottle brush for the insides of the bottles. Oxalic acid (deck bleach) is safe to use indoors and you can use it without wearing PPE and gloves. However, if you have cuts on your hands, it stings like all get-out. Here's a photo of what it does to a brick with 100 years of underwater crud all over it. I lifted it out of the bucket and did nothing else to it. Lastly, oxalic acid does not lose its cleaning efficiency or power when the water turns black. This stuff lasts as long as you keep a lid on the bucket and prevent evaporation. So you'll only need to add more IF evap happens and you have to add more water.

 

Thanks!

 

The Grumpy Old Man.

[Casper]

Awesome tip Flee...

I see tumblers but dang.  Copper bits, days, polishing compound...

Wow, small world with Bill.  I visited his new home recently and dang he's got a lot of glass, inside, outside, everywhere.  He hunts them with a rubber tipped telescopic rod!

Nice on your aquarium setup.  I stick with my cement pond nowadays.

I save bricks as well, ones with lettering.  Pond decor, that and smooth glass and pottery.

Maybe you can visit sometimes.

Chattanooga, border of TN/GA.

Mountain water.  Clean and fresh.

[Fleendar the Magnificent]

Glad you can use the Oxalic acid tip. However, it doesn't remove glass sickness. That has to be tumble-polished.

 

Yeah, Bill's quite the collector indeed. Once  I get moved into a new house with my kids, I plan on hopefully having enough room to get my small collection out again along with my tank.

 

The tank has cleared enough to see decently. It's pretty basic right now. I need some green and I need to get some kind of background to hide the brick wall behind the tank.

 

I'd love to visit sometime. Probably be a few years though. Just too much chaos going on in my life right now. However, I DO need a vacation.

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[Casper]

Yes... tumble POLISH.

Bill displays his favorites with little LED lights inside.  Like white Christmas light strings.  Very nice.  an illuminated glass cabinet is expensive but nice.

I use to paint the back of my aquarium with a blue fade mottled teal. Mask and use 2 different spray can colors and paint both the back and sides.  I did it with a brush, sponge and my sign enamel but spray cans would be easiest for most.  I certainly believe in a well decorated and planted aquarium.