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As I am working on promoting the Tar-Pamlico River Water Trail, it is always a good idea to familiarize myself with the current, as well as the future trail. With this in mind, Matt Butler and I decided to go for a brief paddle on Broad Creek, where we plan to start building a new camping platform in the next couple of months. Broad Creek is one of the Pamlico River’s tributaries, and is located east of Washington, before you reach Goose Creek State Park. It was a beautiful day with white clouds and a blue sky to compliment them. We started our paddle from a small launch at the Washington Yacht and Country Club. The water was just barely choppy, pushing us forward as we paddled past the docks with countless boats at rest. As we left the docks behind, we approached a water sign that was adorned with an osprey nest. As we passed the nest, we saw an osprey flying towards us along the tree line. It landed on a tree not far from us, as if it were waiting for us to leave its nesting area.

We continued on, passing countless cypress trees, many of them sporting the Spanish moss so common along the water trail. One of the trees growing among a large group of cypress knees had a bird house mounted on it, with a metal plate stretched out below it to stop snakes and other predators from reaching the birds inside. Just downstream we happened across a turtle bathing in the sunlight on top of a log. I managed to snap a photo before he dove into the water. A strange sight reached us as we paddled around a bend in the creek. An old boat was lying on its side, half submerged in the water. We paddled in for a closer look, investigating its weathered and rusted deck. As I passed close by I heard a splashing from within. It seems that something had made quite a comfortable home from the wreck.

Within the next few minutes we reached a fork in the creek, and paddled off to the right, where the location for the new camping platform is located. Further down this fork in the creek I could see a small bank with a fisherman relaxing in the afternoon sun. Before we reached him however, we arrived at the future platform location, shown in the photo below and to the right. We continued down the creek for another half hour, passing under Broad Creek Road. The creek started becoming narrower and shortly after passing a small house on the banks, we turned and headed back towards the put in.

The paddle back was much faster, the first half of which afforded no new sights. However, as we again passed by the sunken boat and turned the corner, we noticed a towering tree, naked of any leaves, with a large osprey nest resting high in its uppermost branches. Two seagulls caught our attention as we neared the wide open stretch of water in front of the country club. They were fighting over a dead fish that floated between them. After a few moments of them wrestling on the water, one of them flew away, leaving the victor floating next to its meal. After passing the site of this altercation, I looked in the distance and saw a sailboat slowly floating in to anchor at the country club. We soon followed suit, our kayaks scraping to a stop on the ramp as we reached the end of our paddle. Like all of the paddles I have done so far, Broad Creek has a lot to offer. Whether you are looking for a peaceful paddle, to see the creek’s wildlife, or – in the near future – a place to camp on the water, Broad Creek won’t disappoint you.

If finding recipes for overnight paddles isn’t your favorite thing to do, then you’re not alone! The process of figuring out a meal that’s not only easy to prepare but also tasty can sometimes be a daunting one! With this in mind, I have compiled a short list of a few simple meal ideas that are easy to pack in a canoe or kayak and taste great. I will be focusing on dinners in this post.

The first recipe is one of my favorites: camp pizza! In addition to the ingredients below, all you need is a camp stove or fire, a frying pan, bowl, spoon, and knife.

Ingredients:

Bisquick

Tomato sauce

Mozzarella cheese (any cheese will work)

Toppings of choice (pepperoni, sausage, oregano, red pepper, etc.)

Olive oil

Water

First pour a little olive oil on the frying pan to ensure the dough doesn’t stick. Then mix water in a bowl with the desired amount of bisquick until it has a slightly doughy consistency. Get your frying pan warm on your heating source and then spread the dough evenly across the pan with the spoon. Spread the sauce on top and then add your toppings. Lastly, sprinkle the cheese on top of everything and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the cheese melts and the dough is cooked through. Don’t have the heat too high or you may burn the dough! After it is done simply cut it up with the knife and enjoy!

The next recipe is burritos. This is very simple and has almost no prep time involved, save for the packaging of all the ingredients. Additional things you may need for this is a knife and plate to cut up the tomatoes, tin foil, and gloves.

Ingredients:

Tortillas

Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Refried beans

Spinach or shredded lettuce

Tomatoes

Salsa

Sour Cream

It may make the prep easier if you cut up all the tomatoes at home and put everything in individual plastic bags in your cooler. All that’s necessary to prepare these bad boys is to combine all the ingredients and wrap them up in the tortilla, and then if you want a hot burrito, wrap them in the tin foil. You can then place the burrito near the fire or in the embers of the fire for a short time until they are heated up. Use your gloves to remove them from the embers and you’re ready to eat!

Last but not least we have the hobo dinner! This is a classic favorite of campers and has almost endless possibilities. You will need gloves and tin foil for this recipe, as we will be using it in the same way we did the burritos above. The idea is to combine a bunch of ingredients together and cook it in tin foil over the fire. You can use any number of ingredients, but I chose the classic hobo hamburger.

Ingredients:

Hamburg patties

Potatoes

Onions

Carrots

Salt and pepper to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Butter or margarine

Other options include corn, peas, peppers, cheese, and seasonings of choice

It is advised to do all the cutting for the ingredients beforehand so it is easier to prepare it while at camp. To prepare this delicious meal simply lay out all the ingredients on the tin foil and wrap it up. Then place it in the coals of the fire and wait until the beef is cooked through. Remove the wrap from the coals with your gloves and dig in! The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to camp meals. I hope these recipes have inspired you to try new things and hope you get the chance to try them next time you're at camp!

With weather that had been cold and overcast for the past week, I was excited on Tuesday to see Wednesday’s forecast looking so good. I lost no time in putting a paddle trip together. With the hundreds of miles of paddling opportunities in Eastern North Carolina, I had a lot of options to choose from. I decided on Blounts Creek, a 14 mile long waterway in Beaufort county. I recruited Morgan, one of my college friends also interning in Washington, to come with me. We left Washington at 1 o’clock Wednesday and reached Cotton Patch Landing, our put in, shortly thereafter.

The sky was blue and the sun was shining on the rippling face of the water as we slid in our kayaks and began paddling away from the landing. The first stretch of the creek is fairly wide, with marshy peninsulas and a large stretch of open water. Several fishing boats were anchored in this area with fishermen lounging on the decks, rod in hand. We soon rounded the first bend in the creek, leaving the fishermen behind as the water became shallower. The banks of the creek were lined with a vast array of vegetation – cypress trees lined the banks, their roots stretching out and submerging in the water. Innumerable shrubs and small trees wove themselves together, creating a wall of foliage on either side of us. We approached a partly submerged log in the water in front of us, and saw several turtles warming themselves in the sun on the elevated portion of the log. The colored striped on their outstretched neck caught our eyes, some yellow, and some orange. All but the largest retreated into the water as we approached. We slowly floated by, only feet from the turtle, trying not to move and expecting it to drop into the water at any moment. It stared us down as we passed, but maintained its ownership of the log.

After rounding another bend in the creek, my eyes were drawn upward to a tree overhanging the water. The sun’s rays reflected off its yellow leaves and gave them a shimmering gold appearance. As we passed under this tree I began to notice young bamboo stalks growing along the sides of the river, the deeper green of their leaves contrasting with the rest of the undergrowth. We suddenly realized that the creek had become much narrower at this point. It had been getting smaller so slowly that we had barely noticed it. We were paddling one in front of the other now, there not being enough space to paddle side by side. Two downed trees that had fallen in the water were slowly getting nearer ahead of us. For a moment it looked like this would be as far as we would go, but I noticed a small almost concealed pathway right next to the bank that was unobstructed, save for a few branches under the water. We managed to get by the trees following this path and resumed our trek up the creek. It was only a few more minutes before our path was again blocked by a downed tree. This time, there was no pathway around, so we turned and started paddling downstream.

As we paddled back down the creek, everything was so serene it instilled a sense of peace in me. The world seemed to be resting, the silence broken only by the sounds of the insects chirping, a distant bird calling, or the wind rustling through the trees along the banks of the creek. The wind blew across the water in front of me, making ripples along the surface and letting me almost see the breeze as it passed. Since we were moving downstream now, we stopped paddling for a while and drifted with the current. A large tree towered above the rest of the tree line on the shore in front of us. Spanish moss hung from its otherwise bare branches, gently waving in the wind as we paddled by it. As we neared the wide open part of the creek where we started, my attention was drawn to the cypress knees in the shallow water near the bank. The particular group that caught my attention had one that almost looked as if it had been carved. I paddled nearer and thought I could distinguish a perched eagle carved at the top. I concluded after a few more moments that it hadn’t been carved, but I still marveled at how closely it resembled an eagle. Nature is full of natural art, and this was certainly no exception.

The large area of the creek now stretched out before us, the sun’s rays piercing through a dark cloud in the distance. On our right a tiny island appeared that was only a few feet in diameter, and elevated a few feet out of the water. A small tree was the only thing growing on the island. I stopped to look at this curious sight for a moment before paddling onward. A towering tree stood alone on an island in the distance, a large osprey nest nestled in a crook of its branches. Over a dozen hawks were circling over an area in the marsh as we approached Cotton Patch Landing. We watched the birds soaring overhead and drifted the rest of the way until we reached the dock. I would have given a lot at that point to be allowed a few more hours of daylight to paddle the creek and continue exploring the beauties of the creek. It was approaching 5 o’clock however, so we reluctantly got out of our kayaks and strapped them onto the top of the car. Every time I end a paddle, I find myself wanting to go on another trip right away. This trip was no different, and I look forward to continuing my exploration of the many wonders that the waters of Eastern North Carolina are so rich in.

If you are considering buying a kayak, there are many things that should be taken into consideration before you make a purchase. First and foremost, what kind of kayaking do you want to get into? There are three main types of kayaking: touring, recreational, and whitewater. Once you decide that, there are many other things to think about.

The type of kayak you get will decide in many ways what your paddling experience will be like. Different boats are better suited for different kinds of paddling. Touring kayaks are designed for long paddles in open water, and are typically used for coastal and sea kayaking. They are great for overnight trips as well, with spacious hatches that will carry plenty of gear. These are usually between 12-17 feet long and often come with a rudder that can be operated with the feet inside the cockpit. These kayaks often tend to be on the more expensive side. Recreational kayaks on the other hand are affordable and easy to use. They are designed for paddles on calmer waters and for shorter distances. They are frequently used on lakes and calm rivers. They tend to be between 10-12 feet and are popular for beginner paddlers, as well as fishermen due to their customizability and stability in the water. Whitewater kayaks are very specialized and come in many different designs such as creek boats and play boats. They are typically 4-10 feet long and are shapped with whitewater in mind - the bow and stern typically curved upwards and a orunded hull.

The size of your kayak is very important. No matter what kind of kayaking you are doing, they come in many different sizes. A longer kayak will glide through the water faster and with less effort but it will be harder to turn. A shorter and wider kayak such as whitewater kayaks will be more stable and much easier to turn, and will perform better in rougher water than longer models. Wider kayaks are much more stable but require more paddle effort to move forward. When considering the length of your kayak, take note of your height and weight to ensure the cockpit is comfortable and there is enough leg room. Also think about whether you will be packing gear for overnight trips and buy accordingly. Some kayaks have more hatches and storage space than others.

Cost is another major factor to consider. Kayaks can range anywhere between a  few hundred dollars to a few thousand, so there needs to be a fair amount of thought  put into the buying process. The cost depends on the brand, type, size, and  material. What time of year you buy a kayak can also have a large impact on the  cost. Offseason during the colder months is the best time of the year, price-wise, to  buy a kayak. It may be harder to find exactly what you want during this time though,  as many retailers are clearing out their current stock to make room for the new  models. Buying used kayaks is also a good option for those on a budget, but it can  sometimes be difficult to find exactly what you want.

Color may not seem to be of the greatest importance to many paddlers, although some paddlers may be very particular about the color to fit their personal preference, and that is ok. However, the most important thing to remember with color selection is safety. If you are in trouble on the water, you want to be as visible as possible, and the brighter the color of the kayak, the more visible it will be. With this in mind, it may be smart to steer clear of any colors that might blend in.

These are many of the main factors to consider in buying a kayak. However there are additional features that should still be given consideration. The world of kayaking is immense and the possibilities for recreation and fun seem endless. Get out there and go explore the water!

It has been exactly a month since I started my internship with the PTRF, and today marks the first of my kayaking escapades on the Tar-Pamlico River Water Trail. I was privileged to be accompanied by Guy Blackwell and Andy Anderson, two PTRF volunteers very familiar with the Tar-Pamlico waterways.  We all met at 9:30 in the morning at Mason’s Landing, (http://tinyurl.com/omnk5ow) a river access point near the mouth of Tranters Creek, one of the Tar River’s tributaries (The link above shows a map of the location of Mason’s Landing, but is called Clarks Neck Road Access). The sky was a little overcast and there was a slight chill in the air as we set out down the winding waterway of Tranters Creek towards the Tar River. Cypress trees lined the bank to the left, each one surrounded by dozens of cypress knees stretching their necks out of the water. A small sailboat rested at anchor to our right as we rounded a bend, bringing the Tar River into view ahead.

On our merging with the Tar River, we turned and began the four mile paddle upstream to the Cypress Hideaway camping platform. The river was placid, with a slight breeze blowing at our backs. The currents on this part of the Tar River are primarily wind driven, so this breeze would usually have altered the current to aid our upstream paddle. However, recent heavy rains upstream had increased the water level so that there was a slight downstream current. Despite this, we moved upstream with ease, meandering past the wooded swamps East Carolina is known for. Upturned trees dotted the shoreline, the intricate weavings of their exposed roots resembling works of art. The occasional motor boat passed by, leaving small wakes that gently rocked our kayaks in the water. The sky had cleared to a beautiful blue at this point, and we continued upriver with the suns warming rays at our backs.

At length, the Cypress Hideaway platform came into view to the right, on the far side of a wide stretch of the river. It was nestled behind a row of trees on the shore, its structured form contrasting with the trees and underbrush surrounding it. If it were summertime, the leaves on the trees would likely have hidden it from view. We traversed across the river and docked our kayaks in a tiny inlet, getting out to inspect the platform and stretch our legs for a few minutes. On resuming the water, we merged with the almost imperceptible downstream current and paddled along with it. We navigated under low hanging cypress branches stretching out over the water. Each branch was adorned with Spanish moss, resembling fingers reaching towards the water.

A small island appeared to the left. Two small makeshift docks reached out from its banks and a rope swing hung over the water. It is a favorite spot for boaters to spend a summer afternoon fishing and hanging out with friends. I paddled around the far side of the island and passed a fishing boat lazily drifting off the island’s shore. Every so often a fish could be seen leaping out of the water, and hawks drifted lightly on the breeze overhead. The sheer beauty and serenity of everything surrounding me was striking. The sun warmed me as I drifted downstream, and I could think of nothing better than staying on the water all afternoon. All too soon however, Mason’s Landing appeared in front of us. The kayaks were quickly loaded on their trailer, and the trip was over. But this was only the first of many trips, and something tells me that even greater ventures lie in wait for me in the future on the beautiful Tar-Pamlico River.

Clear sunny skies, with temperatures in the 40’s, and just enough wind chill to convince me it was still winter. I couldn’t ask for much better weather to go check out several of the camping platforms along the Tar-Pamlico River Water Trail for the first time. The first stop on the trip was to the Vollmer platform. It is located in what is called “the back 40” in the rear of Vollmer Farm, a beautiful 5^th generation family farm in Bunn. The platform is situated on the edge of a large field, on a slight rise above the river with a small line of trees separating it from the water. As I stood on the deck, I could look down through the trees at the Tar River lazily flowing by. On leaving the platform, I followed a tree lined trail along the riverbank for about 50 yards upstream that ended with a short staircase on the right leading down to a small beach, offering easy river access for kayaks and canoes.

The Bourne platform was the next stop, located in the Dunbar vicinity near Tarboro. After driving down a long road with fields on my left and a single row of trees on my right, the platform came into view on the left. Positioned in the far rear of the Bourne family farm, it is surrounded on 3 sides by underbrush and trees, with the Tar River meandering by 10 yards behind it. It feels far separated from society, despite the fact that it is only minutes away. A 50 yard walk along the tree line brought me to a downward sloping trail that ends at the river, providing an easy entry and exit for boaters.

The last stop of the day was at the Panola platform, only a couple of miles from downtown Tarboro. In spite of its close vicinity to the town, it is tucked away in the woods behind the fields of Panola farm. The platform is found on the top of a steep bank overlooking the river. As I was gazing out on the river, I could see the wind blowing against the surface of the water, creating a ripple effect that caught the sun’s rays making the river shimmer. Looking down, I could see the river access on the right, just a few steps away from the platform. There are stairs leading down the bank that allow for boats to be tied off or carried up, offering the quickest access to the river of the three platforms.

Another new camping platform has been constructed, this one with nice walkway and deck along the river to ease access. The platform is located on WRC gamelands, downstream of Tarboro in a beautiful site.

As you can see from our photos, the river is up and our walkway construction is getting an early test! Click a photo for a larger view.

The new Bourne Platform site along the Tar River in Edgecombe County is now complete and ready for you to spend the night! Click on a photo to view a larger image.

Check out the beautiful view from the platform.

To reserve this or any of our campsites, visit the Reservations page.

We're excited to have cut the ribbon on our newest camping platform, located near Vollmer Farms in Bunn and built with with $5,000 assistance from Novozymes, a Louisberg company. A ribbon cutting was held on April 28, 2014; click the photo to view a larger image, or visit the Facebook gallery to view all photos from the ribbon cutting.

This is the fifth camping platform erected and the first in Franklin County. The other platforms are located in Rocky Mount, and Pitt and Edgecombe counties. The platforms are accessible only by river, and feature wooden platforms and screened-in rooms for camping; our plans are to build a total of 15 platforms, about 10 to 15 miles apart.

We're excited that kayakers and canoeists will now be able to extend their overnight trips with the addition of the new camping platform. Visit our Reservations page to make reservations for this or any of the other platforms, for a night or for an extended trip.