Day 5 on the river sojourn!

"Any day on the river is a good day" - -> overheard from a Sojourner in the rain. But...we were glad for a break from the rain yesterday. We enjoyed a calm day paddling from Pottstown to  Royersford for lunch, then onto Lock 60 near Phoenixeville. 

The colorful rows of kayaks at all of our landing sites truly announce that the Sojourn has arrived in town! 

We were excited for burgers and sunshine at lunch, and we heard from some people who do amazing work!

We heard about stewardship of the river from several levels. Secretary Dunn from DCNR, and Secretary Richards from PennDOT joined us to paddle for the day, and reminded us of the importance of speaking up for how much we value our natural heritage areas so we can address river and landscape protection on the state, regional, and local level. 

The enormity of the problem of stormwater run- off is overwhelming. But, seeing the extent and scope of the work being done all down the river, across the watershed, is truly incredible. 
 

 Ryan Beltz of the Perkiomen Watershed Association spoke about the work they do on the community level to protect and restore the Schuylkill's largest tributary! 

He shared about the annual Stream Clean- up that, this year, 700 people were involved with across 50 sites! And, the watershed association has developed an app where residents can geotag locations of trash, and then a crew can come clean it up. 

The Perkiomen Watershed Association also spends the summers doing environmental education and fighting the battle against invasive plants. Then in the fall season, they plant native plants and trees. Ryan shared with us their plans to plant 5,000 native plants in riparian buffers this fall! Riparian buffers are areas along streams that are wooded and shrubby, providing habitat, slowing flooding, cooling the water, and stabilizing banks to prevent erosion.

After lunch, we paddled on to Lock 60, the Schuylkill's last working lock! So very cool to see a piece of regional history in action thanks to our gracious hosts. 

Midway through the "hidden river"

I cannot believe we are approaching the halfway point! Day 5 of the sojourn is here! Did you know that Schuylkill is PA Dutch for Hidden River?

Most areas we are paddling past have been converted from forest, meadow, and wetlands to agriculture, and urban and suburban developments. 

 In the past, "point source pollution" from industry was the biggest concern. Many Sojourners have been telling me stories of what the river was like when the textile factories were still open, and how dye factories turned the river crazy colors. 

But today, as the amount of land being developed increases, "non point source pollution" is the biggest challenge for much of the watershed. Non point source pollution doesn't have one identifying place to target, such as a factory.

There are many sites of the pollution, as trash, contaminants, and sediments run off of any building roofs, pavement, agricultural fields, construction sites, etc. When rainwater runs into a meadow, forest, or wetland, these ecosystems hold the water, slowing its journey to the Schuylkill. Additionally, slowing the water down through a wetland cleans out pollutants and provides habitat to support more biodiversity. This is a picture of a rain garden a Jim Dietrich Park, which captures and holds some of the water that runs off from the park's lawns.

With development, we speed up the water's journey. Water travels over building roofs and pavement instead of percolating down into the groundwater. In the past, our urban and suburban areas were designed to get the water out of the way, and  many drains go straight to streams or rivers. So, this alone causes an enormous amount of pollution.

 

Stormwater carries any of the pesticides, fertilizers, trash, oils, etc that was on the pavement, and dumps it straight into the river.  Additionally, speeding up the water leads to flooding down river, which can be very destructive for communities. 

So, it's so important that the communities upstream manage their stormwater for the sale of the river, and the communities downstream!

All week I have been testing the water quality. I will be sharing more about the gradual changes we see as we get into river sections that are more and more surrounded by development!

One way of tackling this issue is to focus on reducing peak flows and flooding, and work to reduce volume of run off. Many municipalities take this on as part of the MS4 requirements- "municipal separate storm sewer system." This is a planned way to move, manage, and control storm water. MS4 takes a lot of work and planning, but you can get involved by joining your municipality's environmental action council. There is a lot more you can do around your home as well! 

Here's a photo of a well designed parking lot at Pottstown Riverfront Park! Breaking up the pavement by adding in trees and swales helps more water soak into the ground, and less run  off to our river. 

 Upstream, we don't see the costs of stormwater run-off that communities downstream pay for water treatment. Working to restore and protect the Schuylkill river isn't just about healthy wildlife and a beautiful river for recreation. Protecting the river is about healthy people, and vibrant communities!!So 

The Sojourn Has Begun!

Greetings from the 19th annual Schuylkill River Sojourn! Sarah here, Sojourn Steward for the week! As the Steward, I'll be blogging all week as we make our way down the river. I am from Shillington, Berks County, PA, just a few miles away from where the Angelica Creek meets the Schuylkill. But, working in and studying environmental conservation has taken me to a few different places- the greater Boston area, out west to the Cascades, and to Bhutan in Southeast Asia. Most recently, I spent 15 months in western Uganda, where I worked on environmental conservation programs with communities next to a tropical rainforest.

Now that I am back home in PA, I am so excited for the chance to paddle all the way through the landscape that I grew up in: the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. I am especially excited to join as the Sojourn Steward and spend the whole week exploring water quality and our theme of I Protect the Schuylkill! I am testing the water quality, and will be sharing what we find along the way on social media.

Here are some highlights from our first day, Saturday!

Paddling through the mountainous, forested headwaters in Schuylkill County! The biggest challenge to water quality up here has been polluted acid water from when rain flows through abandoned coal mines, and carries out heavy metals into the river. But, much work has been done to build treatment systems! Testing the pH of the river water in Schuylkill Haven and Port Clinton, we were happy to see that the pH level stayed in the neutral range. Now that the river can support more aquatic life again, a lot of work has moved onto repairing wildlife habitat.

 Sojourner collecting litter in her canoe!

At lunch, we heard from Virginia Vassalotti, Senior Schuylkill Action Network Specialist. The Schuylkill Action Network (SAN) "is a collaborative network with over 150 partner organizations all working together to protect and restore the Schuylkill River and its tributaties." Check out the SAN website for more info! And all of this week, I'll be posting on SAN's facebook page, @schuylkillwaters!

Also at lunch, we were welcomed by the Schuylkill Lodge No. 83....and a pet skunk!!

Back in the river after our first portage, around Auburn Dam.

As a first time Sojourner, the group chatter building up to "the chutes" felt like a 

good introduction to the traditions and lore that make up half the fun of the Sojourn. 

Group gathering to watch and cheer everyone traveling through the chutes!

Spaghetti dinner at the Port Clinton Fire Company, after completing day 1 on the river.

We ended the day with a talk by Master Gardener Steve Daderko on gardening and landscaping practices that protect rivers and streams. Stay tuned to hear more about that topic as the week goes on!

Schuylkill River Sojourn Ready to Launch!

 The Schuylkill River Sojourn runs from June 3-9 this year, with 221 paddlers. A total of 70 will make the entire trip from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia. 

This year, we are pleased to have our Sojourn Steward Sarah Chudnovsky blogging about her experiences and testing water quality along the way. Check back daily or subscribe by email to follow Sarah and find out what's happening on the 19th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn.






With 100 or so kayaks on the water every day, the sojourn forms a stunning rainbow of paddlers as it makes its way down the river. Want to watch for us? Click here for a schedule that lists our start and end sites by day.

A Few Sojourn Facts

19 years. That's how long we've been organizing the Schuylkill River Sojourn. Over that time, we have introduced nearly 4,000 people to paddling the river. Two of those people have come back every single year since the first sojourn in 1998. Many more have come for over a decade. The camaraderie, time spent on the water, and the highly organized nature of the event all have made this a trip that has grown in popularity over the years.

112-miles. That's how far the sojourn travels from Schuylkill County to Philadelphia. This year, from June 3-9, a total of 221 people will participate, with 70 making the entire trip.

5 Counties. The sojourners begin in Schuylkill Haven, paddle through Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties before finishing up at Boathouse Row in Philadelphia. Along the way, they stop for lunch and camp out in riverside parks.

Sojourn Weekend Days Fill Up Fast! Sign Up for an Amazing Mid-Week Day

It's happened again. Only hours after we opened up registration for individual days on the annual Schuylkill River Sojourn the first three days of the seven-day guided canoe/kayak tour (June 3-9) are sold out. Sure, everybody wants to paddle on the weekend. But, to keep things safe we allow only about 100-110 boats per day. That means we wind up turning people away on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, while Tuesday through Friday fill up more slowly--or sometimes don't fill up at all.

If you are one of those who hesitated a bit too long to get on the sojourn's weekend days, don't despair! Here's a day-by-day guide to the sojourn's mid-week days. All have openings so you can sign up for one or all four! As always the sojourn will begin in Schuylkill Haven and end at Philadelphia's Boathouse Row with participants paddling 14-18 miles per day. This year's sojourn theme is "I Protect the Schuylkill River," with all presentations focusing on river conservation.

Click here to register

Tuesday launch

 Tuesday June 6 (13.9 miles: Gibraltar to Pottstown)

This is a great day for Sojourn newcomers!  It's an easy, scenic paddle where past sojourners have spotted interesting wildlife (including eagles!). The lunch stop is at Historic Morlatton Village, one of our region's best kept historic secrets. There, we'll have a presentation about everyday sustainability efforts that everyone can make to protect our watersheds. And the evening stop, at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, includes arguably the best dinner on the trip, catered by Bause Catering. We're teaming up with Pottstown Borough again this year for an entertaining evening featuring the band de Tierra Caliente.

Coming through Lock 60

Wednesday June 7. (17.8 miles: Pottstown to Mont Clare Lock 60) 

One of the highlights of the week-long sojourn happens on this day. Sojourners end the day by "locking through" the restored Lock 60 on the former Schuylkill Canal (see photo above). But, there's also some pretty scenery and an enjoyable lunch setting  at Victory Park, in Royersford, where the Borough officials welcome sojourners with a delicious cake.  In the evening, paddlers can camp out near the canal, eat spaghetti dinner at nearby St. Micheal's Pavilion, and meet some live birds during a presentation about bird species found along the river by John James Audubon at Mill Grove educator.

Thursday June 8 (14 miles: Mont Clare to West Conshohocken)

The dam portage in Norristown

 Paddlers begin the day in the canal and make their way into the river and through some wooded areas. The sojourn lunch will be at Valley Forge National Historic Park where a Philadelphia Water Dept. representative will discuss initiatives that improve water quality in the river.  This stop always features an entertaining free raffle by Stony Creek Anglers. Later in the day sojourners encounter some interesting bridges and urban settings. At dinner, in West Conshohocken, they'll eat an amazing barbecue dinner served up by the Rib House.

Friday June 9 (16 miles: West Conshohocken to Philadelphia).

Passing through Manayunk

This may be the final day, but it's also one of the best days of the sojourn! Sojourners love having the opportunity to paddle with the Philadelphia skyline as their backdrop and alongside the iconic Boathouse Row. If you need another reason to paddle on Friday, lunch is at the historic Philadelphia Canoe Club, where you eat surrounded by some amazing antique boats. The final takeout is Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row.

An Evening for the Schuylkill River

Whew! We are still reeling from all the excitement of our 2nd Annual Evening for the Schuylkill River, which was held on Saturday March 18. We couldn't have asked for a better evening to celebrate the river and to acknowledge the work of some of our key supporters with Schuylkill River Legacy Awards. Our award winners, pictured above, (l to r) were John Giannopoulos, managing partner for Sly Fox Brewing Co.; Leslie Richards, Secretary of PennDOT, and Brian Swisher, author/designer of "A Paddler's Guide to the Schuylkill River Water Trail."

Here are a few things that made the event so much fun:

1. We had terrific raffle and silent auction items. Included among the over 30 donations were pieces of original art, baskets of local beer and wines, tickets to area attractions, restaurant gift cards and more. Possibly the most coveted item of all was a beautiful Fusion kayak:

 

2. The venue was amazing! The historic Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Reading is a hidden treasure in downtown Reading, with a striking ballroom that lent an air of history and elegance to the evening.

3. The food was delicious. From the veggie and fruit trays to the hearty dinner and the plentiful desserts, it was a pleasing and enjoyable meal.

4. Cocktails were on the house! We and our guests were grateful to JP Mascaro and Sons, who sponsored the cocktail hour, and to Sly Fox Brewing Co., who provided us with two beer selections at a discounted price. What's more, the cocktails were poured behind the Abraham Lincoln Hotel's impressively beautiful bar.

 5. We brought back the Rob Haffley Band. Last year, during our first Evening for the Schuylkill River, we were pleased to feature Rob Haffley and his jazz trio. This year, he came as a duo with his keyboard player. They are both incredibly talented musicians whose music added to the evening's overall pleasant atmosphere.

6. It gave us a chance to honor friends of the Schuylkill River. What makes any event special? It is always the people who you spend it with. At the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, the annual dinner is an opportunity for us to spend time with our members, partners and others who share our love of the river. While the event serves to raise money for our projects and programs, it also allows us to celebrate the work we do with the people who care about it most. We are grateful to everyone who attended or otherwise contributed to make our event special.


Reading the article about our award winners in The Reading Eagle