Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper

  • About Us
    • Meet
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Council
  • Donate
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Report a concern
  • Songs 2023
  • HERYN PROGRAM
  • Partners
  • Nature Book Club
  • Gift Shop
  • Watershed Opportunities
  • Floating Classroom
  • Hellbenders
  • Survey
  • Vernal Pools
  • Sentinels
  • Kayaking/Fishing Resources
  • Video Lessons
  • Photos 2020
  • Other Events
    • Sunrise Sunset Susquehanna
    • Bridges Over Troubled Water
    • Dumplings At Dusk
  • Issues
    • Signed Support Letters
  • Engage
    • News Alerts
    • Songs 2021
    • Song Project
    • Photo/poetry contest
  • 2018 PA River of the Year
  • 10 Fun Facts
  • For Children
  • Prison Project
  • Contact Us
  • Crossword Puzzle
  • Songs 2022
  • About Us
    • Meet
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Council
  • Donate
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Report a concern
  • Songs 2023
  • HERYN PROGRAM
  • Partners
  • Nature Book Club
  • Gift Shop
  • Watershed Opportunities
  • Floating Classroom
  • Hellbenders
  • Survey
  • Vernal Pools
  • Sentinels
  • Kayaking/Fishing Resources
  • Video Lessons
  • Photos 2020
  • Other Events
    • Sunrise Sunset Susquehanna
    • Bridges Over Troubled Water
    • Dumplings At Dusk
  • Issues
    • Signed Support Letters
  • Engage
    • News Alerts
    • Songs 2021
    • Song Project
    • Photo/poetry contest
  • 2018 PA River of the Year
  • 10 Fun Facts
  • For Children
  • Prison Project
  • Contact Us
  • Crossword Puzzle
  • Songs 2022

Riverkeeper Reflections

Tickets added to Floating Classroom sessions on paddleboat, 'Raptors on the River' class joins 2021 lineup

6/3/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
I wasn't sure what to expect as I pulled into the parking lot aside an illuminated Hiawatha Paddleboat framed by an otherwise pitch-black background one would expect at 4 a.m. in the morning.

Invited to join a special WNEP TV "Live with Leckey" sunrise broadcoast to help promote the Memorial Day weekend kickoff of the Hiawatha's summer schedule -- and our upcoming Floating Classroom sessions -- I quickly met up with longtime boat captain Mike Strunk, Hiawatha jack-of-all-trade Kim Cillo, Leckey, his cameraman and a few others promoting various themed floats.
Being outdoors during a sunrise never grows old for me -- things start out silent and black and still, but quickly change as light emerges from the eastern horizon. Experiencing it on the Hiawatha did not disappoint.

A symphony of bird calls serenaded us as we cruised the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, a variety of fish broke the surface of the water in different spots to snatch some breakfast, geese chaperoned young goslings along the shoreline, a bald eagle monitored it all from its perch high atop a river-side maple.

​As the camera panned my way and Ryan Leckey asked me about why people should join our Floating Classrooms this summer, I wanted to simply point at the surroundings. No words were really necessary -- the sights and the sounds said it all.
Picture
Picture
Ryan Leckey and a variety of Hiawatha staff and promotional partners enjoyed a beautiful sunrise cruise on May 28.
​We want kids and their families to fall in love with our river-based resources, for an experience that sparks a lifelong passion and vested interest in the next generation of stewards. Where better to engage that interest than via environmentally focused classes while paddle-boating along the river? 

This summer, there are six opportunities to do so, starting with a float focused on macroinvertebrates on Tuesday, July 6, from 10-11 a.m. Representatives of the Alliance of Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) out of Dickinson College will provide an overview session on common "macros" from throughout our watershed. Other sessions include an overview of snake species along with some uplifting songs from local musician KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner on Aug. 3, an overview of common fish species with naturalist Jon Beam on Aug. 10, a look at important river-based history via John Moore and Van Wagner on Aug. 17 and an overview of amphibians with a focus on the hellbender on Sept. 7.

Unfortunately, a previously scheduled session on microplastics set for Sept. 21 had to be changed. We are now offering a "Raptors on the River" program by local falconer Mike Dupuy instead on that date.

Thanks to changes in restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, we are able to increase our ticket availability for each float, meaning sessions that were previously sold out now have a limited number of tickets.

For more information and to register/purchase your tickets, visit www.middlesusquehannariverkeeper.org/floating-classroom.html

The Hiawatha is proof that not every classroom has four walls. Some, thankfully, come equipped with a bright red paddle wheel, and gorgeous perspective of the Susquehanna River.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    John Zaktansky is an award-winning journalist and avid promoter of the outdoors who loves camping, kayaking, fishing and hunting with the family.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020

    Topics

    All

    RSS Feed

Your Pollution Hotline Number:
​570-768-6300

SUPPORT OUR WORK

BY BECOMING A SUSQUEHANNA NEIGHBOR TODAY.
​FROM CLEAN WATER FLOW THRIVING COMMUNITIES.

Middle Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® is a member of WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE. RIVERKEEPER is a registered trademark and service mark of Riverkeeper, Inc.
and is licensed for use herein. WATERKEEPER is a registered trademark and service mark of Waterkeeper® Alliance, Inc. and is licensed for use herein.