Stewarts Landing Chronicle - V4 #1

 GIT YER BOAT OUT!

Of the water, of course. Drawdown day is October 15, 6 days from now. Now's the time if you have not already extracted it already. Unless you intend to store it in Dolgeville after riding past the dam and down the rapids, it makes great sense to take it out now while the water is still high enough to do so. 

The foliage is past peak anyway.

For those unable to be here, the Stewarts Landing autumn has been glorious! Here are a few shots from last week.

Look carefully to see the rower at the entrance to Lily Lake.

 

 

Dave, our all-season paddler

 

 

Just gorgeous!

 

An email was recently received from Roving Roger. He reports that he and Virginia are having too much fun on their adventure to check and respond often.

They're in Yosemite right now for a few days. They just left Sequoia National Park two days ago.

"Hi to everyone!"

 

No photos were attached. We'll have to wait for the post-adventure slide show.

 

Rosemary Lee from Dolgeville Point reports that a dead loon was spotted and picked up on Canada Lake. The carcass was delivered to the Adirondack Loon Center to determine cause of death. It was banded, and may well have been the one some of us observed acting oddly. 

 

 

A happier, healthier loon

 

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the installation of the Kane Mountain Fire Tower. There will be events to commemorate its longevity. Also, the trail is slated to be moved by the DEC, probably as the result of overuse.  

Look hard. The fire tower is clearly there!

And finally, a video from a few years ago that really shows the magnificence of the Canada Lake area in the fall. (also available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yXoHDIZ48 so you can play it on your 85 inch screen 😉)

 

Stewarts Landing Road Cleanup - 7-Sep-2024

 

Thanks to all who helped out with cleaning SLR and attacking invasive plants. I believe I speak for all in saying we were pleased with the efforts, results, vittles, and camaraderie.

For those unable to participate, we'll look forward to seeing you out there next year!

 Group shot by Doris:

Winner of the best dressed award (don't miss the boots!):

We split into two groups: Cleanup and invasive control. Since Randy was in the invasive group, the following images will over-represent the activities of that group. 

Regardless, y'all can see the aesthetic improvement on the road provided by the Cleanup Crew in any drive on Stewarts Landing Road.

Below is a "before" image at one point of attack with phragmite reduction beginning. This particular patch was too large and too well established to eliminate completely. The primary goal was to contain the spread along the road by digging out the spreading "juveniles" and eliminating the seed tassles atop the mature plants.

 Eliminated!

Readying the "Sword of Death" provided by Bob and named by Marshall. The only good phragmite is a dead phragmite!

 

 

 Curtailing the spread:

The "Sword of Death" in action. One could almost hear CCR's "Run Through The Jungle."

While cutting the invasive reeds down will not eliminate them, it was satisfying to see them fall even though plodding through the marsh resulted in very wet feet. Also, it allowed determination of just how far back the phragmites had spread.

 

Contemplating the next move:

Bagging. Upon delivering to the transfer station, Marshall and Sue were forced to open all the bags to show that no contraband materials were hidden in the dark bags. Oye!

Winner of the "Largest Rhizome" award:

It is important to get as much and many of the rhizomes out as possible because the shoots off them are one of the means of propagation. And they are the reason the phragmites are so damnably hard to kill.

Reinforced with cleanup members, here is the crew doing the best they can to eliminate another patch:

Shortly afterward, the heavens decided it was time to finish our efforts and opened up with a drenching rain. The timing was impeccable. 

Only a little wet, the crew enjoyed richly deserved rewards.

An Interesting Image

My guess is that this image was taken around 1910. 

The man on the right is probably my Great-Grandfather (My father's mother's father). 

 

The image was scanned from a glass plate negative I found in the box below. 

The Seed Company was acquired by Eastman Kodak in the early 1900s. I did not find how long Kodak maintained this same trade dress.