SCDNR Beach Sweep/River Sweep on Lake Keowee

 

 

As paddlers and anglers of various waterways, we believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the places we paddle.

Wilderness Systems & Adventure Technology Pro Staff JD Desrosiers had the opportunity to participate in a cleanup on beautiful Lake Keowee in South Carolina on Saturday, September 20th, 2014. Here's his report:

 

This past Saturday, we headed out to Lake Keowee to participate in the SCDNR Beach Sweep/River Sweep. Organized by SC Sea Grant Consortium in partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources the cleanup is the largest one-day litter cleanup of South Carolina's beaches and waterways. Every third Saturday in September thousands of volunteers amass to clear trash from beaches, rivers, lakes, marshes, and swamps. I was able to organize a group of 12 fellow paddlers - we had 2 canoes and 10 kayaks out on the water! If you've never been to Lake Keowee, you'd be in for a pleasant surprise as the waters are Caribbean-blue with waterfalls dotting the shoreline. During the cleanup, we were able to fill up 3 industrial size trash bags in just a few hours. The area we concentrated on was the popular Falls Creek Landing on the northwest side of the lake. From a distance the area looked fairly clean, but once we started and got off of the beaten path we found some really messy and heavily trashed areas. One particular spot that we spent around 30 minutes on was a fire pit that was totally trashed. The before and after pictures are like night and day. Leaving that day, I just couldn't bring myself to understand what would posses someone to trash public lands. We at Wilderness Systems feel it is very important to preserve the waterways for the future generations.

 

 

 

Huge thank to crew that came out and helped out today on Lake Keowee, we could not have completed this very important task without you guys. We hope our numbers at least double next year...

 







What a day out on the water....

At Palmetto Guide today we made it up to Lake Jocasse. This was my first trip out as a Wilderness Systems Pro Staffer, and I was really looking forward to showing Kris around the lake. The adventure was awe inspiring with the weather on our... side we hit the water for about 9hrs. Managed to get on a few fish, 2 Smallies, and 10 Bream. We will definitely be going back to Lake Jocasse before the Fall arrives.

 

 

There is so much beauty in and around this fantastic body of water. We managed to paddle around 9 miles and it did not even seem like it. I guess when you are surrounded by such awe inspiring beauty you kind of lose yourself.

 

 



Around every curve there is something to look at or go and explore. With out a doubt this is a spectacular place to paddle and explore. The crystal clear waters reminded me of the Caribbean.

 

 

 

We will be heading back to Lake Jocasse before the water flips and becomes extremely cold. If you would like to head out for the day and see the truest form of nature's beauty then drop us a line or leave a comment. Thank you all for you unending support, Palmetto Guide.