Stephanie Juchs

Arriving bright and early at the river to launch our canoes, I noticed there were several people standing around the area where we had parked. Unsure of what they were doing, everyone went ahead and helped launch our canoes and distribute lifejackets. It was only after everyone was in the water that we all saw a stake in the river announcing a baptism taking place. I could not help but think that only in the south would a canoe trip interrupt a baptism and thought this unique situation was an interesting start to the day.

As soon I started paddling on the Wolf River, I could tell it was very different than the environment to which I was accustomed. Growing up in Maryland, a school year was not complete without taking a field trip to canoe on part of the Chesapeake Bay. Therefore, when I found out I was going to be canoeing sections of the Wolf River I thought that my past experience would make me more than adequately prepared for the trip. However, trips on the Chesapeake were often easy and leisurely because of the strong current, and the bay environment meant that there were minimal rocks and trees as obstacles. The same could not be said for my experience on the Wolf. After getting stuck on a submerged tree a few minutes into the trip, I realized my steering capabilities would be put to the test throughout the day. Though trying to work together with my partner to anticipate turns and potential obstacles, we always seemed to be at the back of the pack. While it was physically exhausting constantly trying to catch up to the rest of the group, being isolated did allow my partner and I to really observe and examine our surrounding environment. While my heart sank a little when entering the Ghost section, an area dense with cypress knees I would have to navigate around, the beautiful environment offered a little relief from all the work I was about to do. The Ghost section seemed aptly named as the numerous cypress trees and their knees gave the area an almost eerie quality. I was amazed at how wild and untouched by human influence the river seemed. At the end of the day, I returned exhausted and soaked from my journey but with a sense of accomplishment from completing something that was personally challenging.

This section also offered a unique insight into the history and changes the river has gone through, though most of this was only visible because of the human-induced changes to the river. I was amazed to hear that some of the large tree trunks sticking out horizontally from the eroded banks are the result of an earthquake that occurred where the ground opened up and consumed some of the surrounding trees. The exposed banks also allowed for a broader perspective of the geological and environmental changes that had occurred through the visible soil stratification. It was interesting to not only hear about events that altered the river’s environment over the years but to see the effects firsthand.

While both canoe trips were enjoyable individually, together they provided a fascinating look at the Wolf River with and without human interference and how this influenced the abundance and distribution of species in the area. Aside from being an educational experience, the trips also provided the opportunity to interact as a class. I was amazed that only hours after meeting someone, they would be kind enough to pull my canoe off of a submerged tree or out of bush or stop when a canoe tipped over. The trips offered a unique field experience and the opportunity to learn about the Wolf River and its evolution while getting to know classmates more intimately than in traditional classroom settings.