Sunset Sweepers

​ by Kurt Zuelsdorf

Full moon high-water tides brought a new dimension to storm water runoff in Clam Bayou this week. Styro & plastic flowed in from yards, alleys & roadways and from all directions. But on Thursday night 13  kayak volunteers began the sunset sweep clean up series with energy and enthusiasm and took on storm water runoff head on! 
 
 
Nature was at it's finest this eve! The new green herons, in their awkward immature plumage were showing off their fishing skills to the crew. The egrets, dozens in full white plumage, gathered in a lagoon for the nightly roost. We drifted past just in time for a flyover of the royal fleet of spoonbills escorted by a wood stork!  
 
 
Grandma Rambo took to the water like a duck, the Flowers family loaded bags steadily, Ye Magical Crew Of Carol stayed ashore and swept the launch area to a fine  shine, & the McIntosh's showed their seasoned talent with a discarded crab trap and a kayak loaded to the waterline with bags! 
 
 
Sharon carrying her "Wet Floor" sign up the launch site will likely be the memorable moment. She has long been a Greenie and works hard snatching debris from the mangroves and marsh grasses, and is a tremendous help cleaning and loading equipment after the events. After tossing her muddy janitorial sign onto the heap she made one last trip to the launch. Mangrove beans are dropping this time of year and cover the  launch site. Sharon's footing started to slip, and like Bambi on an ice pond she skidded down the ramp and plunged into the bayou! Fortunes are not made or found on our clean ups but nicknames can stick forever... here's to "Slippery Sharon" for her hard work and dedication to our environment! 
 
 
Tragedy turned triumphant - Last year we lost a Roseate Spoonbill to a wad of discarded fishing line. This year the lone spoonbill returned with a new mate!  In addition, in an area once riddled with trash, now a group of (6) black-crowned night herons have moved in and established roost.   

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