Scenes on the Peconic

(October 2007--Riverhead, NY) Riverhead High School's band debuted Carl Strommen's original composition "Scenes from the Peconic" last spring, and this fall Riverhead Middle School’s Science/Environmental Club took advantage of the beautiful fall weather to take an educational canoe trip down the Peconic to see "Scenes on the Peconic" for themselves.

"The Peconic River is Long Island's largest river and is also one of its most historic and ecologically diverse," states the Peconic Paddler's website. "Originating in swamps, ponds and bogs at mid-island, the river flows eastward through forests, past farms, over dams and under roads and past historic sites, until, fifteen miles from its source, it empties into the bay. A canoe trip down this shallow, slow-moving river is both an education and an adventure."

True to the Peconic Paddler's pitch, the trip down the Peconic offered both adventure and an education. To make sure, the students didn't miss "the education," in addition to RMS science teachers and Club Advisors, Kristen Realander and Rich D'Alsace, RMS Environmental Science teacher, Matt Moorman and Charles Guthrie, the Regional Fisheries Manager from the NYDEC, were along to help the students take full advantage of the geological, historical, and environmental sightings that can be seen during the four hour trip. Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Moorman also collected specimens of plant and animal life to show the students.

"Along the way when the Club stopped at a beach for a break," shared Mr. D'Alsace. "Mr. Guthrie spoke to the students about some of the local fowl, flora and fauna they had been seeing. Some students went seining in the water to collect their own samples. To their surprise and delight, they caught a very small largemouth bass."

"The trip was amazing," stated Ms. Realander. "The leaves have started to change colors on the river and the scenery was beautiful. We started the day by dropping into the river at Edwards Avenue. Then we spent the next four hours paddling down the river. For many of the students this was their first experience in a canoe, and they did very well negotiating the tight spots in the river, low hanging branches, and tunnels under the roads. It was both fun and an amazing learning experience right here in our own backyard."

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