October Waccamaw Riverkeeper Paddle Patrol

Downstream of Conway, Pitch Lodge Lake can be reached by crossing the river from Pitch Landing. The landing is great for kayakers because in addition to a floating dock, it has a soft sandy launch area. Though somewhat primitive with an unpaved parking lot, it is a popular spot for paddlers, fishers, and swimmers.

It had been awhile since I had paddled at Pitch Landing, so I chose it for the Waccamaw Riverkeeper’s October Paddle Patrol. Sometimes, I get to be a little selfish in my role as your Riverkeeper. I think I chose well because I had five other paddlers join me that morning. Our small group set out across the river to venture into the lake.

As we stopped to check out the sunken boats, I had no idea it would be my last visit to the paddlewheel boat. For my entire career as the Riverkeeper, the paddlewheel had sat partially submerged at the mouth of Pitch Lodge Lake. In fact, it had been there for fifteen years! The two other derelict boats had joined it since I had been around. Unlike the paddlewheel boat, which was unique, wooden, and fascinating, the newer boats were ugly, fiberglass, and annoying. Abandoned boats are not only a threat to water quality due to leaking fluids but are also dangerous to boaters who may not be aware of submerged boats in the river.

Boats like these litter the Waccamaw River. The boats are often abandoned by their owners for a myriad of reasons – none of which are appropriate or responsible. Worse, thought, is how difficult the abandoned boats are to remove! It is illegal to simply remove any boat from the river. South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources follows a time-consuming procedure to track down owners in order to properly remove the boats. Even then, removal and disposal of the derelict vessels can be incredibly expensive costing up to $100,000 for a single boat!

Just weeks after our paddle, collaborative efforts between Wounded Nature and Black Water Dredging removed some of the massive debris at the mouth of Pitch Lodge Lake. The dedicated team removed more than 30,000 lbs. of debris including the 80-foot paddlewheel boat. As the Riverkeeper, I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped remove the debris. We now have a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful river thanks to their work.

Even without this unique landmark, Pitch Lodge Lake is still a picturesque paddle worth experiencing. As we ventured back into the lake, we saw turtles, birds, and spectacular cypress. There is a quartet of cypress growing in the middle of the lake which offers one of the prettiest scenic images on the river, in my opinion. It is impossible not to notice the beauty of the trees as you paddle along.

Deeper into the lake is a humongous osprey nest. During nesting season, the parent ospreys’ shrill call warns paddlers to keep their distance when paddling beneath the tree. The fishing in the lake must be good because the pair returns every year to breed and raise their brood. The pair has picked an excellent location for their young to learn to fly and fish. Osprey are one of my favorite birds and I never get tired of seeing them. But on this morning, the family had already left their seasonal home.

We didn’t encounter any other humans until we were paddling out of the lake. After hitting the dead-end of Pitch Lodge Lake, we turned around and headed back out. We met some other kayakers on the way. They were visiting from out of state and just happened to wander into the lake by accident. We assured them it would be worth it for them to paddle onward but let them know they would not reconnect to the river going that way.