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Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman got an introduction to Blounts Creek this week, thanks to Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck.

The Pamlico River tributary was the subject of Sound Rivers’ first podcast, which explores Sound Rivers’ decade-long legal battle to prevent a mining company from potentially destroying the creek and the grassroots movement to Save Blounts Creek.

“We put the Crestliner in at the Blounts Creek boating access, and went upstream for about two or three miles. Heather was pointing out places that were significant in the Blounts Creek lawsuit,” Katey said. “It was the first time I’d been there on the water. It was very beautiful and we saw lots of different wildlife. It’s definitely worth protecting.”

From the boat, Katey said they saw two bald eagles, many osprey and other bird species, turtles, a turkey and deer.

After returning to the boat ramp, Katey and Heather headed out in the truck to do more Blounts Creek exploring.

“We drove to where the site of the mine is going to be, to see the headwaters of Blounts Creek, where they’re going to be dumping the water,” she said. “You can’t imagine millions of gallons of discharge water being dumped there and how different it would be.”

To hear The Story of Blounts Creek, tune in to Sound Rivers’ podcast, “Sound Rivers: Riverkeeping Tales from the Neuse & Tar-Pamlico,” available here on the Sound Rivers website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.