Sound Rivers’ Field Technician Will Shingleton steers the kayak down the Tar River, pre-trash pickup, during the Earth Day cleanup.

Celebrating Earth Day this year, Sound Rivers’ Field Technician Will Shingleton joined Pirates on the Water and the East Carolina University ECO-Pirates for an April 23 cleanup on the Tar River. Approximately 50 volunteers gathered at Town Commons in Greenville to take to the Tar in kayaks and canoes, collecting about 15 large bags of trash on their way to the take-out point at Port Terminal (where Sound Rivers recently installed a kayak launch). Will said highlights of the trash-finding expedition were a lawn chair, a charcoal grill and fishing rigs stuck in tree branches—all collected from the river or its banks.

Kayaks and canoes were provided by ECU Adventure Center, Knee Deep Adventures, and Riverside Recreation.