By Endurance Laryea, LRWP Summer Research Intern.

From fallen trees to mysterious bubbles, the LRWP team had quite an adventure during today’s monitoring session and we had John Munson, a video producer for Rutgers Today join us in our escapades as well!

The team today!

John, Endurance, Ashley, Paula, Mike and John from Rutgers Today pose for a group photo at the Waterfront Park in South Amboy. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Today, John, the video director for Rutgers Today, the official daily news source for Rutgers University, joined the monitoring session to film a feature highlighting the work we do.

Ashley introducing herself to John- Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Starting off in Piscataway, we encountered a Raritan River flushed with precipitation from the past week. The water level was enough to submerge the elodea and algae that is usually sighted on the stream bank.

Tidal flats completely covered by high tide- Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Last week, Olesya was able to pick up trash here. Today you could not walk here without protective boots.

Ashley holds up an elodea plant. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Ashley and Paula record hydrological measurements. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

We cannot forget about the goslings who are now as big as the parent geese now! Photo by Endurance Laryea.

The next site was the Delaware & Raritan Canal; one of the four new sites added to the monitoring sites this summer. It was our second time sampling this summer. Unfortunately, we were met with the sight of a fallen tree across the canal. I spoke of how beautiful this site was when we first visited. It still is, however, this fallen tree reminds us of how inevitable change is in nature.

A tree fallen across the D&R Canal. The photo was taken facing downstream of the canal. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

John and Paula handling the skillful maneuvering required to collect the sample from the canal bridge. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Extremely low tides at Rutgers Boathouse today!

The outfall pipe at Rutgers Boathouse completely exposed. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Endurance takes the sample while Ashley records measurements. Photo by Paula Rubio.

John shows the team where the drains connect to the outfall. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Some geese and deer were spotted here too.

Photos by Endurance Laryea and Paula Rubio.

What seemed to be used votive candle containers were spotted at the mouth of the outfall pipe. John jumped down to identify and retrieve as much as he could–a bold move worthy of its own theme music.

“John displayed amazing dexterity and catlike reflexes to retrieve and identify candles”–funny remark from Mike on John’s daring move. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Mystery foam at Edison today!

We came to meet the Fire Truck parked at the Edison Boat Basin parking lot, close to the bridge across Mill Brook stream–a stream that flows into the Lower Raritan. Upon further inquiry by John and Mike, they were told that a fisherman had called the fire department concerning a questionable amount of foam in the Mill Brook stream.

Photos By Endurance Laryea.

On the theme of courageous moments today, the LRWP team offered to take a sample and get it tested if possible. Braving numerous potential hazards, Mike and I accompanied Ashley with John, the video director, in tow to collect a sample of the foam and water in a bottle since we did not have an extra sample bottle.

John later joined Ashley in the stream to test for the pH of the bubbles. Photos by Endurance Laryea.

On the brighter side at the dock of the boat basin, two men were spotted crabbing while we collected our sample sampled and recorded our measurements.

John, the video director, takes photos while two men crab at the dock. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Our next site, Sayreville…

We think the baby ospreys have hatched! Can you tell in the photo? Photo by Endurance Laryea.

The cutest crows I have ever seen. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Photo by Endurance Laryea.

(What was Dr. John Doing)

“Once you see it, you can’t leave it!”-Mike. Trust Mike to go into any corner to pick up trash so long as his eyes sights it!

Mike on trash pick-up duty in Sayreville. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

John and Mike inspecting foam that was suspected to be detergent used to wash off the boat docks at Sayreville. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

This was the second used firework packaging we came across today. I’m sensing a strong July 4th energy. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Like a reward, after the mysterious events the preceded this morning, we were taken down a sweet memory lane at Waterfront Park, South Amboy by a man who recognized the LRWP team. During one of the monitoring sessions last year, his grandson had fun joining John into the river to collect a sample in his adorable waders. It was such a wholesome moment!

Photos by Endurance Laryea.

John, the video director, films as I go in to take measurements at South Amboy. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

Mike has a souvenir for John –the shell of a horseshoe crab.

Last site–Perth Amboy!

More films at Perth Amboy. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

John shares LRWP postcards with locals. The dog seems to capture his attention. Photo by Endurance Laryea.

It’s a wrap at Perth Amboy minutes before the sky opens its flood gate. Alexa from the Interstate of Environmental Commission (IEC) comes to pick up our samples and provide us with more sampling bottles, calibrating buffers and gloves sufficient for the next couple of weeks.

Photos by Endurance Laryea.

An adventurous monitoring session as usual. Hope you can join us one of these days of monitoring. Stay dry and cool!