View from the Front Street Susquehanna River access
Keeping in step with nature by aligning with the changing seasons, I decided to mix things up and take the family to a previously unexplored Susquehanna River access this month.
The section of Front Street between Fort Hunter and the Route 39 Junction has more to offer than a gorgeous view of the water. There are placards along the walkway that provide information about the region sponsored by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. You may be surprised to learn that Harrisburg has its own Water Gap called the Susquehanna Water Gap, and it is a registered National Landmark. You can observe the gap where the river cuts through the mountains just north of Fort Hunter Park. We were shell-shocked to learn that some common river turtles, red eared sliders, are considered invasive since their numbers skyrocketed when pet owners began releasing them into our waterways.
About halfway along the corridor is a river access located almost directly across from the Pizza Hut on Front Street. It has a fairly steep incline, so we pretended to be ducks and waddled slowly down to the rocky banks of the Susquehanna.
This river access is a perfect place for a picnic during these cool autumn days. We packed snacks from home, but if you’re looking to pick something up on the way, stop by Joe’s Kwik Stop or Two Brothers Pizza nearby. If you plan ahead, correlate your adventure with the open hours of Alvaro’s bakery on Front Street for the best cannoli in town.
In the water, we found crayfish, snails and clams. These tiny crustaceans, gastropods and bivalves are building blocks for many Susquehanna River food webs. Challenge your little to identify distinctive traits on each tiny creature they find. Some questions to ignite critical thinking are: Does this creature have a shell, and, if yes, is the shell hard or soft? Is the shell round, pointy or hinged? How does the creature move around? Is it slow or fast? What type of food does this creature eat and what type of creatures eat it? Encourage your kiddo to bring a notebook to draw their specimens and take notes.
Try to Fly
While playing in the river, we learned about ecosystem interconnectivity and the value of little creatures in a big world. Fishing is also an excellent activity to let kids see this phenomenon firsthand. Many of the fish in the Susquehanna love to feast on bugs and, since we didn’t want to hurt any of the little creatures we just found, we decided to try our hand at tying flies.
The goal of fly fishing is to trick a fish into thinking your hook is a bug. Depending on the age of your little and the equipment available to you, consider experimenting first with a “mock fly,” using a pipe cleaner instead of a hook. We opted to use a real hook but put a dab of hot glue on the sharp end so no one would get stabbed while crafting. I’m by no means a professional fly tier and admittedly thrifty, so, to create our ties, I repurposed some embroidering thread. We used the thread to create the base of our bug. If you’re interested in fly-tying with proper equipment, support your local sporting goods store where they can steer you in the right direction.
For the purposes of fun and artistic experimentation, we wrapped our fishing hooks with embroidery thread about 20 times to create a fat little bug shape. Next, my kid wanted to add buttons, which we did, rendering our hooks unsafe for fishing. Despite being unusable, the craft was fun and got my kid excited to learn and play at the crossroads of science and art, so I highly recommend it.
Treat Time
While in the mind of disguising one thing for another, Halloween and trick or treat are coming our way this month! If you’re looking for an awesome free event in the Harrisburg area to celebrate, check out the Bash at the Brownstone. Held every year on the Wednesday before trick or treating night at the Reservoir Park Brownstone, this event is quickly becoming a staple of central PA spooky festivities. The first year we went, there was a bubble machine, a costume contest, free hot dogs and crafts for kids. A different year, they had a fog machine and a magician. This year, they anticipate adding face painting as well as some other spooky surprises.
Despite the season change, October is the month when the Earth seems perfectly balanced between summer and winter. As parents, balance can be a nearly impossible goal to strike. Try to take this month to strengthen your fulcrum, clearing the scales and honoring a momentary center.
To learn more about the Bash at the Brownstone keep an eye on the www.harrisburgpa.gov/services/events.php page.
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