Atlantic White Cedars in Muskee Headwaters

[drb]

Took a trip today with Gerry and a couple of friends to the headwaters of the Muskee. Weather was beautiful! Mission was to re-find two specific Atlantic white cedars. First one we found; second one we made it as far as the corduroy road then ran out of daylight, so we tabled that one for another trip.

The first cedar, near Middle Branch, was originally discovered by Steve Field of Vineland. Steve showed it to Gerry about 10 years ago and it measured in at 10'2" DBH then.

The second cedar, which we tabled, is a hop and skip away, in Nixon's Branch. Gerry found this cedar when he was leading a Philadelphia Botanical Club field trip in the 90s, and it measured 9'6" DBH at that time.

So here is today's re-find from a distance:

A panoramic sort of view with its full height:

Matt and Gerry measuring:

It's DBH at 10'4" - we think this is the largest Atlantic white cedar in the state:

And one more for relative reference:

Next time we hit the corduroy road to re-find the other cedar!

 

[pinelandpaddler]

That's a hell of a tree!

 

[Teegate]

Nice report! Is the tree near water? It always seems the bigger trees are usually right near a good water source such as a good stream.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I believe Jeff's tree is slightly smaller than that in diameter, but in the amount of actual wood and the charactor of the tree Jeff's tree seems bigger.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

now thats two trees out there I have to find.I knew of the one on Nixons branch and looked for it once but didn't find it.Didn't know about the one on Middle.Now should I go in winter with better visibility or wait till late spring so i can jump in the creeks and head straight down swamps middle? By the way that cedar bog on the east side of Nixons is a beautiful place,sure you've been there.
Al

 

[manumuskin]

http://www.stockton.edu/~wcedars/treeplnt.html
is this the one you tabled?

 

[oji]

Looks like it is. I just read about it in Bartonia #59 and that one was measured at 9' 7.5"

 

[drb]

Yes, and that's George Zimm and Gerry 25 years ago in the photo, lol! The field trip report you reference is Gerry's, his memory was that it was 9'6". Good thing for notes!

 

[drb]

Guy, the tree is in the headwaters of the Muskee, somewhat wet walking, yes!

 

[drb]

Bartonia 58 has it at 9' 6" but that was approximated - the following year they measured it. Guy, the panoramic didn't do justice to the enormity of the tree as I panned upward, it made it look much more narrow.

 

[drb]

Al, we'll be sure to invite you along next trip!

 

[Teegate]

Guy, the panoramic didn't do justice to the enormity of the tree as I panned upward, it made it look much more narrow.

With that measurement I don't doubt it is impressive.

Guy

 

[drb]

Al, do you recognize this house, it was underground:

 

[manumuskin]

I feel a Mantracker episode coming on tomorrow.It's my day off and I need some "Dirt Time"!

 

[manumuskin]

Al, do you recognize this house, it was underground:

View attachment 1860

Can't say as I do.
I was stone hunting on Muskee just upstream from weatherby road a couple years back and found a cedar on the south side of the swamp that had to be a good 8 ft circumference.Might be worth an extensive walk up that creek.I canoed to a point a mile above weatherby before the creek graased up so bad I couldn't paddle anymore.

 

[drb]

Haven't paddled up there, only down there...nice pine barren-y paddle, then changes to bay, cool paddle...a lot of cedars in that area are a solid 7'6"+.

 

[manumuskin]

I took a good march dunking there at the bridge a couple years ago.The tide was out and no good place to put in in a kayak.I decided if I got in with the kayak half hanging off the drop off of about two feet created by the planking to stop erosion (this planking is flooded at high tide and would have made this task much easier) I thn pushed off knowing for a second my balance would be precarious.I was right.I have a touring yak,long and narrow not these wide pungo recreational jobs most people use around here.I got out over the water and immediately flipped to the right and by the time I got out (you have to slide and shimmy out)I was wet to my neck on my right side and to my chest on my left side and it was about 30 degrees.needless to say i called it a day.If I had of flipped to my left I found later at a lower tide I would have likely been impaled on pilings to no doubt the old historic wooden bridge that existed here in the past.Once in the yak I prefer it to a canoe but getting in and out and finding good places to do so can be a real pain.

 

[manumuskin]

Al, do you recognize this house, it was underground:

View attachment 1860

I can't really see that house in the pic.is it still occupied?

 

[drb]

It's mostly underground and no longer occupied. Not far down the road from the trailer guy who has tons of old trailers in his property...that one is still occupied.

 

[manumuskin]

oh okay I know where that is,I couldn't see it very well in the pic.your talking about de carlos lots.yes I've been to those ruins.I was thinking you went in from weatherby road.i like that gridwork area back in there,sorta like a maze till you learn it.