by Teri KO4WFP
After placing out at Pinckney Island Nationwide Wildlife Refuge, it was time for this POTA Babe to get again on observe with my aim of 60 new legitimate park activations for 2024. As a lot as I loved the historic websites and the refuge I just lately visited, I wanted to return to activating wildlife administration areas.
Wildlife administration areas (WMAs), properties put aside for conservation in addition to searching and fishing, are plentiful within the state of Georgia. Georgia has 163 WMAs and 38 are positioned inside 75 miles of my dwelling QTH. So it is smart I would come with these in my 60 new activations pursuit.
I set my sights on Morgan Lake WMA (US-9791) and Griffin Ridge WMA (US-3752) as a result of they’re an hour’s drive from my dwelling and throughout the highway from each other. Speak about handy!
Daisy and I set out early Tuesday, October 1st. Through the drive, I encountered two teams of ambulances shifting north on Interstate 95. At a relaxation cease, a number of EMTs from one group had been taking a fast break and wore t-shirts with “Catastrophe Reduction” on them. It was a reminder of the latest occasions on account of Hurricane Helene.
I selected to activate Morgan Lake WMA first. In line with the map, many of the property gave the impression to be wetlands however there’s a boat touchdown for fisherman to entry Morgan Lake. The truth is, the highway you employ to succeed in the touchdown is constructed up 10-12 ft, I assume, to offer entry even when the world experiences flooding.
WMAs fluctuate of their presentation. Some are nicer than others with capturing ranges and gravel roads. Morgan Lake was, frankly, on the dumpier facet. This was not the place to return to commune with nature. However regardless of. I used to be right here to do an activation, so I set about getting my gear up and working.
I opted for the Chelegance MC-750 at the moment. Trying two parks in sooner or later meant I wanted a fast and simple arrange and a vertical would offer that.
Regardless of poor band situations at a few of my previous activations, at the moment the bands had been nice! (You’d really need that on a day you are trying back-to-back activations.) Even higher, I had web entry at this park, although it was on the sluggish facet. I may spot myself (all the time a plus) and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than calls started coming in as soon as I used to be noticed on the POTA web site.
Forty meters gave me 15 contacts in 20 minutes – not dangerous! It was good to listen to so many from the southeast, some I hadn’t heard from shortly. Given I had a second activation to aim and I wasn’t thrilled with the location situations at Morgan Lake, I known as QRT after contact #15, packed up, and headed throughout the highway to Griffin Ridge WMA.
Griffin Ridge is a a lot bigger WMA than Morgan Lake. The park has two entry factors from the highway and I selected the one farther to the north because it seemed the extra inviting of the 2.
Once more, given I used to be brief on time at the moment, I discovered somewhat space off to the facet close to the knowledge kiosk by the highway. If I go to this WMA once more, I’ll drive additional in and discover a place away from the highway noise.
The little place I discovered was considerably shaded which Daisy and I wanted given the nice and cozy climate. The day had been largely overcast; nevertheless, I’ve discovered to not belief that may persist. Nothing like being in the course of an activation and the solar comes out from the behind the clouds to roast you.
For the North Carolina journey this previous July, I bought a Mountain Laurel Designs shelter. It was useful for my SOTA activation at Black Balsam Knob. I figured it could even be helpful for POTA activations within the warmth. Since I can activate subsequent to my automotive for POTA, I used the entrance and rear wiper blades in addition to the roof rack to connect three sides of the tent and the encircling foliage to which to connect the opposite two. My mountain climbing pole was not tall sufficient to assist the middle, so I used the outer rear door deal with on the automotive to raise the underside of the pole to offer me sufficient top so I may sit in my Helinox chair underneath the tent. It was not the very best setup however adequate for at the moment. I want to offer extra thought methods to higher assist and use the tent as a shelter with my automotive.
Everyone knows band situations fluctuate all through the day and I hoped they might maintain up for my second activation. Guess what? They did!!!
I opted for 20 meters given it was almost midday and had 39 contacts in somewhat over an hour. I used to be thrilled! That may be a “good” factor about dangerous band situations. When the bands behave, you actually, REALLY recognize it.
As I packed up my gear, I mirrored on the 2 activations. Of the 2, I’d return to Griffin Ridge. The foliage and panorama jogged my memory of Canoochee Sandhills WMA; nevertheless, it was nicer than Canoochee and never almost as distant, which may very well be thought-about dangerous or good, relying in your perspective. I’d positively arrange farther contained in the property to keep away from the highway noise until it had rained so much previous to my go to. The highway into the property was fairly sandy and gentle and deep in some spots. My automotive won’t be capable of navigate these situations after a heavy rain.
A legitimate activation at these two parks put me at 41 out of the 60 new park activations for which I’m aiming in 2024. There are solely three extra months of this yr so I’m working out of time to succeed in my aim. It might be simple to perform my aim if life didn’t preserve getting in the best way, proper?
There are nonetheless loads of wildlife administration areas to contemplate in addition to properties nearer to the coast as I proceed my pursuit. The place will I present up subsequent? Keep tuned…
For these , go to my YouTube channel for a video about this activation.
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