Reminiscing on the Return to Reggae on the River
Reggae on the River 2024 “It was dusty, clothing was optional, the river side was always full and the water cool.” [Quote and image by photographer Alan Workman]
Under the sun, by the river’s flow,
Rhythms unite, in the green grove’s glow.
Dust rises with dancing feet,
Nature’s song, a joyous beat.
Whether going here or there, the music and love was everywhere. [Image by photographer Alan Workman]
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A disaster downstream. Never been, will never go.
Don’t pee in the river please.
Fish eat pee, poptart
That pee has a lot of other stuff floating around in it maaan, bet those fish are feeling….groovy
For the health of the river and the fish and other aquatic inhabitants of the river, consider using eco friendly sunscreens. Look online for the effects of chemicals in common sunscreens and their effects on aquatic life. Check out alternative products. The old idea of infinite dispersal is is a misconception proven false by many facts like damage to coral reefs by sunscreen ingredients and mercury in tuna.
There is no such thing as “eco friendly sunscreens”, that doesn’t effect the life cycle of aquatic life and habitat for Coho, Chinook and Steelhead in the South Fork Eel River. Maybe check with Department of Fish & Wildlife, maybe they know of a brand of sunscreen that does not effect threatened and endangered aquatic species that live in the South Fork Eel River?
Mud and wood ashes come to mind as “eco friendly sunscreens”.
Many sailor use Zinc Oxide. Also non-toxic. Just don’t eat it.
Coconut earl?
full water analysis will be done on down stream water. This is form a grant to friends of the Eel. Lets see what turns up. It is a full spectrum survey. From covid to THC…….
Too late now?
What about Grecian Formula? Just for Men?
The Mateel Community Center will never know what it is like to preserve a listed Wild & Scenic River like the South Fork Eel River. All they know how to do, really well, is use, abuse and charge admission, for what “they” call the greater good, while people just blindly let it happen, too make a buck, and have a “good time”, degrading mother earth…
*to Had to do it lol
*to
Had to do it, Debbie downer lol
Criticism yet no recognition of the Cultural Center contributes to build Community. What have you done to build a better Community ?
he helps put on the brakes of resource depletion that you ‘hippies’ seem determined to exploit to the last drop, that’s what!
“)
Biggest reoccurring eco disaster in the county. Polluting the eel river with urin feces and lots of other contaminates all in the name of reggae.
Turns out it’s a little embarrassing to dooque in front of all those people at the river. Last time I tried, they started yelling and throwing things.
As someone who free dives to clean out debris from the Eel after festivals, I’ve seen a few “brown trout” resting on the bottom over the years. Worst part of the job. You have to carefully swim away without disturbing it with the thrust of your flippers, otherwise they basically explode into a brown cloud under water.
But for the festivals to happen next to the river, the water has to be sampled and tested before, during, and after the event. Hey Ed, you’re so good at digging up documents, please find those test results and post them so we can all see the findings.
Dan, the last testing was from the 2018 “High Times” ROTR. They never put a report together other that the lab results that don’t tell you when and where the samples came from or a map showing where the tests where taken. And there is no baseline sample upstream of the event.
What the testing does show, is a spike 4 to 6 times in e-coli, total coliforms and fecal coliforms during the event in the river. Again, they never have documented the locations above and below the event site.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iJN7Q-836Bwu6lY0hYS2pJMTuAk-zeWm/view?usp=sharing
Does the testing document turbidity levels…???
I don’t think that the leaf mold would be coming from the attendees…
(… to much of an extent anyways…)
In other words…
Could the increased e-coli, total coliform, and fecal coliform levels in the river be attributed or partially attributed to the event…
…just stirring it up…???
Is it too simplistic to say that later in the middle of the winter, when the Mighty Swollen Brown Eel is rushing to the sea, it looks like it DID survive alright.(?)
Yes, Paul, it is.
I know its asking allot, butt, If you had read the lab results in the link I provided, it would have answered your question:
“Could the increased e-coli, total coliform, and fecal coliform levels in the river be attributed or partially attributed to the event…”
Yes. But I’d say it would be inaccurate to suggest that Reggae on the River was the source of all the increased “levels” .
The event is going to agitate the river, including the existing pollutants in the sediment which had previously settled in place to the bottom of the river.
Those pollutants did not originate from Reggae on the River. They did, however, get stirred up by the attendees of Reggae on the River.
I think it’s important to differentiate the sources…
Why don’t you just post the pertinent information like you usually do…???
You like to ask questions, but you don’t like answering them…
I just don’t think you are interested in admitting the truth that leaf mold doesn’t come from Reggae attendees, regardless of the levels, and that fecal coliform counts will increase with nothing more than sediment agitation…
Whatever fecal contamination that you are trying to pin on ROTR, is therefore being “grossly “exaggerated…
Weren’t you one of the ones that claim that if you are going to allege something, then presenting the evidence is on you for all to see…???
Let’s see it, please.
If the leaf mold level fluctuations in the tests closely parallel the fecal coliform level fluctuations, then the increased fecal coliform levels are not just due to any alleged added fecal contamination from ROTR attendees, it’s just primarily from the agitation…
It seems like you should understand that.
If the fecal contamination wildly fluctuated, but the leaf mold coliform did not, then you might have a case…
Show us the evidence please…
Expecting everyone else to dig for it, while you refuse to make the effort is too much to ask…
Something tells me the evidence would not be in your argument’s favor, or you would have enthusiastically chosen to show it…
Thank you for standing up for ROTR. I have never heard or seen anybody take a dump in the river. But I would believe that some people don’t wipe as well as they would at home and could deposit some fecal matter in the river accidentally.
What’s worse swimming in a lake that has motorboats with oil and gas ,
Or reggae on the river flowing water ?
What’s worse for animals?
Is it your conscience that has you always heckling SoHum’s parties
To both of your questions its Reggae on the River.
No it’s not.
They both suck!
Humboldt is blessed with resources that require protection from profiteers if you look to the county to do its job, be assured you will be disappointed.
Congratulations to the Mateel Community Center, it’s Board, staff, and the people of Hot Milk Entertainment for making this happen!!!
Thank you to all the volunteers and vendors who had the faith in this event to give it life!
If you see or know any of the above people, THANK THEM for investing in our community!
I look forward to hearing the news of the attendance, problems, if any, and the balance sheet. (Chime in if you were a guest or vendor there…..).
Here’s to many more years, again, for this important local event!!
Can you explain how ROTR is as you stated “important local event”, over and beyond the importance of the South Fork Eel River and wildlife habitat?
Wow man I’ve been at 30 Reggaes and every year the River is fine . is the sewer systems run off in Eureka any better ? The dams do more damage to the eel ..
Smoke a joint or keep to yourself .. you don’t even live here Ed.
go down river a thousand yards. The water samples form there say otherwise. Just one person with Patchouli oil on her will send out a slick…..of toxic poison, into the river ecosystem.
“Important”, yes! ROTR built the MCC hall. That, in turn became the venue for decades of entertainment, education, a venue for artists of so many types, and community service. Many non-profits could make their whole annual budgetary finances/needs at this event alone. ROTR (and other local events) brought/ bring tourism, the recognition of our area, and income for many businesses. Does the water and/or do the fish suffer? Likely, to some modest degree. And like many human actions, there is a consequence. Light a fire/ wood stove = smoke. Eat meat = murder. Drive a vehicle = toxic emissions. Use electricity = pollution. On and on. None of it is perfect nor ideal.
To quote a comment you made above earlier, there is, and ROTR may qualify as, in ‘the greater good’. I believe the agencies that oversee our environment think like that when they put the MCC through a rigorous process to get their permits.
I can appreciate that you seem to care about the river. (I sure hope your negative comments aren’t just you being a troll). Having people who hold our cultural feet to the fire can be a good thing. Until they are beating a dead horse though. I think many readers here would agree with the latter and your participation on RHBB. You make good points that I assume (by your constant nagging) are backed up by science. Yet your incessant harping on this, is like the boy who cried wolf. Many of us are like, ‘There goes Ed again! Ugh!!’.
I wish you would just come from a place of real concern, offer to work with the ‘offenders’ in productive ways, and less from having an axe to grind. I offer you to consider that. And I doubt you will. So I will prepare for the attack coming my way…..
Reggae us dead.in the water..all about greed and profiting from the memory of what it used to be 90 percent of us don’t go because it’s expensive…those non profits hog all the space…mendo gets nothing and it’s run by mendo people…shame shame
If you think I am making “negative comments”, do you also think events like ROTR and Northern Nights are positive events for water quality in the South Fork Eel River and a positive quality of life for wildlife habitat that cannot escape or find refuge from extremely loud amplified music and artificial night lighting and lasers that stress nocturnal wildlife behavior?
I cannot find a thing Northern Nights Music Festival has done to help wildlife habitat or the South Fork Eel River. What has the MCC done for the South Fork Eel River in having ROTR? Isn’t the South Fork Eel River apart of the Mateel Community?
Why can’t the greater good be for the river and wildlife, instead of the human need to making a buck and never give back to the eco-system…
Google Earth reveals extensive damage on ” county line ranch” with alterations to the Beach in egregious violations. Check it out, hold the land “owner” responsible.
Humans cause consequences. We should be aware of them. And then try to limit them, while also having our human existence.
I believe the MCC contributes to the environment by helping people raise money, that they can then use to support efforts like Friends of the Eel River, the river clean up crew, etc. And, I think that being in areas of nature engenders a deeper respect for and love of the environment. They may not learn all the complexities, yet building a love for nature, which an event like ROTR can offer, is helpful to your goals.
I just wanted to point out that eating meat is.not murder.. murder is when a human kills another human. Slaughter is the word for when a human kills an animal for food.
Fair enough. “Murder” is the term used by radical vegetarians. I am not that.
Thank you for that!
I am a coordinator of one of the crews that make ROTR happen.
I have been to every Reggae (besides the High Times event) and ROTR 2024 was probably the most love-filled, non violent one I have been to. The Mateel is trying very hard to make the event more family friendly event and get away from the old reputation.
Everyone there was happy, and thankful for the return. I was told that there will be a ROTR 2025, I can’t wait!!
Awesome! Love this report from being there! I hope to go next year. (And I think after this, ROTR is back on people’s radar! The questions will be less next year and in the years to come!). Keep spreading the word!
Thank you all for taking on a huge task, and for truly trying to make it the best it can be, for our community, and for the environment. We all know that human actions impact our environment, and most of us try to respect the beautiful places we live in. Thank you all for working to achieve a balance between that and bringing our community back.
Thank you Marcia.
To be clear, I am not associated with the MCC, other than being a long time community member, some time volunteer and supporter. Yes, it takes a lot of work to make it happen for the community! Keep spreading those thanks! We are back on the Reggae path again!
Like you, I am not associated with the Mateel, but I became a lifetime member when they needed the support, and have put in many hours voluntarily playing music for them for free over the years. I hear people say that cannabis or Reggae built the Mateel, but I think that’s disparaging to the hundreds of people who physically built it and maintain it and nurture it, to this day. Thanks to all of you, those involved and those supporting positive community groups and organizations! Are we perfect? Nope, but we make a difference. I encourage everyone who has complaints to volunteer and actually do something to help our community. We’re going to come back, no matter what, but it will be faster if we have more people pushing to make it so, rather than tearing us down.
I appreciate your comments. To be clear, speaking for myself, when I have used the common line that ‘cannabis built the hall’, I am referring, of course to monetary donations, but also to the lifestyle that being growers offered to be volunteers to bring to fruition the Mateel Community Center #2 vision into being (after the tragic early 80’s Fireman’s Hall fire).
Thank you for your contributions! It has truly ‘taken a village’!
Be the change, if you have an issue with the land use show up, educate and guide. Get a booth and be the solution. Complaining gets us nowhere. Get the kids to learn about Earth stewardship and provide a fun and exciting way for people to learn about the health and vitality of our rivers. Being a part of the community instead of griping will make you feel like you are part of the solution and your complaining becomes action, purpose and possibly many peoples inspiration. It was a beautiful event , one of the most intention centered festivals I attend.
Well-said. I have so much respect for those who volunteer, either physically or mentally, to create positive solutions and change. I see all of the people here cleaning up the homeless camps, the forests, the trails, the beaches, removing invasive species, serving on community boards, volunteering at the Mateel, Heart of the Redwoods Hospice, KMUD, and more. If you have complaints, there are many ways you can make our community better.
Nick’s Interns and Recycled Youth are excellent examples of community youth programs, one specifically to learn about forest and ecology issues, and the other to help kids explore their creativity. If you can’t or don’t want to volunteer to physically help with the programs, you can certainly donate money to them,
Heck yes! Thanks!!!
Reggae was a joke. Super expensive, very hot, tons of druggies and I am never going again. Waste of money and the river gets super polluted. It looked like hippy swamp soup. Reggae is just a drug free for all that is crazy expensive
Was this your first time attending?
Sounds exactly like every year I ever went
That’s why the locals call it “tweak on the creek”.
Not the locals that I know!
Nice, you must know the locals that moved here in 2007.