October First Saturday Seminar
2025-10-04 08:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
Hungry for learning? This month, Feast Down East Food Hub Operations Manager JT Crawford will present the work Feast Down East is doing to strengthen our local food systems in southeastern N.C., from reducing waste to sharing sustainable farming methods made by farmers. JT will also highlight how they are implementing best management practices with the Southeast Aquatic Fund to improve soil health and habitats in the Neuse and Cape Fear basins.

Click here to receive reminders about the seminar, and be sure to join us before the presentation for a feast of your own—free coffee and pancakes courtesy of our fall interns.

Burnt Mill Creek Bird Walk
2025-10-13 09:00 - 10:30 | 2101 Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401, 2101 Market St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Click here to register!

The migratory birds are back, and so are our popular Burnt Mill Creek bird walks with Cape Fear Bird Observatory! Whether you are a fledgling or veteran birder, this free ecotour will give you good looks at some of the 190 documented bird species in the watershed. Along the way, we will also discuss the ongoing work Cape Fear River Watch is doing to restore this habitat for the birds and other wildlife who need it.
This tour is free and open to all ages. Donations will be accepted. Please consider bringing: sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses), water, and comfortable walking shoes.
Please bring your own binoculars if you’re able to! We have a limited number of binoculars for attendees.
Meet at the parking lot located at 2101 Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401 (next to Port City Java and Bridge Church).

October Third Saturday Paddle
2025-10-18 08:30 - 15:00 | Rice Creek, Rice Creek Boat Ramp, 797 Gordon Lewis Dr SE, Winnabow, NC, 28479, United States
Click here to register!

Join us as we continue to explore the Cape Fear River by boat! This month we will do a 5-mile paddle of Rice Creek. Meet at the put in location (the Rice Creek boat ramp) at 8:15 am.
All paddlers should wear a PFD, however those paddlers using CFRW boats are required to wear a PFD. Other items to remember include sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, water, snack/lunch and water shoes. If you have an allergy that is severe remember to bring your epi-pen or medication.
UPDATE: all of our available boats are now booked BUT we still have plenty of space for those with their own boat. Secure your spot before they’re gone!
To help CFRW continue to bring you great programs, we ask you make at least a $10 donation either online with your registration or by bringing cash or check to the paddle on Saturday. Any higher amount is appreciated in support of our efforts. THANK YOU! If you need help the day of, please call Kemp at 910-264-8036. Conditions may change in the period leading up to the paddle. Please check your email the night before and the morning of the paddle to ensure that the paddle has not been cancelled.

Burnt Mill Creek Eeekotour
2025-10-22 09:30 - 10:30 | 2101 Market St. Wilmington, NC 28401, 2101 Market St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
Click here to register!

Join us, if you dare, for our next eeekotour! 👻 Come see the frights and sights of Burnt Mill Creek on a one-hour walking tour from 9:30-10:30 a.m. next Wednesday, October 22nd. We’ll see some of the spooky threats facing the ecosystem and the work we are doing to fight them. Burnt Mill Creek is also a hotspot for creepy crawlers, offering us sightings of bugs, birds, crabs, fish, and turtles, among much more. 🕷️
This free tour is a treat for all ages. As always, dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather and bring plenty of water. Costumes welcome! We will begin our walk from the parking lot at 2101 Market St., next to Port City Java.

November Second Saturday Cleanup
2025-11-08 09:00 - 11:00 | 811 Martin St. Wilmington, NC 28401, 811 Martin St., Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401
Click here to register!

ALL VOLUNTEERS NOW MUST READ AND SIGN THE CFRW VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT VIA THIS GOOGLE FORM BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN A CLEANUP.
We are excited to partner again with Keep New Hanover Beautiful for our monthly litter cleanup on November 8th from 9-11 a.m.! This month, we will be focusing our efforts on areas around the Good Shepherd Center, which flow into Greenfield Lake. There is a strong possibility that the cleanup will intersect with our local unhoused community, please review the attached flyer when you register. We will meet at the intersection of 8th and Martin. An address that will get you close is 811 Martin St. Follow the CFRW cleanup signs! Please do not park in the Good Shepherd parking lot. We will provide pickers, bags, gloves, safety vests, and a good time. As always, remember to dress appropriately for the weather and bring yourself plenty of water. We hope to see you out there!

December First Saturday Seminar
2025-12-06 09:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
For our fin-al seminar of the year, we will take a deep dive into the Cape Fear River with retired NOAA Fishery Biologist Fritz Rohde. Fritz will introduce us to the freshwater fishes that call the Cape Fear and adjacent basins home—including anadromous (species that travel from river to sea to spawn) and estuarine species—and his studies of them throughout the past 50 years.
Fritz will have a limited number of signed copies of his book “A Guide to North Carolina’s Fishes” available for $30 (cash only). A great early holiday gift for the anglers in your life!
Be sure to join us bright and early before the presentation for a free coffee and pancake breakfast!

Annual Membership Meeting
2025-12-07 15:00 - 17:00 | Front Street Brewery, 9 N Front St, Wilmington, 28401, United States
Our Annual Membership Meeting is happening Sunday, December 7th from 3-5 p.m at Front Street Brewery‘s Beam Room. Members and non-members alike are invited to join us! Your Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp will provide an overview of our year, you will be able to mingle with our staff, volunteers, and your local community, and our members will have the opportunity to vote in our new Board of Directors.

If you are not yet a member or need to renew, you can join ahead of the meeting at cfrw.app.neoncrm.com/forms/membership, calling our office at 910-762-5606, or connecting with our Outreach & Engagement Manager Morgan the day-of.

We can’t wait to get together!

January 2026 First Saturday Seminar
2026-01-03 08:00 - 10:30 | Cape Fear River Watch Headquarters, 617 Surry Street, Wilmington, NC, 28405, United States
We are starting out strong for our first First Saturday Seminar of the new year, and if you have a new year’s resolution to do more advocacy (that’s always one of ours, anyway), you don’t want to miss it!
We will hear from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) Executive Director Kenneth Waldroup, P.E., about how the the Town of Fuquay-Varina’s request for an Interbasin Transfer (IBT) could impact the Cape Fear River Basin, and what local leaders are doing about it. Plus, we’ll hear an update on major CFPUA projects, including the Southside Water Reclamation Facility.
You may recall that, as you’re reading this, NCDEQ has not scheduled any public hearings about the IBT in the Lower Cape Fear. We are working on that. In the meantime, this is one opportunity to ask questions and share your concerns among our community. We will have postcards available—write your comments and we will send it to NCDEQ! If you can’t make it to this month’s seminar, click here to submit a comment anytime through April 1st.
