George and I just returned from three days of paddling two
of the most scenic rivers Virginia has to offer. Mind you, these trips aren’t spontaneous. Anyone who is paddle savvy, knows that weeks of
planning and organizing make the trip more fun.
Emails begin flying after folks check their calendars and sign on. Reservations are booked, kayaks, canoes and
lifejackets are secured. And most importantly, picnic menus are discussed,
decided upon and divided up.
Our paddle companions were Mary Anne and Barry, Heidi and
John, Phyllis and Margene and Casey and Walter…a great bunch. What some of us lacked in experience, we more
than made up for in enthusiasm and stamina.
There were no whiners on this trip.
Well, one small navigation error almost resulted in mutiny, but one
loyal mate offered words of perseverance and we forged ahead. (this occurred on the way to the river….in
the car!) But, once on the river
there was no mistaking which way to go….just go with the flow.
Four of us from Elizabeth City joined two from Farmville
(Faye and Chuck) and spent Thursday (Aug. 15 – George’s birthday) kayaking on the James River. Putting in at
Scotsville, we traveled 13.6 miles and pulled out 4 ½ hours later at Bremo
Bluff. We enjoyed lots of class 1 rapids
and a fantastic lunch prepared by Faye (culinary queen extraordinaire) Just when one thinks the river has nothing
else to offer, Faye spotted a huge creature moving in the water. Who would ever guess a manatee had found its way into Virginia waters? We didn’t have this confirmed until our
return and read the newspapers.
By 5 PM we told the
Greens goodbye and headed towards Skyline Drive and Big Meadows Lodge where we were
to meet the group arriving from Elizabeth City.
Pulling a trailer loaded with six kayaks and sporting another one on
top, we talked about the day’s trip and wondered about the one coming up…. the
Shenandoah!
What a dream…floating down the stream, kayaking on the
Shenandoah. That pretty much sums up
Friday and Saturday as our entourage floated, paddled and navigated that
majestic river. With 8 boats carrying 10
people, we can boast that no-one took a spill.
George and I teamed up in a double kayak and did our best to keep the
gunnels above the water line. My role
seated fore was to spot upcoming obstacles and potential danger. For left-handed George, me shouting “paddle
left” or “paddle right” doesn’t get it. He’s never been able to decipher that basic
navigational tool. We settled on using
the clock-face. “Rock ahead at 1 o’clock”
worked like a charm. The last rapids
(Compton’s) was a class 2+ and by late Saturday afternoon we were all ready and
prepared to take the dive. All 8 boats
rode it down like professionals and hit the tidal pool with big grins. The tidal pool, by the way, held 500 college
kids in tubes….and an extra 200 tubes sporting coolers. It was a colorful sight.
The rest is all downriver.
We gathered for cocktails and tales on the Keyes’ patio and watched the
sunset. We laughed about near spills and
“out-of water” experiences on rocks. We shared
reflections and the after-glow of a shared adventure. We’re already talking about our next trip!
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