Chesapeake Bay Magazine Article

Looks like I made the Chesapeake Bay Magazine article on Lynnhaven.

http://www.chesapeakeboating.net/Publications/Chesapeake-Bay-Magazine/1999/Chesapeake-Bay-Destinations/Lynnhaven-River.aspx

Fishing Rudee Inlet

Last weekend I did some fishing with Cory Routh of Ruthless Outdoor Adventures.

It has been several years since I have taken any time to fish. I must make some effort to get back to this fun activity.

Rappahannock River Trip Pictures

This weekend did the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg to Urbanna, Virginia. It was a slow painful trip. Both the wind and currents were agains us. The southeast wind were funneled along the long ridges straight into out face. Average speed was 2 knots. The scenery was spectacular.

Running way behind schedule.

On the Rappahannock

North Carolina Challenge Video

I have completed the video for the Watertribe NCC:

Rappahannock River Trip Coming Up

October 12th I will be doing the Rappahannock River and lower Chesapeake with couple of Watertribers. We will start in Fredericksburg and run down to Grand View Island. I will have my SPOT on.

Some more NCC Pictures

Clubfoot Creek

Have seen only one tandem kayak. Where are they?

No wind

Off Oriental, NC.

Boats line up on the beach

Off Oriental

At NCC Captains Meeting

SPOT instruction by Chief.

The Tribe is gathering on the beach.

I have checked in. Going for a little shake down cruise before the captains meeting.

NCC 5

In the back end of Harlowe Canal. Current is against us.

NCC 4

Entering Harlowe Canal.

NCC 3

Wind blowing down Clubfoot Creek. Tough 4 miles. Almost to the canal.

NCC 2

Had to make a stop at Cedar point. Pulling in ran over submerged log. Bent the Mirage drive. Fixed now. Way behind CleanSlate. Great Neck point ahead.

NCC Practice 1

The original plan was to travel with North Carolina kayak club. There is a major cold front coming. 20 knot winds all night. 2" of rain. They decided to drive to Beaufort and do just the ICW and Harlowe. CleanSlate and I are doing the original route.

Watertribe NCC Practice Time

22 days until the start of the Watertribe North Carolina Challenge. This weekend I will do a practice run with several North Carolina Kayakers. Starting in Oriental we will cross the Neuse River and enter the Harlowe Canal. I am not sure what way we will continue but the final destination is Shackleford Island. Total distance only 30 miles. You can follow my progress on my SPOT or the Watertribe Mapper Page. 

Bucket List: West Neck Creek

As I approach the Double Nickel (55) this year I think about all the things that I always wanted to do and have never done.
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When a fellow Watertriber Eric, e-mailed me about doing at least a part of his round Norfolk/VA Beach loop with him I declined due to work. Approaching lunch time I checked on his progress. Work was slower than expected. Meetings got canceled due to the three day weekend coming up. "What am I doing here that can't be done later". I decided on the spot to take off and meet Eric as he would pass the Princess Anne Boat Ramp. The West Neck Creek to the Lynnhaven River has been on my to do list for years now. It has been traversed only by a few people. This one a chance that I could not pass up.

One hour to get home, load a kayak and get to the ramp. From past experience I knew that the West Neck Creek had a lot of submerged logs and weeds. A Hobie AI would tear up a Mirage Drive in these conditions. I took my wife's kayak because it was the easiest to grab and go.

I arrived at the ramp at 12:30. No Eric? The SPOT page does not pull up well on my i-Phone. You can not zoom in. I did not know if he had past or still not arrived. Looking at the green leaf matter floating on the Creek I determined that it had not been disturbed by any passing boats. I decided to  back track down the creek.

The creek was relatively clear for the first half mile from the bridge. The current was running up stream against me. I came up to a patch of clogged creek. The weeds started overtaking the area due to a number of logs that had dammed up the section. It took some energy to get through about quarter mile of weeds, logs and downed trees. Most of the smaller logs you can run over. I had to use a lot of hip motion to move the boat forward. When I got past the obstruction I still could not see any signs of Eric. I pulled over to the shore, or what could be considered a shore in the middle of a marsh.

While playing with my i-Phone, trying to figure out where Erick is, he suddenly came out of nowhere coming up the creek. He was glad to see me. Apparently the reason for his delay was that he came up on to the same obstruction earlier and thought that he was in the wrong channel. He had turned around only to find no other passage.

Together we crossed the barrier heading back up stream toward the Lynnhaven River...

Doing my Bucket List

Waiting for Eric at Princess Anne boat ramp.

SPOT Adventure around VA Beach

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CvbfFdC5PWziytb9sP4S4FkuSMSWPhZL

A Watertriber WaitForTheWestWind is doing a 60 mile loop around Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Overgrown canals to come. This one is on my Bucket List. I am thinking of bailing out of work early and joining him...

Photo Shoot on the Lynnhaven

Local photographer, Steve Earley asked Chris and me to take some picture on the Lynnhaven River for a magazine article that he is doing. Steve has a very nice Blog of his own, "The Log of Spartina" The morning started very early to catch the colors of the dawn. I brought my Tandem Island and my wife, Ruth. The weather was great and we all had fun. I have not seen the results...

Heading for home.

Today's trip about 32 miles. Plenty of wind and cross waves to make the trip a little challenging.

Heading out to the Chesapeake Bay

I think I will go towards Grandview Island across the Chesapeake.

Practice run to GVI today

Check the WaterTribe tracker or my SPOT page.

Grand View Round Island Race

The weather has been hot, close to a hundred degrees each day. During the Round island race there was very little wind. The Sunfish sailors suffered and only four finished.

GVI To Mockhorn Video

It has taken me some tome to publish the first video of the GVI to Mockhorn trip. Attached is the first part to Mockhorn Island.

GVI To Mockhorn Island

This past weekend there were three boats that left Grand View Island, in Hampton VA and sailed across the Chesapeake Bay to the Eastern Shore and a barrier island called Mockhorn. Sailed might not be the correct term since it was very calm and hot. There were three Hobie Adventure Islands, a Triac Sailing Kayak and a Prindle 18 Catamaran. In these light conditions the auxiliary power kayaks kept up with the big cat.

Two members were from Watartribe, the rest were practicing for the next North Carolina NCC event.

A Video Adventure will follow...