Tks for posting. Enjoyed the video. Side bar…. On one occasion I did encounter a water moccasin in a small lake (at todays YMCA Camp Thunderbird) about 1 mile east of where you were paddling. That little lake does drain into Swift Creek. We found it in a canoe that had been left on the shore half in the water overnight. That was the only water moccasin I’ve ever encounter in that area. Most “range” maps I’ve seen show the Appomattox River as their northern most territorial boundary. Swift Creek empties into the Appomattox about 11 miles southeast of the dam in Pocahontas State Park.
Thanks for watching! I'm a big fan of snakes, so I'd actually be thrilled to come across a moccasin (from a distance, of course)! I know they've been spotted at Point of Rocks park in Chester, but so far I've never seen one anywhere around here. I was born and raised in Florida, where they obviously aren't too uncommon, so I kinda miss them. We didn't have copperheads, though, so at least I can get a kick out of coming across those!
Awesome video! I paddled for the first time today. I’m from Chesterfield and I do agree, we have some awesome rivers in Virginia. Thanks for sharing your journey.
Howdy neighbor, and thanks for watching! We moved to Chesterfield from Florida 3 years ago, and I really love it here. Great parks and sights nearby, and just a couple hours from everything else: beach, mountains, DC. I haven't tried paddling on the James yet, really--the rapids look like a lot of fun, but I don't think I'm quite at that level yet! :)
That looked and felt like it was really peaceful and relaxing - the sort of thing I’ve fancied doing. The problem around here is that none of the bodies of water I know allow you to go on them. We have Clumber Park nearby which is a National Trust property and has a large lake but they are very strict on what you can do and even where you can walk. As a matter of interest, what was the last bird photo in this video? It looked somewhat like our UK Bittern ?
I definitely love getting out on the water, hoping to do more of it now that the weather is warmer. Hauling the kayak around is a bit of a hassle, but totally worth it! Virginia actually only has 2 natural lakes, but lots of rivers around here, and lots that have been dammed to create reservoirs. Not many restrictions--some don't allow gas-powered boats, but canoes and kayaks are allowed pretty much anywhere. This reminded me of another local connection for you! If you've never heard of Pocahontas, she was a native American princess born in these parts, who played a role in making John Smith and his British colonists feel comfortable here. She eventually married an Englishman and returned to England with him, where she sadly got sick and died at the age of 21 or so. She's buried in Gravesend, Kent. That's a Green heron, a pretty close relative to the bitterns. Well spotted!
Tks for posting. Enjoyed the video. Side bar…. On one occasion I did encounter a water moccasin in a small lake (at todays YMCA Camp Thunderbird) about 1 mile east of where you were paddling. That little lake does drain into Swift Creek. We found it in a canoe that had been left on the shore half in the water overnight. That was the only water moccasin I’ve ever encounter in that area. Most “range” maps I’ve seen show the Appomattox River as their northern most territorial boundary. Swift Creek empties into the Appomattox about 11 miles southeast of the dam in Pocahontas State Park.
Thanks for watching! I'm a big fan of snakes, so I'd actually be thrilled to come across a moccasin (from a distance, of course)! I know they've been spotted at Point of Rocks park in Chester, but so far I've never seen one anywhere around here. I was born and raised in Florida, where they obviously aren't too uncommon, so I kinda miss them. We didn't have copperheads, though, so at least I can get a kick out of coming across those!
Awesome video! I paddled for the first time today. I’m from Chesterfield and I do agree, we have some awesome rivers in Virginia. Thanks for sharing your journey.
Howdy neighbor, and thanks for watching! We moved to Chesterfield from Florida 3 years ago, and I really love it here. Great parks and sights nearby, and just a couple hours from everything else: beach, mountains, DC. I haven't tried paddling on the James yet, really--the rapids look like a lot of fun, but I don't think I'm quite at that level yet! :)
That looked and felt like it was really peaceful and relaxing - the sort of thing I’ve fancied doing. The problem around here is that none of the bodies of water I know allow you to go on them. We have Clumber Park nearby which is a National Trust property and has a large lake but they are very strict on what you can do and even where you can walk.
As a matter of interest, what was the last bird photo in this video? It looked somewhat like our UK Bittern ?
I definitely love getting out on the water, hoping to do more of it now that the weather is warmer. Hauling the kayak around is a bit of a hassle, but totally worth it! Virginia actually only has 2 natural lakes, but lots of rivers around here, and lots that have been dammed to create reservoirs. Not many restrictions--some don't allow gas-powered boats, but canoes and kayaks are allowed pretty much anywhere.
This reminded me of another local connection for you! If you've never heard of Pocahontas, she was a native American princess born in these parts, who played a role in making John Smith and his British colonists feel comfortable here. She eventually married an Englishman and returned to England with him, where she sadly got sick and died at the age of 21 or so. She's buried in Gravesend, Kent.
That's a Green heron, a pretty close relative to the bitterns. Well spotted!