Majed Sighting at Leesylvania State Park

Hey Rats and Rat Wannabes! Sunday, May 31 was our first trip to Leesylvania State Park. The park is nice, but I gotta tell ya, the launch site is pretty dismal - including the snakes and doofy park rangers. The good news is it's within a biscuit toss from Tim's River Shore where Josh, Brent and I stopped for some seafood and refreshing libations. Before that, though, we paddled under the train bridge, wound through the lily pads and meandered down a long creek until the water got too shallow to navigate. It looked a lot like Pohick, but the creek wasn't as fun. Anyone with a boat longer than 12 feet, may have had a problem turning around, too.

Meanwhile, back at the boat landing, we spied a suspicious yellow kayak atop a tan car. It was our long lost Majed who had arrived late and never found us in the water. It was so great to have him join us (sort of) for his first paddle of the season. Welcome Back Majed! We've missed you!

I'm cooking up plans for next week's paddle - stay tuned.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Westmoreland State Park

Shawn and I made the two hour drive to Westmoreland State Park in Montross, Virginia off the Northern Neck on Sunday. The rental boats were pretty crappy, particularly the first one that had to be turned in after the first half mile. The second rental was a sit-on-top - very small and agile, but required a lot of brute strength to keep up momentum. Shawn and I swapped boats for a while, and now I appreciate my little orange kayak so much more! Shawn took off like a rocket and was a good quarter mile ahead of me when we pulled into the beach.

The park is very nice, and I recommend that we look into camping sometime in September or early October before the water gets too cold. The water was very calm - almost glassy in the morning, but the wind started in from the north and chopped it up a little. During a break, the current smashed us up against the shore (the dreaded lee shore!) and waves crashed into our respective boats as we fended off. We were soaked through and through - quite refreshing, really.

Our kayak route took us south past the horsehead cliffs. Made of sandstone and clay, they are spectacular and dramatic. (I will try to upload some photos soon.) Bald eagles and turkey vultures cruised the cliffs and snapped up fish in their talons. We saw the usual herons and cranes, but not many of the more land-based animals since the cliffs were so high.

We stopped for lunch at the second headland - maybe 6 miles (maybe more) out, then on the way back we stopped at fairly nice little beach to search for shark's teeth along with a gaggle of tourist weilding colanders and buckets. Shawn happened upon a shark's tooth immediatly upon setting foot on the beach - and I mean that quite literally - he stepped on in. But after a half our of beach combing, we were unable to find any more, so we headed for home base.

We were followed for a while by a creepy guy on a jet ski. Every time he came near, Shawn and I could here banjo music. Shawn's got an awful purdy mouth, so we kept our distance as best we could.

I'd like to go back to Westmoreland before the season's over. Next time we will head north and explore Pope's Creek. I'm sorry more of you guys couldn't join us. We'll try to find a more local spot next time. The season for renting kayaks will be over when water temperatures go below 50 degrees (around mid-October), and some of you may not be too keen on going out with water below 60 - just ask Majed! That means our season is more than half way over.

Til next week,

Jess, Chief Rat
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