May 8, 1999

Return to Mallows Bay

Trip #20

Map

I made the trip over to Mallows Bay from Quantico again today. I know, I was supposed to take the weekend off because my shoulder hurts. Next weekend, I promise. This time I remembered to take my camera since this is the main reason for going over again so soon. The tide was rising and the outlines were not near as visible as when I traveled over at low tide. It made me a little nervous not knowing where the ships (and the steel spikes) ended just under the surface.

Here you can see a few pictures taken from the north end of the bay taken from the top of a small bluff. Pic #1 Pic #2 Pic #3 The bushes growing up in the water are the edges of the ships. If you look real hard in pictures #1 and #3 you can make out my wood kayak sitting on the beach.

I also explored the 2 feeder creeks that dump into Mallows. The one on the backside (east end N38 28.1267 W077 15.8257) of the bay eventually choked with water lily, so I couldn't go far. There is a run down private marina here and several sunken boats (including a sunken wooden boat mostly on its side and above water).

The creek on the south end (N38 27.9732 W077 15.9345) was choked also, but I pushed through a short way and eventually ran into a beaver dam. Although you can hear the boats out on the Potomac, the 3 bald eagles and the geese didn't seem to mind. It was a really pretty, short side trip. Be careful at the mouth of this creek, there were some old timbers with metal spikes just below the surface. I suspect they came off a wreck and floated in to this area long ago.

This whole bay is popular with the fisherman. They tend to prefer the south and east ends. If you cross you can avoid a "little" of the boat traffic by going to the north end first. From the mouth of Chopawamsic creek (N38 29.8532 W077 18.4682) a heading of 137 degrees magnetic takes you to the north end of the bay. As you get close you can use the orange clay from the cliff as a landmark to navigate towards.

Following the north shoreline you'll find a little finger of land (N38 28.5165 W077 16.1646) that sticks out where the bluff tapers back down to the shore. You can land here and climb the bluff to get a really nice view. Wear (or take with you) some good shoes and watch for metal spikes sticking out of the ground.

To get to the south and east ends of the bay, head back out to open water and give the wrecks a wide berth. The crab pots that were there yesterday seem to be a good trail to follow, but no telling where they will be laid next time. An imaginary line from the western most points of land on the north and south ends may also be a pretty safe bet. You shouldn't have any problem seeing the underwater obstructions at low tide.

When you near the south end, keep an eye on the boats screaming in from the Potomac. A large iron shipwreck on the south end is an interesting spot. An Osprey in the bow may not be too happy if you get close.

Make sure you look behind you a few times while crossing from Quantico so you know where the creek comes out on the shoreline. The small airport is to the north of the creek, and a series of red brick buildings are to its south.