October 15, 2005

Broad Creek

Distance: 12 miles (statute)

It has been a few years since I've launched from Belle Haven Marina. The office didn't open till 9:00 so I prepped the kayak for launch and started making what seemed like an endless stream of trips back to the car for something I forgot. I paid the $3 launch fee when the office opened about 8:30 and Patty arrived within a few minutes.

The trips between the kayak and car didn't stop. Couldn't find my hat. Where are my gloves? Lunch? One of those days...

Patty was in the water waiting as I put on my skirt and pfd. One the inclined astroturf for the launch I tried to slide in to the water, but there was a bit too much weight in my kayak to slide down easily.

We headed directly across the river. I've never paddled down the Maryland side below the Woodrow Wilson bridge to Swan Creek, so this was all new territory for me. The Maryland side was steep and rocky in places. The shore trashy from the wind blowing floating plastic bottles against it which had flowed in to the river from recent rains. The Potomac was cloudy, but clearing from the chocolate milk color I had seen the week before.

We entered the mouth of Broad Creek, which is.... broad. We explored a small side creek, flushing geese and ducks as we paddled. Further back in Broad Creek the was a large shallow marsh with lots of wildlife. What struck us both though was how the egrets were clumped together, as if they were just standing around chatting with each other.

At the very back of the creek was the feeder creek fairly well hidden from view. Wave after wave of geese began to fly out as we entered. Shallow and muddy, we grounded several times working our way in to it before deadfalls finally blocked our way.

We left Broad Creek paddling down the south side, and headed down river along Hedge Neck once out of the creek. It was only a mile and a half down to Swan Creek, but I think paddling through the Hydrilla made it seem longer. The beam wind causing extra sweep strokes wern't helping either.

New Swan Creek we checked the time and decided to start heading back. We paddled directly across the Potomac to a beach below a parking lot. We decided to land and scout the parking lot as a possible launch location for paddling to Piscataway Creek. A couple of stick paddlers passed down the river while we ate. After lunch we walked up the bank to the parking lot to get a good look at Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway so we could identify the parking lot from the road. The pulloff is just north of Waynewood Blvd.

Back on the water we paddled north against what was left of the falling tide. A stiff wind was blowing out of the NW as we paddled past Wellington and Dyke Marsh. I had been trying to angle in toward Dyke Marsh, but the wind kept me away from shore until I turned sharply toward it and paddled closer. Patty wondered where I was going, but she was enjoying the paddle against the wind.

Back at the marina we packed as Alison paddled up. She was one of the stick paddlers paddlers that paddled by while we were having lunch.

I had just enough time to go home to let the dog out before heading off to Jack's Boathouse for an evening paddle.

Pictures

Woody