November 11, 2005

Chickahominy Car Camping

I was the first one to the camp site so after raising the tent I went for a walk around the campground. Being November, the water was turned off throughout the park but I noticed the bathrooms were well heated. A bit of a walk from our campsite, but not anything my fat butt didn't need anyway. As I was making the loop I spotted Bill drive in so I headed back up to the campsite to meet him.

Bill was fiddling with the water spigot when I got back to the campsite and after a short chat I headed off to the camp store to pick up a map of the Chickahominy. Soon Mark, Ralph, and Bob arrived and by about 3:30ish we were on the water paddling back into Gordon Creek. We knew we didn't have time to go all the way around Gordon Island, and with a few of us lacking lights we decided to paddle back a bit and just turn around.

In all too short of a time the light began fading fast, so we turned back toward the launch, knowing we would be pushing the edge of dark to the limit. As the sun slipped behind the trees, the wind that had been blowing consistently since I arrived at the park began to quiet. But with the quiet also came colder temperatures.

The trip back seemed longer than I remembered heading out. While that may always seem to be the case, it is even more so when you are in a hurry. Ralph flicked on his shoulder mounted light and I dug out a little 5 LED signal light I had stashed in my dry bag and propped it up on deck. As we crept closer to darkness the light on my deck began to shine brighter and we arrived back at the launch as dusk turned to dark.

Dick and Yvonne had arrived after we had launched and they were back at the ramp when we returned. After chowing down on some pizza I turned in for the evening before the night air began to make its way through my bones. Wearing two layers and slipping inside my sleeping bag and fleece liner it wasn't long before I was fast asleep.

In the morning the fog hung heavy across the Chickahominy. The water was smooth like glass, but I could tell there was a bit of current as leaves touch the water and began to move away. As the morning lightened a few swirls appeared to have significant speed danced across the water, but as I stood and watched I guessed the swirls were from the wind that was ever so slightly beginning to move.

The fog moved up the river and several pictures I took of it rolling away up the river like someone rolling up a newspaper didn't come out. But as the fog pushed past Gordon Island my camera caught a separation between the fog and clear air. It looked as if a white curtain was being pushed aside to reveal the yellows and browns of the trees hidden behind.

The day was slipping on quickly, so Yvonne, Mark, Dick and I headed off to explore Morris Creek while the others continued to get ready and wait for stragglers.

We crossed the river without incident and rounded the point by the white house on the hill to head back in to Morris Creek. Along the left side of the wide mouth there didn't appear to be an entrance to the creek so we headed to the right side where we could see the creek extend a bit back in to the trees. I thought it odd as we crossed the mouth that there was grass showing above the water, but we had a good foot or more under our boats so I didn't give it too much thought. In this 'field' we paddled past a light pole that seemed so out out of place out here in the water.

We were now in the creek, which began with a spattering now and then of Cypress trees. The dark brown of the leaves contrasted against all the greens, yellows, and reds that the other trees still held. It was almost a bit sad that we had missed the changes of the Cypress, but later I would see one tree with a bit of green and I wondered if these trees were really at their best when fully greened out.

The skies were so blue, and the day was quickly getting warm. Although I had worn my dry suit the day before I was glad I had chosen to wear my wet suit today. Yvonne and Mark pulled ashore at the Wildlife Management boat ramp to shed their paddling jackets.

The creek snaked through the land, alternating between stands of Cypress and wild rice. As we approached one curve we noticed what appeared to be ducks or geese moving quickly through the water. But their swimming pattern was a bit odd. It wasn't until they began to climb up the bank that we realized it had been two deer crossing the creek.

As the creek closed in the trees got older. Large Cypress trees were everywhere. Hundreds of years old these gentle giants felt like old friends. The bends became sharper as we zigged and zagged our way toward the end.

The end seemed a bit anti-climatic. A road stopped further progress, with the clearance under the bridge measured in inches. We stopped for a moment to scope out a landing, but there was none. The banks were steep and the pool deeper than our paddles could reach. We were hungry so we started back for the WMA boat ramp to have lunch.

We passed the others about halfway to the dock. After lunch we stretched out on the wooden planks and soaked up the sun. We probably should head back, but it was just too peaceful staring into space watching contrails and black vultures drift by. A few minutes of rest turned in to half hour, then an hour, then an hour and a half. And before we knew it the others returned.

Yvonne, Dick and Mark left to head back to camp but I was enjoying the peace too much to leave. While others lunched I kicked back again feeling the warmth of the sun recharge my batteries.

But we eventually had to leave, and split into a faster group to go start dinner, while I stayed with the slower group to make our way back to the campsite. I was in no hurry and I see more when I paddle slow.

In the afternoon sun everything took on a golden color as we neared the mouth of Morris Creek. We were all surprised to see that our escape route had been dramatically changed as the tide had receded. The light pole was now on solid ground and it was apparent the channel would take us out the south side of the creek - the part I didn't think had an entrance when we entered.

In the evening we enjoyed a great community feast and later, after desert was heated into shapes of various animals over the grill, I believe a bottle of Apple Brandy made its way several times around the campfire. The weekend ended too quickly, as they always do...

Pictures

Launch Locator