Catriona - where were those photos taken! I want to paddle THERE!
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Catriona - where were those photos taken! I want to paddle THERE!
Occoquan River, above the dam:
http://www.nvrpa.org/park/occoquan_w...l/content/home
(It's actually gorgeous below the dam, especially if you go into Belmont Bay where it meets the Potomac, an up Kane's creek at mason neck national wildlife refuge. I always see a ton of bald eagles over at Mason Neck)
http://www.nvrpa.org/uploads/Files/content/Map.pdf
The north side of the river is all park land, the south side is mostly parkland interspersed with the ocassional mansion. Engine sizes on boats are limited to below 9.5 hp or so and no jet skiers. I got a late start so I only got as far as the Hemlock overlook (put in at Lake Ridge park), and back. But I left from my Mom's house, so she packed me a lunch and had dinner waiting when I got back (which was why I didn't go further - I didn't think she wanted to wait till 9 or 10 pm for dinner)
One of these days I have to go back and paddle it all the way up.
More pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ImmunoGi...quanToHemlock#
But a lot are duplicates of me trying to get the best heron or deer shot.
Get back to work
Very nice photos!
The reason I asked where they were taken was because some of those photos look like Little Seneca Lake up at Black Hills Regional Park outside Germantown. Then some look like the canal in the Violet's Lock area. I've paddled at Mason Neck. It was most memorable because we returned to the launch site at low tide. That was a huge mistake.... Like hauling the boats up the beach in quicksand! Don't remember much about the paddling, but I sure remember the "quicksand!"
If I ever get my boat into the water this summer I'll have to post some pix. Still addressing my roof rack dilemma. I'll be able to get my old Yakima roof rack system back in August, and then see what's going to be involved in making it work on the new car. In the meantime, still waiting for the foam pads I ordered to come in, which I don't think the shop ordered for me when they said they did. If they don't come in I'll just get some from NRS or REI but I do try to support the local businesses when I can.
Oh well, it's awfully hot for paddling right now and my regular paddling partner has been incapacitated for a few months. :(
I hope you get your roof rack sorted out and your paddling partner gets better. It has been hot - but I just practice rolling the boat whenever it gets bad. The water and the wind does moderate the temperature. I'd much rather paddle in this than bike in it.
Is little seneca lake big enough to kayak in?
I guess I've never paddled at Mason neck at low tide, because i haven't experienced that there. I did have it happen once a kiptopeke - The last mile of paddling through the marsh to the car was a mudflat and I was sinking to my knees with every step. We ended up going to a nearby boat ramp, walking to the car and bringing it over.
The north american lotuses are blooming on Turner creek on the upper chesapeake. hopefully I can stop and paddle while driving my cousin to the beach for a weekend.