Kayak Camping Lake Drummond, Chesapeake Va.

After much debate, and weather watching, we have decided to take a kayak camping trip to Lake Drummond in Chesapeake, Va. for some rest and relaxation. We have arrived at the launch area on the Dismal Swamp Canal and we are finally loaded up and ready to go on this beautiful November Saturday.

And we are off!

The 1 mile paddle down the canal was breathtaking. Fall has definitely arrived in The Great Dismal Swamp, splashing its bright red and yellow colors across the canal.

We have arrived at The Dismal Swamp Canal feeder ditch entrance and ahead of us is the 2 mile paddle through the refuge to the spillway.

The feeder ditch was a calming, peaceful paddle into the heart of the refuge.

More than a few times we had to pause and just soak it all in. Amazing scenery and complete silence. Except for the occasional woodpecker or rustle in the woods. The spillway is right ahead in the distance and we are ready to stretch our legs.

We have arrived at the spillway and on solid ground.

Since it was close to sunset, we decided to set up camp before we headed out to Lake Drummond. We found a perfect place on the point of the spillway and set up shop.

Now that we are all set up its time for the short paddle into the lake. We are crossing our fingers that the clouds will clear and we will be able to see the sunset on the majestic Lake Drummond.

We glide onto Lake Drummond, a 3,000 acre mirror this afternoon, an experience that can never be explained with words alone.

The farther the sun set, the more amazing the view. It became hard to tell where the sky stopped and the earth began.

As the Sun set and the full Moon began to rise we continued to explore the large Cypress trees while the sounds of migrating birds passed over head invisibly, and bats passed by overhead collecting their food.

It was time to head back to camp,  the light from the full moon rising helped enrich the experience of the night paddle back to camp.

Back at camp, safe and sound its time to start a fire and make some dinner. It has been an unforgettable day paddling here and we are ready to sit around the fire and reflect on the day. A chilly night ahead of us but we are ready to get some much needed rest. We woke up early and cooked breakfast and we are off to search for Black Bears climbing the trees eating berries near the coastline. The crisp temperatures last night had produced some stunning colors.

Lake Drummond greeted us once again with a mirror like appearance without a single ripple on the water. It was hard once again to tell heaven from earth, and sometimes you could do nothing but just sit in amazement at the absolute beauty.

3 miles later we are headed back to camp for lunch and to pack up and head home. We wish we could stay for longer but all good things must come to an end. We couldn't have asked for more ideal conditions in November and the sunset alone was worth it all.

We are all packed up and ready for a nice relaxing paddle back to launch. Temperatures in the 70s in late November made for another amazing paddle down the feeder ditch.

We are have reached the canal and the final mile of our trip is ahead. We are sad to see it come to an end, but thankful for the experience. Another day, or two, taking the world on with a paddle. Get out and enjoy!

 

Smith Creek

After a quick call to the office at Northwest River Park to open the gate, we arrived at the Baum Road launch and within minutes we were set up and ready to go! We are headed out for an exploratory paddle on Smith Creek to observe the fall foliage, collect some geocaches, possibly place one, and to decide if this paddle was going to be a new addition to our Inland Adventure kayak tours.

And we are off! The water level is low at the launch area due to the strong Northeast winds but there is plenty of water to head out on this beautiful secluded creek.

Every bend and turn was just as beautiful as the next. The fall colors were beginning to appear as we approached the wider opening of Smith Creek.

We had some good luck finding most the geocaches along the way but this one had me stumped, until I realized it was right above my head. Look closely, its right there!

On the way out of this small offshoot creek I passed by many turtles sunning themselves on this beautiful October day.

The next one had us scratching our heads. We spent some time searching but now its time to move along.

I had to exit the boat on this one but its all a part of the geocaching experience, sometimes you have to get a little dirty.

We are off to stretch our legs and use the restroom at the landing park at Northwest River Park. Along the way we discovered a Needle Nose Gar that had met his early demise.

We have arrived at the landing for some much needed stretching and a quick bathroom break.

We are headed back to the launch at Baum Road now. On our paddle back we find something we love showing our customers to help explain the shallow root system of the Bald Cypress, an overturned large Cypress with large Cypress knees.

Returning we stopped at a beautiful offshoot of the creek to place our own geocache in a nice secluded area.

Its going to be named Hang Ten if its a successful placement, and you can see by this picture hanging ten on your yak is the only way your gonna grab this one.

 Well we could stay out on this beautiful creek all day but sadly we must head back to the launch. Along the way we got the pleasure of saying hello to a passing cottonmouth, out enjoying this sunny October day just like us.

Well we are back! Absolutely beautiful paddle, the seclusion here is priceless, and we are definitely going to be adding this trip to our Inland Adventure schedule and we look forward to sharing this place with clients for years to come.

  Another day well spent, taking the world on with a paddle. See you on the water!

FISH ON! and on and on and on......

After two unproductive fishing adventures at Northwest River, I decided to head to my favorite little piece of heaven West Neck Creek. After a quick stop inside the marina to say hello, I was armed with a drop shot plastic worm and a 3/4 spinner lure and ready to go!

I was about to hit the creek when I looked up and saw a bald eagle soaring overhead, being hurried out of the area by a nervous Osprey.

 OK, I'm finally on the way! Perfect conditions today on this beautiful creek and I'm hopeful that today is going to be a successful day. The winds are 5mph from the SSW and I'm headed straight across the creek to my first stop. A point I often catch small mouth bass on, a few casts in and I've already had two strong bites and two fish get off the hook right before I got them in the boat.

I quickly head off south down the creek to one of my favorite coves in the area. There are days I can fish this one area exclusively all day.

 After a few casts towards the cord grass I landed a heavy bowfin. He put up quite a good fight pulling my boat around for a few minutes before I finally got him in the kayak. FISH ON! This day is already off to a good start! Headed slightly north I remained on a float with the wind and landed a striped bass,

and then another,

and another,

and another,

and another!

The stripped bass were on a feeding frenzy and the spinner bait was their food of choice.I decided to take a break, this was a little overwhelming, and my favorite thing to do around lunch is to head back to West Neck Marina to get some of Steve's (owner of Blackwater Trading Post Catering) homemade bbq. As I approached the point entering the marina cove, I decided to cast a few on the shore line and hooked up with a beautiful large mouth bass!

I was close enough to the marina that I decided to keep this big guy alive until I got back so I could find someone to take a picture for me. As I glided into the ramp I was greeted by an incoming fisherman who began to tell me about his bad luck fishing today and I had to break his heart by asking if he would'nt mind taking a picture of me with the bass. He was gracious enough to help me out.

I immediately let this guy go for someone else to catch him and I was headed off for lunch. Before long I was already ready to get back on the water to continue this epic day on the water fishing.

Nothing much had changed since I left the creek. I landed at least five or six more stripers in the first thirty minutes back on the water.

My poor spinner bait was taking a beating today but holding strong! Mary Page called and after hearing about all my success she was headed down with our daughter to spend her afternoon with me on the water. I headed back to the marina once again we staged a tandem perception kayak and headed back out again. As we headed south down the creek, same bank, same result, another largemouth!

Farther south, once again striper....

striper.........

striper!

 Well, I could sit here and catch these hungry fish all day but its time to end the day by paddling down to the intercoastal and watching the sunset on a beach there.

We have arrived!

Once you experience a sunset on a beach of your own, you will realize why there's no life, like life on a kayak.

Well, we are headed back to the marina. A truly epic day fishing to say the least, and spending the afternoon watching the sunset, with loved ones is priceless. Another day well spent,taking the world on, one day at a time with a paddle.