Paddle In Trash Out Event (Smith Creek)

We arrived at Baum Road boat launch in Chesapeake, Virginia eager to get started cleaning on of our favorite waterways this beautiful February Sunday afternoon.

We got to work right away on the shoreline and surrounding area near the launch. There was much to do immediately and we haven't even got on the water yet.

We filled bags and bags of trash. Spark plug wires, cans, Styrofoam cups, broken glass, pens, screws, bolts, and when your real lucky MONEY! :)

After a relaxing lunch, we loaded up and we are ready to hit the water for the paddle portion of this event.

Right away ,once again, we were hard at work collecting debris from the surrounding waterway. You never really know what your going to find on, or in, the water.

We are loading these boats up! Everything from hard hats to old socks! We always hope that we don't find all these things but find them we did! Which makes this effort so worthwhile!

We even had an audience as the turtles came out to see what was going on.

It's time to head back now. Our work here is done, I'm proud of this little girl and a paddle high five is certainly in order. The paddle back was a reminder of all the hard work we accomplished. A much cleaner Smith Creek than the one we paddled down just an hour ago.

We are back at the launch site. We were certainly blessed with a beautiful February afternoon for our cleanup.

Another day here at Adventure Kayak Tours exploring our world, and taking on pollution, with a paddle and a smile. Hope to see you all at the next cleanup!

Twelve Months of Kayaking January Edition

We are heading out this crisp, cool January morning to continue our celebration of the Twelve Months of Kayaking in Virginia. Smith Creek in Chesapeake, Virginia is our launch destination for today. The temperature this morning is 36 degrees, but with the wind being 2mph from the SSW, and a warm up in store today, it was a perfect day to head out on the water.

The early morning fog created a mystical feeling as we headed out through the cypress trees. In the distance we heard migrating geese, and immediately saw a hawk take flight when we traveled to close for his comfort.

Turn after turn just continued to lead us deeper into the raw nature of this area. Beautiful solitude, amazing scenery, this place has become a favorite for us when we are searching for some peace of mind and much needed relaxation.

The morning sunrise began to show its self through the tree line and was a welcome warm up for us as we made our way down Smith Creek headed towards the Northwest River.

We have reached the Northwest River. The panoramic sky was an invitation to continue South towards the North Carolina border. Along the way we have plans to take over a previous geocachers water caches, along with placing a few new ones of our own.

Along the way into the smaller side creeks, we passed signs that the busy beavers were still hard at work this time of year.

The conditions on the water were perfect. The water was as calm as could be, casting a mirror image of the beauty that surrounded us.

 Breaking the complete silence, a flock of migrating geese passed by overhead on their way south, calling to one another along way.

In the center of the river we took time to enjoy a close up view of an Osprey nest. Kayaking is by far the best way to get an up close view of the natural world surrounding us everyday.

With the Sun beginning to descend to the West, we take our final look back towards the South. It has been an amazing day on the water. Everyone must be allowed to clear their mind from time to time, and we really can find nothing that surpasses the tranquility of the water ways in Coastal Virginia. Yet another day well spent, taking the world on with a paddle.