On June 23, 2015, we drove an hour and a half to Farmville, VA to check out some canoes at the Appomattox River Company, the largest canoe supplier in central Virginia. It was over 100 degrees F and I was in shirt and tie from work, dripping in sweat as we navigated through the warehouse. The guys there were super helpful and knowledgable. We originally came to check out Nova Craft canoes, but they really didn’t have the models we were after. We originally sought the light yet tough materials such as Royalex but ever since the company stopped producing this material, Royalex canoes have been hard to find. Since we are mostly paddling rivers, we needed something more durable. After much debate, we decided that the best canoe for us at this time was the Old Town Discovery 15,8 (2015). Built like a tank and almost as heavy as one too at 87lbs, this is the workhorse for most outfitters because of the durable three layer polyethylene construction. The best thing about the 2015 models are the new webbed seats, upgraded from the terrible, formed plastic seats. I figured if we can portage an 87lb canoe, kevlar will feel like paper. We are proud of our new addition to the family, her name? Fury. Time to find some paddles.
On June 13, 2015, the temperature in Richmond was 92 degrees F. We needed a place to escape the heat. This was our chance to make the return to Lake Moomaw out in the mountains of Virginia, where it was 15 degrees cooler with lows in the 60s at night. Brian worked the night previously so we left late that Saturday afternoon. For this trip, I rented an Old Town Discovery canoe 15’8″ from Riverside Outfitters in Richmond. We typically get our canoes from the VCU Outdoor Adventure center however all of theirs were taken. This trip pretty much convinced us that we need our own canoe to avoid the hassle of rental and returns.
Riverside Outfitters
After a quick lunch at the Galley, we hit the road. The drive into the mountains was peaceful. We were hit with intermittent mountain rain showers as the clouds came and left. We could already feel the cooler air as we approached the boundaries of the national forest. We passed through gorgeous passes with streams that looked perfect for Tenkara.
There’s always an upside to rainfall, for we were treated to an awesome display of misty mountains as we paddled to the campsite. The sun was making it’s way through the clouds and the sky was clearing before sunset. We spotted deer as they approached the lakeside to drink the cool water. I had forgotten how beautiful the lake was.
God’s country
Paddle forth
Misty Mountains
Deer drinking water
Lake Moomaw
One of the advantages to paddling in Virginia is the lack of mosquitoes. NO horseflies/deerflies either! Sitting comfortably out in the open without a bug shelter in June is something we did not take for granted. We parked the canoe and enjoyed some Woodford whiskey by the lake.
solo paddling
Campsite
Chillin
Clear water
our view
The water was especially clear that day. We saw numerous motor boats, but no other canoeists. It seems like Lake Moomaw is used mostly as a fishing and motorboating spot for the locals. All of the canoes that were available for rent were still on the racks at the marina. None of the back country campsites were occupied so we had our pick. Pretty amazing for just a $5 parking fee. We camped at a new site this time which was very clean and secluded.
The Trangia alcohol stove, produced in Sweden it was designed primarily for backpackers. I found it works well with the Emberlit stove.
The following night was a perfect opportunity for me to try out my new Trangia alcohol stove. I must say this little stove is perfect for canoe trips. There certainly is beauty in simplicity. It is built like a tank and has no moving parts to break. All you have to do is fill it with fuel (alcohol of any type) and set a spark to it. I find it makes the perfect companion to the Emberlit stove, a stick stove that I’ve used for a couple of years now. The alcohol stove burns cleanly with no soot to clean from your pots and pans. Win. With the simmer plate, we were able to grill spicy sausages to perfection.
I also had a chance to play with camera settings on the DSLR to try and capture the thousands of stars. I think it turned out pretty well for the first attempt. It was difficult without a tripod but this trip opened my eyes to the world of night landscape photography.
Lake Moomaw star show
We took the canoe out for a midnight paddle on the lake under the blanket of countless stars. It reminded me of paddling Big Trout Lake in Algonquin park at 3:00am in September 2014. With the assistance of a small amount of hand sanitizer (awesome trick) to catch a flame to the soaking wood, we were able to get a rip roaring camp fire going.
clear skies
Some clouds remain after a day of showers
We woke the next morning and prepared some breakfast once again with the Trangia. A simple meal of scrambled eggs, brie cheese, salami, toasted bread and yogurt with blueberries and raspberries. One of the perks of lakeside camping is packing a cooler. With no portages to haul heavy gear, we could bring what we wanted. The cooler is a definitely a luxury item on canoe trips.
Overall, the return to Lake Moomaw was a very relaxing trip. No heavy portages, no rushing and no real destination. Despite the spectular views, I do not suspect that we will be back any time soon. There are numerous waterways in Virginia that I have yet to paddle and I have compiled a list of rivers and lakes that I want to explore including the Cowpasture River (claimed to be one of the most pristine rivers in Virginia). I also picked up a copy of “Virginia Whitewater” by H. Roger Corbett off of ebay. Apparently it is a must for canoeists in Virginia.
Time to find a canoe
Entrance to Lake Moomaw
We learned a great deal on this trip and left Lake Moomaw that evening with one revelation…..we must now buy a canoe. Leading choices at this point: Nova craft prospector 16 foot in royalex or the Old Town Camper 16 foot in royalex. Both beauties.
It was a perfect day for kayaking on the Piankatank River, the main tidal river of the Chesapeake Bay. Located on the Middle Peninsula between the Rappahannock and York Rivers, it is a prime spot for fishing, crabbing and bird watching. The river attracts all species of birds including kingfishers, blue herons and bald eagles. My friend Francisco was able to join us. Gloucester County is truly a peaceful place, the pace of life is slower and the sight of trucks carrying crab pots is always pleasing for some reason. I would like to return and paddle through Dragon Run one day, a 36 mile long stream which serves as the main fresh water tributary of the Piankatank River.
I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to make it out to the mountains before spring ended. We got our chance on May 16, 2015 when our cousin from Toronto came to visit. It was his first time to Virginia and this would be his his first hike through the Shenandoah mountains. It was a perfect day for the Bear Church Rock loop (8.5 miles) which initially starts on the Graves Mill trail before steeply climbing the mountain along the Staunton river trail. We included a detour to check out the Jones Mountain Cabin owned by the PATC (Potomac Appalachian trail Club). It was a hot day with some overcast mixed with bursts of sunshine and spring rain. The showers peaked as we reached the top of the mountain to cool us off. Heaven.
I ventured out with my friends Min and Ronan, to Shenandoah National Forest on the last day of January. We decided to take on the Robertson Mountain Trail which starts near the base of Old Rag Mountain. We left Richmond at 7:00am and began our hike at 9:30am. It was a chilly day at 22 degrees F and a solid 5 inches of snow covering the mountain. The view at the top was well worth it. This trip may have opened doors to future winter camping excursions.
An inch of snow in Richmond is enough to shut everything down. It got unusually cold one winter weekend in 2013. The James River tried to freeze over, but not quite ready for skating.
Jefferson National Forest lies in the Southwest corner of Virginia and home to the Grayson Highlands State Park and Mount Rogers Recreational Area. It is also home to the highest mountain in Virginia. It is one of the five locations in the United States where you can find the spruce-fir forests. One of the few remaining habitats of the Fraser Fir, found only at high elevations (above 5000 ft).
November 30, 2014, we hit Skyline Drive to take on the South River Falls trail. During the winter season, Skyline Drive frequently closes off large sections due to the weather conditions. We got lucky with South River Falls as it was one of the first hikes off Skyline.
