Canoe Trip on the Rivanna – May 8, 2010

On May 8, 2010 I went on a canoe trip with the Outdoor Adventure Social Club on the Rivanna River. We put in at Crofton and took out at Palmyra.

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Almost across the river from the put-in there is a good beach on which to land and scramble up a path through the woods to this old canal lock. We did the same float, and visited the same canal lock, in April 2009.


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The wooden gates are long gone, but the stone walls of the lock are amazingly well preserved.


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My paddling partner for the day was Jerry, who had never paddled a canoe before. If I remember right, he was an engineering grad student with a fiancee in Michigan. We got along well.


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We stopped for lunch on a gravely island.


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This shot surprises me every time I look at it. The water is just clear enough that if I don’t look closely, I get the impression that the stern of Pete’s canoe is levitating over the river.


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The pace was relaxed, as it is on most OASC canoe trips.


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Hi Jerry!


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This woman’s name is Jolie. She and her boyfriend Rob have their own kayaks, and I’ve gone on one or two paddling trips with them outside the Club.


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Rob.


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Swim stop! I believe this beach is part of the Fluvanna Heritage Trail in Palmyra.


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I can’t remember the pool where I observed this tadpole, but it must have been at the beach where we stopped for a swim.


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A small set of rapids just above the beach sends a strong current through the middle of the river here. You can see the line of more turbulent water running across the middle of the picture in front of Pete.


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Some people chose to lounge in the sun instead of swimming or wading.


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This was my canoe for the day. I have my own green plastic paddle (since we rent canoes from a children’s camp and they come with mostly short paddles; having my own ensures that I’ll always get one of an appropriate length) and large blue dry bag.


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I think that was Rob going in for a swim while others watched.


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I handed my camera to one of the people staying ashore and plunged into the river myself.


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The water was actually quite pleasant.


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At the takeout, various people helped stack the canoes on their trailer again.


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Even neophyte Jerry helped out with this task.


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