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.
![DSC02903.jpg DSC02903.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02903.jpg)
The wooden gates are long gone, but the stone walls of the lock are amazingly well preserved.
![DSC02906.jpg DSC02906.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02906.jpg)
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.
![DSC02907.jpg DSC02907.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02907.jpg)
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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.
![DSC02917.jpg DSC02917.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02917.jpg)
The pace was relaxed, as it is on most OASC canoe trips.
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Hi Jerry!
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![DSC02923.jpg DSC02923.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02923.jpg)
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.
![DSC02924.jpg DSC02924.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02924.jpg)
Rob.
![DSC02925.jpg DSC02925.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02925.jpg)
Swim stop! I believe this beach is part of the Fluvanna Heritage Trail in Palmyra.
![DSC02927.jpg DSC02927.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02927.jpg)
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.
![DSC02928.jpg DSC02928.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02928.jpg)
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.
![DSC02929.jpg DSC02929.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02929.jpg)
![DSC02930.jpg DSC02930.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02930.jpg)
Some people chose to lounge in the sun instead of swimming or wading.
![DSC02931.jpg DSC02931.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02931.jpg)
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.
![DSC02932.jpg DSC02932.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02932.jpg)
![DSC02934.jpg DSC02934.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02934.jpg)
I think that was Rob going in for a swim while others watched.
![DSC02937.jpg DSC02937.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02937.jpg)
I handed my camera to one of the people staying ashore and plunged into the river myself.
![DSC02938.jpg DSC02938.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02938.jpg)
The water was actually quite pleasant.
![DSC02939.jpg DSC02939.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02939.jpg)
![DSC02940.jpg DSC02940.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02940.jpg)
![me_swimming_detail.jpg me_swimming_detail.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/me_swimming_detail.jpg)
![DSC02943.jpg DSC02943.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02943.jpg)
At the takeout, various people helped stack the canoes on their trailer again.
![DSC02944.jpg DSC02944.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02944.jpg)
Even neophyte Jerry helped out with this task.
![DSC02945.jpg DSC02945.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02945.jpg)
![DSC02947.jpg DSC02947.jpg](http://oldsite.kristinjensen.net/canoe_trip_Rivanna_May_10/DSC02947.jpg)