Kayaked Morris Creek today....

[lancepearson]

I took the Expedition about five miles across the Chickahominy River then over a shallow mud bank at lowish tide into the long and serpentine, deep, Morris Creek down near Jamestown. It was sunny, about 51 degrees, still winter and I had to go diagonally across the Chick. River for an hour's hard paddling into a falling tide plus a 7 mph headwind then over the mud bars and up the creek (with a paddle!) long enough to still get back out before dead low time. This part of Virginia has lots of cypress trees, a huge American Bald Eagle rookery and me and my in the dry bag except when shooting Nikon D90 camera with 55-300 mm lens on it found a couple and shot them. It's easy from a quiet Kayak as they let you get to within 50-75 feet or so of them.

Normally I'd do this at higher tides and go further up the deep creek but it's winter and 52-62 degree sunny days don't come around all the time.

I'll sleep good tonight. If you want to see the slideshow, just click this link. Tried my new 250 cm Manta Ray carbon fiber paddle out too. Worked well, even better when I got the correct side of the paddle down rather than up!

Neophytes don't get it right! That would be me.

Lance P.
http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow.as ... id=5466213

[lancepearson]

Morris Creek is famous here as it is where Captain John Smith and two men were exploring in the early 1600's from Jamestown when Chief Powhatan's principle warrior chief and his men captured them, killed the other two, trotted Smith around on land for a few weeks then turned him over to Powhatan, chief of all the tribes somewhat like the Algonquin Indians had one overall chief. Powhatan is said to have ordered him killed but the legend is that his daughter, Pochohontas, intervened to save Smith's life.

History all over here in Virginia though none of it goes as far back as the Battle of Hastings!

Lance.

[sparkyboom]

Great pics Lance your camera is obviously high quality they came out so clear,

I see what you mean about the mud now!

[lancepearson]

Yes, the NikonD90 and lenses are excellent cameras. Morris Creek is tidal off the Chickahominy River which is a short river off the James River maybe ten miles or less upstream from Jamestown itself and 40 miles from the great entrance to Norfolk, Hampton Roads. In summer many of these mud flats and salt marshes will be filled with wild rice waving beautifully and attracting every manner of bird. They are also breeding grounds for small fry in the water, blue crab babies, small fry of lots of fish. In another four weeks we will begin to have runs up the creeks of all manner of fish from herring to various kinds of shad and the sturgeon will return from the ocean a few weeks after that as well...Atlantic Sturgeon 12 years into a 40 year recovery as a protected species. many are 5-6' long now but will get to 8-12' long in maturity and live to 75 years of age. They thrive in the rivers as nurseries then in the early winter go back into the ocean.