Monday, January 30, 2012

Reflections on the James River Expedition

by Troy Thompson
 


It is hard to pick a favorite part of the James River. The whole length of the river has its own particular charms with each section. From it’s beginning at the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture, the James has a coyness; it’s banks just short distance from either side of your canoes and the challenge and excitement of it’s many rapids which invite you in to the river’s cool and wet embrace when you make the wrong steering decision. Then you encounter the Middle James River. It has a wider bed, rolling country side, historical ruins of the old canal system, merging tributaries, and the best is the many islands waiting to be explored. Just as you think you are getting back into suburban and urban civilization where all is tamed and controlled you hit the rapids of Richmond, a surreal experience of river wildness while around you are the trappings of a big urban city.

The rapids spit you out at its end into the wide and mostly placid (when the weather is right) lower James. Here the water in the river sometimes flows, unnaturally it seems, up river and other times it flows out. We have now reached the tidal James. Here the river ever widens and deepens as you head towards the bay. Ocean going ships make their appearance dwarfing your tiny canoe. The majestic bald cypress rises out of the edges of the river as ospreys and bald eagles soar overhead make you to forget that you are in the middle of a working modern developed civilization along the banks of this river.

Finally, you end at Hampton Roads. The smell of salt water permeates the air. Large ocean going ships aren’t an occasional visitor but are moving, moored, loading and unloading. From this body of water you can travel to any other port in the world. Watermen’s boats are working the waters for their livelihood. Recreational boaters in every thing from canoes in our case to motorboats with kayaks and sailboats in between dart here and there in pursue of their various missions. We land at historical Fort Monroe where so much that makes America what it is began. But the trip is not done for me yet. No the trip ends for me later that day at the end of my street as I gaze out over Hampton Roads as the sun sets. This view, this ritual is traditional for me at the end of my trips. This view is spectacular and reminds me of how lucky I am to have this view at the end of my street. Yes, I must say that I do have a favorite part of the James River. This is it. The lower James. It is home.

Troy Thompson is a teacher from Hampton, VA who participated in the 2011 James River Expedition.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Secrets of the James - Captain Smith, what are you doing here?

by Judith Warrington, JRA's Communications Coordinator

Do you recognize this man? Of course, it’s a statue of our own Captain John Smith, just as we picture him, the swashbuckler, outfitted in short cape, sword and slouchy boots as he bravely explores the New World. But this is not the statue that was erected on Jamestown Island. This is the representation of a slightly more portly Captain Smith located in front of St. Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London.

Here, in the city to which he returned after his extraordinary adventures in the New World, he is identified simply as: Captain John Smith, citizen and cordwainer 1580-1631. The statue’s base reads: “First among the leaders of the settlement at Jamestown from which began the overseas expansion of the English speaking peoples.”

Who would call Captain John Smith, merely a citizen and cordwainer and not the explorer of the Chesapeake Bay or governor of Virginia and admiral of New England? It’s hardly the veneration he receives in Virginia. And exactly what is a cordwainer anyway?

It turns out that a cordwainer made shoes and boots from luxurious, soft cordovan leather that only the wealthy could afford. However, American biographers tend to say that Smith was an “alleged” cordwainer. Either way, it was an honorable profession and in London the cordwainers maintained a strong and wealthy guild. So it makes you wonder… if Captain John Smith was a boot maker, perhaps he made those fabulous boots he is shown wearing in both of his statues.

In addition to the cordwainer conundrum, this chance meeting with Captain John Smith raised another question: Was the good captain right-handed or left-handed? In Jamestown, his sword is on the right, meaning he would have been left-handed. In London, his sword is on the left, meaning he would draw it with his right hand. It’s always nice to meet a familiar face when you travel, so if you’re ever in London, stop by St. Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside and visit Captain Smith.

Read more about footwear and condwainers at Jamestown:
http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Summer00/shoemaker.cfm

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

JRA receives the Taylor F. Turner, Jr. Conservation Award


Jay Armstrong, FFV VP Conservation Activities; Bill Street, JRA Executive Director; Ken Eastwood, FFV President
 The James River Association received the 2012 Taylor F. Turner, Jr. Conservation Award presented by The Fly Fishers of Virginia, Inc (FFV) at their 30th annual banquet, held January 14, 2012. The FFV was established in 1982 to promote the art of fly rod fishing; to foster good sportsmanship; and to promote conservation of the nation’s natural resources.

The Taylor F. Turner, Jr. Conservation Award was created in 2002 to honor individuals or organizations in the state that have made a valuable contribution to the preservation of fisheries and waterways. The award is named for former FFV president and long-time member, Taylor F. Turner Jr.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Fun "Findings" Along the James River

by Anna Salzberg, JRA's Outreach Intern

Working for the James River Association and the National Park Service along the Lower James River segment of the Captain John Smith National Historic Water Trail (CAJO) Conceptual Plan has allowed me to visit some truly beautiful places that are currently accessible for hiking, wildlife viewing, and/or access for kayaks/canoes. I have included some of my favorite “findings” below.


Kayak/canoe launch at Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a beautiful park area in Isle of Wight County that even as a native Virginian, I had never visited before. This site is a former plantation and now a public park in Smithfield, Virginia. It dates to a land grant of 1,450 acres by the King of England to Arthur Smith in 1637. The 46 acres immediately surrounding the manor house are protected by an historic easement controlled by the state of Virginia. There are walking trails, a fishing pier, and the canoe/kayak launch is very accessible and modern. http://www.windsorcastlepark.org/


View of Kittiewan Creek
from Kittiewan Plantation

Kittiewan Plantation in Charles City County, VA was one of my favorite site visits due to the beautiful views of Kittiewan Creek and the James River downstream. This site has much to offer in terms of archeological significance and Virginia history. This plantation is currently open to the public, but mainly by appointment. There is an access area for canoe/kayak launch for those interested in experiencing the area by water. There is much to experience here in terms of wildlife, vegetation and scenery. http://www.kittiewanplantation.org/


Beach located at Fort Boykin

Fort Boykin in Isle of Wight County, VA is a beautiful park with walking trails, areas to hold special events, and beautiful views of the James River; including a beach where people can lounge or get in the water during warm seasonal months. Fort Boykin has been a part of American history since 1623!http://www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/FortBoykinHistoricPark/





Wooden bridge that
connects to the main park
Fort Huger in Isle of Wight County, VA is a truly historic fort rich in Captain John Smith and Native American history. A beautiful wooden walking path and bridge takes you to the main park where one can see the Ghost Fleet on the James River! During warmer months, there is a person conducting interpretive education in the park area. http://www.visitsmithfieldisleofwight.com/historicforthuger.php



Jaw and teeth deer
remains found at B&C area

Brown and Williamson Conservation Area is managed by the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation along with the Friends of Chesterfield’s Riverfront. Mark Battista, a Naturalist with the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation holds scheduled hikes of the conservation area, by reservation only, as the site is not currently accessible to the general public. Mark is a truly knowledgeable guide with the type of enthusiasm that inspires you to look beyond the forest floor and trees to uncover nature’s treasures! http://www.chesterfield.gov/Parks.aspx?id=6442454792

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Wildlife of the James - The Striped Bass

by Anna Salzberg, JRA's Outreach Intern

 From well-attended fishing expos to the boat that bears its name, bass are one of the most popular sport fish among Virginia fishermen. The Striped bass is often called “true bass” or “sea bass” to distinguish it from the smallmouth or largemouth species.
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) Source: Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis), also referred to as rockfish or stripers, vary in color from light green to blue, brown or black with a white belly. An Atlantic coastal fish, it ranges from Florida to Nova Scotia. Adults usually have 7 to 8 stripes across the sides and a forked, dark-colored tail fin. Stripers grow to approximately 20 inches and usually weigh around 30 pounds, but can max out at 6 feet long and weigh 125 pounds!

By nature, stripers are anadromous, spending most of their adult lives in saltwater, making spring "spawning runs" to freshwater tidal rivers such as the James River. Each spring anadromous stripers move from the ocean and Chesapeake Bay to spawn in freshwater reaches of tidal rivers. Some fish may swim as much as 100 miles upstream. Able to live in either fresh or salt water, some landlocked stripers spend their entire lives in fresh water. They migrate up tributary rivers of larger reservoirs to spawn, often just below dams or upstream obstructions. When water temperatures are from 55° to 60°F, the females deposit their semi-buoyant eggs in the current. They are fertilized as they are being released, and stay afloat until the fry hatch out.

Overfishing and destruction of spawning areas caused populations of the striped bass to decline at an alarming rate in the 1970s and 1980s. A moratorium on fishing brought their populations back from the brink of collapse. However, as reported in the James River Association’s 2011 State of the James report, the James River’s striped bass population is only at about 49% of the benchmark.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has established limits on the commercial and recreational fishing industry for striped bass in Virginia. Regulations located within Chapter 4 VAC 20-252-10 et seq. also establish rules for aquaculture of striped and hybrid striped bass to prevent the escape of cultured hybrid into the natural environment and minimize the impact of cultured fish in the market place. One of the most important protections that the laws enforce are those of the spawning areas, which in the James River watershed span from a line connecting Dancing Point and New Sunken Meadow Creek upstream to a line connecting City Point and Packs Point. Improved river health is one of the most effective ways to protect spawning areas and improve the population numbers of this popular native fish.

A record-setting 74-pound striped bass was caught off Cape Henry on January 20 2012: http://richmondoutside.com/2012/01/22/new-virginia-state-record-striped-bass/

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Top 5 Places to Enjoy Winter Wildlife

by Amber Ellis, JRA's Watershed Restoration Associate/Volunteer Coordinator

Winter is a great time to see wildlife when the views through the forest open up and the snow turns the landscape into a blank canvas. Check out these events and places for enjoying wildlife this winter.



1. Winter Wildlife Festival: This is a great weekend event at the Princess Anne Recreation Center in Virginia Beach. The festival is filled with awesome trips and workshops, where you can see winter wildlife and learn where and what type of wildlife to look for this time of year in Virginia.

2. Winter Wildlife Boat Trip at Virginia Beach: This two hour trip with Virginia Aquarium educators takes you off the coast of Virginia Beach where you may see humpback and fin whales or large sea birds like brown pelicans or cormorants.

3. Woodpecker Ridge Nature Center: Located in Botetourt, this place offers trails that wind you through various ecosystems such as hardwood forests, fields, spruce and cedar stands, and pond habitat, where you are sure to see a wealth of wildlife.

4. James River Park System: Located in the heart of Richmond, this park offers 550 acres and miles of trails for you to search for wildlife. Bufflehead ducks enjoy hanging out in the river this time of year. Keep your eyes open for deer and fox.

5. Your own backyard!: If you provide food, shelter, and water for wildlife in your yard, then you can view wildlife from your windows as you stay nice and warm inside.