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.