Date of trip: June 4th, 2011
Level: 3.59 ft
Discharge: 579 cubic feet
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?02034000
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, me and wife)
Although it is not an official public landing, you can put in just below Charlottesville reservoir dam. Follow Rio Mills Road of Route 29 until just before it makes a sharp rights and heads up hill. There is a path on left side of road. It is about 100 yards down to river from this point. At this river level and discharge my wife and I had to get out several times and portage a couple of times. We actually flipped out one time as river was narrow and it pushed us toward bank with large tree branch sticking out at eye level. This caused us to flip. No big deal as water is only a couple of feet deep. We completed this section in about 3 hours. Easy take out at Darden Towe Park.
Monday, September 5, 2011
James River - Scottsville to Hardware River W.M.A
Date of trip: July 40th, 2011
River Level: 2.58 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 955 cfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
Good concrete boat ramps are present at both access points. The ramp at Hardware River Wildlife Management Area is reached by following the sings from Rt. 6. The upper portion of this float has long shallow pools, while the lower portion passes through a multitude of islands. The takeout at Hardware River WMA is located immediately upstream from the mouth of the Hardware River, and you should stick to the left (north) bank of the river as you near the takeout. Fishing in this section is excellent for redbreast sunfish, and good for smallmouth bass.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
Very pretty section. There is nothing challenging from paddling stand point. I got kayak stuck a couple of times as did people with me, but I only remember getting out once. We never had to portage.
River Level: 2.58 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 955 cfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
Good concrete boat ramps are present at both access points. The ramp at Hardware River Wildlife Management Area is reached by following the sings from Rt. 6. The upper portion of this float has long shallow pools, while the lower portion passes through a multitude of islands. The takeout at Hardware River WMA is located immediately upstream from the mouth of the Hardware River, and you should stick to the left (north) bank of the river as you near the takeout. Fishing in this section is excellent for redbreast sunfish, and good for smallmouth bass.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
Very pretty section. There is nothing challenging from paddling stand point. I got kayak stuck a couple of times as did people with me, but I only remember getting out once. We never had to portage.
James River - New Canton to Columbia
Date of trip: September 4th, 2011
River Level: 2.77 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 1.15kcfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
This is a predominantly flat stretch with little fast water. Best fishing provided by catfish and smallmouth. Take out on right at bridge.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
I spent about 7 hours doing this section but I went slow (fishing, lots of breaks). There were a few places my kayak got stuck but I didn't have to get out to move forward. At this river level I would not have wanted to go tandem or being in a canoe. There were some long stretches where you felt more like paddling a lake than river. But overall a good stretch if you want to be make a day of it, get some fishing and relaxation in. Pull out a columbia was nice. Cell phone coverage along this section was not possible until you got end. (and then it was not great.)
River Level: 2.77 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 1.15kcfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
This is a predominantly flat stretch with little fast water. Best fishing provided by catfish and smallmouth. Take out on right at bridge.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
I spent about 7 hours doing this section but I went slow (fishing, lots of breaks). There were a few places my kayak got stuck but I didn't have to get out to move forward. At this river level I would not have wanted to go tandem or being in a canoe. There were some long stretches where you felt more like paddling a lake than river. But overall a good stretch if you want to be make a day of it, get some fishing and relaxation in. Pull out a columbia was nice. Cell phone coverage along this section was not possible until you got end. (and then it was not great.)
James River - Hardware to New Canton
Date of trip: September 4th, 2011
River Level: 2.77 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 1.15kcfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
A braided channel with many small islands. Very scenic with much Class I and II riffles. Redbrest and smallmouth provide most fishing action. Take out downstream from Route 15 bridge, on right.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
This was a fun run. It took me less than 2 hours. You would need to beyond basic paddling skills for this section. You needed to read the river flow on many of the sections and decide how to get through. However, even if you chose wrong there was probably only 1 section that if you made a mistake you could get yourself beat up a bit. This must have been one of the class II sets. You can see the river flow at top of this page to see when I ran it. The section was fun enough to do again.
River Level: 2.77 ft (Scottsville)
Discharge: 1.15kcfs
http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=rmdv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=158§ion=maps
A braided channel with many small islands. Very scenic with much Class I and II riffles. Redbrest and smallmouth provide most fishing action. Take out downstream from Route 15 bridge, on right.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
This was a fun run. It took me less than 2 hours. You would need to beyond basic paddling skills for this section. You needed to read the river flow on many of the sections and decide how to get through. However, even if you chose wrong there was probably only 1 section that if you made a mistake you could get yourself beat up a bit. This must have been one of the class II sets. You can see the river flow at top of this page to see when I ran it. The section was fun enough to do again.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Rivanna River - Kayak Milton to Crofton
Date of trip: May 28th, 2011
Level: 3.5 ft
Discharge: 700 cubic feet
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?02034000
--- from http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=202§ion=maps
The put-in near Randolph's Mill Road at Milton is relatively poor and consists of a mud bank. The take-out, however, is a well-designed concrete boat landing provided by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. Parking is good at both locations and is not prohibited overnight. This is a very long, but easy float that can be handled by novices. There is only one Class I-II set of rapids. If done in a single day, this float does not allow for much fishing time.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
I had a great time on this trip. The put-in at Milton is servicible. You have to carry your kayak and gear about 50 yards to water and it is steep down hill at rivers edge. It might be hard to go down if there was a lot of heavy rain. Once I was in the trip was fun. I saw a lot of wildlife (bald eagle, hawks, river otter, dear, herons, etc). I am not an expert kayaker and there was nothing that challenged me. I did the 10 miles in about 4 hours. The river was about is normal flow rate so that probably made the trip a bit faster than normal. The take out is easy to spot from water. It is on the left just before the only bridge you will see. Take out is very easy - boat ramp.
Level: 3.5 ft
Discharge: 700 cubic feet
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?02034000
--- from http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=202§ion=maps
The put-in near Randolph's Mill Road at Milton is relatively poor and consists of a mud bank. The take-out, however, is a well-designed concrete boat landing provided by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. Parking is good at both locations and is not prohibited overnight. This is a very long, but easy float that can be handled by novices. There is only one Class I-II set of rapids. If done in a single day, this float does not allow for much fishing time.
--My Notes
Kayak: Sea Kayak Malibu II (tandem kayak, with just me)
I had a great time on this trip. The put-in at Milton is servicible. You have to carry your kayak and gear about 50 yards to water and it is steep down hill at rivers edge. It might be hard to go down if there was a lot of heavy rain. Once I was in the trip was fun. I saw a lot of wildlife (bald eagle, hawks, river otter, dear, herons, etc). I am not an expert kayaker and there was nothing that challenged me. I did the 10 miles in about 4 hours. The river was about is normal flow rate so that probably made the trip a bit faster than normal. The take out is easy to spot from water. It is on the left just before the only bridge you will see. Take out is very easy - boat ramp.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)