Various Solo Paddle Trips into the Lynnhaven River,  Late Summer of 2003 and Early Spring  2004

The second trip I made with my new kayak was to Lynnhaven Inlet in the late Summer of 2003.  I spent a few hours in Pleasure House Creek which is to the West of the picture below.  The water was not very warm but it was very shallow.  This is where I pretty much learned to turn using sweep strokes and learned how far I could lean in the boat without tipping over.  It was a short trip but very important as I learned how to go where I wanted to.  I took along my fishing rod but nothing was interested at my lure.  It was mainly a test to see how well I could maneuver with a fishing rod in hand.  I had plans to do a bit of fishing from the kayak but now am mainly interested in paddling new waterways.  I'll get a little late summer/early fall fishing in for some Speckled Trout and Stripers.

The Lynnhaven Inlet put in just off of Shore Drive.  This is a nice place but in the summer (this picture was taken in mid Winter) the motor boats and jet skis are ever present.

I made several more trips to the Lynnhaven area......

1.  Early Spring 2004:  I took an afternoon off from work (in late March I believe) to paddle.  It was an extremely nice day with temps in the 80's.  It was low tide when I put in.  I headed into Crab Creek which connects to the picture shown above.  From Crab Creek I intended to paddle past Church Point and into Witchduck Bay.  But first there was the matter of a very large area of salt marshes to either weave through or paddle around.  I decided to paddle through and was soon dragging my kayak over mud flats.  It wasn't too bad or unexpected.  Shortly thereafter I was well on my way to Church Point.  I was serenaded by some workers on a nearby dock for much of that part of the paddle.  I ended up in Witchduck Bay before deciding to turn back.  I rested for a bit on a sandy spit just off of someone's property.  I snacked and napped with my feet dangling out of the cockpit.  My trip back was uneventful except for the last half hour.  There was a small front moving through and it got a little windy and cold.  I stopped on a sandbar and put on some extra clothing and pressed on.  All in all it was an enjoyable paddle.  Not much of a nature paddle since there are always waterfront homes visible and more motor boats than birds.

2.  Late Spring 2004:  I made two "learning" trips to Crab and Pleasure House Creeks.  I spent both trips practicing sculling,  bracing slaps,  wet exits and reentries.  I even tried to roll a few times unsuccessfully.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the reentries were not so hard.  Also I had made my own paddle float and was anxious to see if it would do the job,  it did.  These two trips were important because I can now right myself from an almost tipping position by sculling or slapping.  Also I am not afraid to tip over now as I know how to wet exit and get back in using my paddle/paddle float rig.