Dismal Swamp trip, 5.23.2009

Okay,  first paddle of 2009 (got a late start this year) and I have PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I ran over my old cell phone a few weeks ago and my new phone has a camera and it is very easy to use and to get pictures onto my computer.  Please be patient (pics might take a minute to load) as I am overcompensating for not having pictures for so long by having too many on this report!  So, without further delay, the trip report......

I won't bore you with the launch details as it is the same as some other previous Dismal Swamp trips.  Today's float plan was simply to head out to the US Army Corps of Engineer's campground at the perimeter of Lake Drummond while birdwatching along the way.  And that is exactly what I did.

My first bird was a new one for my list, a red headed woodpecker (male).  I now consider myself to be a bird watcher and have started a life list.  I have observed 47 species in about 6 months.  I am a casual birder and don't expect to see every bird there is, just enjoying the ones I can see wherever I happen to be.  Unfortunately bird watching and kayaking are not always easy to do at the same time.....at least for me!  So I was pretty excited to have seen a new bird right off jump street.  The problem I have is identifying birds.  It is a challenge to me under normal circumstances but in a kayak it becomes almost insurmountable.  Basically it involves balancing the kayak side to side, finding the bird and getting enough information to look at my book later for identification.  I can maneuver my kayak and balance it just fine but looking upwards at a 75 degree angle with binoculars while sitting in the kayak can get a little trick for me.  Since most of the birds are high above the canal area, this is a tough situation for me.  But no worries, I enjoy the paddling and can hear lots of birds too.  I am slowly remembering the sounds of some birds and can identify about 5 species by sound only with confidence.  I pretty much have to see and hear the bird several times or more before it's sound sinks in.

Heading up the Dismal Swamp feeder ditch (heading west-ish)

Approximately 3 miles later, arriving at the Army Corps of Engineers campground, the spillway on the right, the peninsula that is the campground straight ahead and to the left the entrance to the campground (can't see that here).

The left side of the campground peninsula and a small outbuilding.

This is the pull in spot at the campground from the feeder ditch side.  The boat trolley is waiting to be used.  I usually pull my kayak onto the grass to the left of the trolley.

  Unpacked and ready to hang out for awhile.

  The white house is the spillway tender's office, a first aid station and an emergency phone.  The other structure is just a screened in enclosure building.  There are two of those on the property.

  Roughing it, Dismal Swamp campground style!

  Another shot showing the trolley waiting on the feeder ditch side.  The little white mailbox looking structure on the left is a register/sign in book.

  This is the other end of the trolley tracks, where you put into the feeder ditch above the spillway to go to Lake Drummond (off to the left about a quarter of a mile or so).  The spillway is just to the right of this area (see the picture below).

  This is the spillway.  The 10 captain's wheels are for opening and closing the spillway gates.

  An Eastern Kingsnake (non-venomous) scared out of his hiding place by some boaters using the trolley.  He was about 4 feet long or so.

I followed him around trying to get a good shot because at the time, I didn't know what kind of snake he was and wanted a good picture for identification.  I was very careful not to terrorize the poor guy and he finally decided to go across the spillway to the other side.  I guess the grass is greener over there.  I didn't fancy meeting him or any of his relatives unexpectedly while hanging out at the campground so it was nice to know where he came from and where he went.

  Leaving the campground and heading back down the feeder ditch for home.  Three miles of beautiful water, singing birds and trees.  Oh yeah and two beavers and one cottonmouth moccassin.

Dense foliage makes it hard to find birds down low but it is beautiful to look at and paddle by.

Back in the Dismal Swamp canal (running alongside route 17) and looking north towards the boat ramp.

  Another first for this trip.  I have seen this rolling steel bridge for many years and always thought it was an old, rusty remnant of Dismal Swamp history.  I was wrong.  I heard and saw it extend across and subsequently watched a bunch of trucks make their way across from working on the swamp side.  Also the dead tree you see in the far left of the picture is where I saw the Red Headed Woodpecker coming in.

  Canal entrance to the boat ramp.  I'll be home soon!

All in all a great day on the water and at the campground.  It was not hatefully hot and humid but I did manage a slight sunburn on my exposed parts because the sun was shining bright.  I didn't go to Lake Drummond (again) and will soon plan a trip specifically to paddle the lake.  That will pretty much mean a good, non-lazy paddle to and from the lake so I can maximize time actually on the lake.  Hopefully I'll get to that paddle soon.

See ya next time.