Winter still gripped the holler we live in. While the snows had melted, icy winds and occasional squalls would cut through the March days. Ugh, time to head south for warmer climes and some sun, something we only read about during the winters here. Plans were made to go on a canoe camping trip down the Rappahanock River of eastern Virginia. My sister and brother-in-law were to be our guides as we spent three days and two nights living out of our boats.
Gear stowed and our old faithful Old Town canoe strapped to the rack of our FJC Munnin, we aimed ourselves southeast and rolled through the Appalachian hills. Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and finally Virginia slipped past our windows.
But alas we followed in the wake of a gusty storm system that was determined to undermine our plans. Reaching my sister’s place in King George, VA just east of Fredericksburg, we found the Rap rolling at flood stage and winds gusting between 20 and 40 mph. The canoe run down the river was out. Not to be deterred we came up with some day trips instead to make the most of this areas earlier spring weather. Saturday was spent hiking the Crows Nest Nature Preserve, but hey, this is a paddling story so we’ll just gloss over this enjoyable hike.
Sunday Elizabeth and James wanted to take us to one of their favorite paddling spots where the fossiled remains of many ancient creatures could be found. Our boats would be paddling along the tidal influenced section of the Potomac River. But while the river cliffs where the fossils are found are but 15 miles from my sister’s house as the crow flies an hour drive to the Maryland side of the river would be involved. Virginia is a strange state especially when property rights are concerned. Lands owned in Virginia have property rights that extend to the low tide line of the river so stepping out of your canoe on the banks there is technically trespassing. Virginian’s take trespass seriously. But Maryland extends public right of ways to the high tide mark making river side access much easier, so to Maryland we went. Past Quantico and Dahlgrin and over the long narrow bridge that spans the Potomac we wound our way there.
Our destination was Mallow Bay Park, which is directly across from the Marine base on the Virginia Shore. We found a nice boat launch here and as the tide was coming in with the morning light we paddle upstream along the 20’ high cliffs of the area.
There is a large density of fossilized critter remains here as during the Triassic, Jurassic, whatever periods a shallow inland sea dominated here. At the base of the cliffs a gray, seashell garnished layer holds a myriad of fossils that are continuously exposed with erosion.
We paddle a bit in the warming sunshine and than beach the boats on some promising shore. Walking about, or carefully sifting through ancient shells we would look for the telltale black of fossilized teeth or bones.
Shark and crocodile teeth, Ray plates, turtle scuttle plates, vertebrae’s from all sorts of things can be found here. Other places in the area yield megaladon teetch, whale teeth and Indian projectile points. Stepping out of the canoe on one beach I about stepped on a beautiful crocodile tooth. There’s also a ray plate at the 1o’clock position above it...
Beside that tooth I found a beaut of a sharks tooth...
The day passed with us digging for fossils and than paddling further up the river. At lunch time we made a fire, Elizabeth grilled up some ribeye and Brie paninis and I strung a hammock for a riverside nap.
Rest taken we loaded back up in our craft and made our way back to the put-in.
For you see Mallows Bay holds a secret and as the tide was going out it’s secret would emerge from the waters of the Potomac. At the end of WWI the Navy had a bunch of outdated wooden steam ships that were built as transports. By than nobody wanted them so they were brought to this Bay and left. Years passed and unsavory sorts started speakeasies and brothels upon theses ships. It got so bad the locals came and burned the ships to the waterline and on that day there were many sad Marines on the opposite bank. Come WWII and more cast away ships were added even a PT Boat. When the tide is low it’s possible to paddle amongst these relics. There is over a hundred waterlogged hulks here, stacked together like an ancient Roman flotilla.
Ospreys and eagles flitted in and out of the wrecks and as the sun set we made for shore and loaded up the boats.
Once back at the house we sorted our treasures...
It was fun and relaxing day as we played hooky from our Pennsylvania winter.
Gear stowed and our old faithful Old Town canoe strapped to the rack of our FJC Munnin, we aimed ourselves southeast and rolled through the Appalachian hills. Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and finally Virginia slipped past our windows.
But alas we followed in the wake of a gusty storm system that was determined to undermine our plans. Reaching my sister’s place in King George, VA just east of Fredericksburg, we found the Rap rolling at flood stage and winds gusting between 20 and 40 mph. The canoe run down the river was out. Not to be deterred we came up with some day trips instead to make the most of this areas earlier spring weather. Saturday was spent hiking the Crows Nest Nature Preserve, but hey, this is a paddling story so we’ll just gloss over this enjoyable hike.
Sunday Elizabeth and James wanted to take us to one of their favorite paddling spots where the fossiled remains of many ancient creatures could be found. Our boats would be paddling along the tidal influenced section of the Potomac River. But while the river cliffs where the fossils are found are but 15 miles from my sister’s house as the crow flies an hour drive to the Maryland side of the river would be involved. Virginia is a strange state especially when property rights are concerned. Lands owned in Virginia have property rights that extend to the low tide line of the river so stepping out of your canoe on the banks there is technically trespassing. Virginian’s take trespass seriously. But Maryland extends public right of ways to the high tide mark making river side access much easier, so to Maryland we went. Past Quantico and Dahlgrin and over the long narrow bridge that spans the Potomac we wound our way there.
Our destination was Mallow Bay Park, which is directly across from the Marine base on the Virginia Shore. We found a nice boat launch here and as the tide was coming in with the morning light we paddle upstream along the 20’ high cliffs of the area.
There is a large density of fossilized critter remains here as during the Triassic, Jurassic, whatever periods a shallow inland sea dominated here. At the base of the cliffs a gray, seashell garnished layer holds a myriad of fossils that are continuously exposed with erosion.
We paddle a bit in the warming sunshine and than beach the boats on some promising shore. Walking about, or carefully sifting through ancient shells we would look for the telltale black of fossilized teeth or bones.
Shark and crocodile teeth, Ray plates, turtle scuttle plates, vertebrae’s from all sorts of things can be found here. Other places in the area yield megaladon teetch, whale teeth and Indian projectile points. Stepping out of the canoe on one beach I about stepped on a beautiful crocodile tooth. There’s also a ray plate at the 1o’clock position above it...
Beside that tooth I found a beaut of a sharks tooth...
The day passed with us digging for fossils and than paddling further up the river. At lunch time we made a fire, Elizabeth grilled up some ribeye and Brie paninis and I strung a hammock for a riverside nap.
Rest taken we loaded back up in our craft and made our way back to the put-in.
For you see Mallows Bay holds a secret and as the tide was going out it’s secret would emerge from the waters of the Potomac. At the end of WWI the Navy had a bunch of outdated wooden steam ships that were built as transports. By than nobody wanted them so they were brought to this Bay and left. Years passed and unsavory sorts started speakeasies and brothels upon theses ships. It got so bad the locals came and burned the ships to the waterline and on that day there were many sad Marines on the opposite bank. Come WWII and more cast away ships were added even a PT Boat. When the tide is low it’s possible to paddle amongst these relics. There is over a hundred waterlogged hulks here, stacked together like an ancient Roman flotilla.
Ospreys and eagles flitted in and out of the wrecks and as the sun set we made for shore and loaded up the boats.
Once back at the house we sorted our treasures...
It was fun and relaxing day as we played hooky from our Pennsylvania winter.
