Kayak Virginia Beach

Osprey Check - Back Bay - Shipps Bay - Sand Bay - False Cape - Redhead Bay

The National Weather Service lied... The forecast was for winds about 10 MPH out of the south, it was more like 15-20 MPH, Temps were in the lower 80's. I made the right decision today, I always take the skirt with me, and usually only put it on when the forecast is for winds > the 15Mph, but today I put it on despite the forecast, I guess I'm psycho I mean psychic... My plan today was to go and check on the Osprey's at the South end of Long Island, and see if there were any chicks. After I left the channel form Lovitts Landing. I thought the best plan was to go around the North end of Long Island, and then down Sand Bay . The trip out wasn't bad, but the wind just kept building, making the trip down Sand Bay a bit harder then usual, but I kept a fairly good pace. On the way I decided to go and look around False Cape a little bit, being as I as already pretty much there, and with the wind the side of the bay was a little calmer. I hung out just off of a real small beach, and watched a bunch dragonflies for a while, checked out the rest of the cove, before deciding to go and check out the Osprey. Heading to the nest, the wind had picked up significantly and with it the wind swell, as there is a good 5 miles of uninterrupted water to the South for the swell to build. I had the boat surfing pretty good when the angle was right, but a 14.5 foot boat and about 8 to 10 feet between peaks made for a fun time, either the bow was buried, or the stern was buried. About a half a mile from the nest I saw both birds leave the nest, and they hadn't returned by the time I got there. Fighting the swell and the wind was just to much of a pain, and getting a decent picture would have been near impossible, so I just kept on going. I had a pretty easy time for the trip back, after getting tin to the islands and out of the swell, in fact I took a free ride for a mile or 2, and let the wind push me at a good pace of ~3 MPH. Old sailing instincts took over, and I was trying to figure out ways to use my paddle as a sail... I only got 4 pictures worth sharing, and those aren't that great, mostly Dragonflies in the reeds, so you'll have to look hard. I'll try and get back to the nest in a week or 2.