Kayak Virginia Beach

Another loop and 500 miles - Mackay Island NWR

Ended up at Mackay Island today for a couple of reasons, one because access to the refuge closes in 2 weeks for the winter, and I have been looking at satellite photos and saw a couple of potential loop trips in the marsh. The weather was perfect, temps in the low 70s light winds and sunny.

There are a few requirements to be able to do this trip.
The water level needs to be high enough, take a look at the last picture, this was about as low as you can go, and make it.
The current in the channel from Back Bay needs be going the right way, that would be South, or no current at all, the current in the channel can be pretty fast so you may want to pay attention as you drive over the bridge on the causeway.
You will also need a good sense of direction, a GPS and aerial photo are a big help, actually you should have all three.

When I first looked at the small channel near the ramp that branches off to the North, I really thought I was done for right from the beginning, because of all the vegetation, I thought the channel was going to be to shallow, but I was wrong. The weeds were a bit of a hinderance, but not that bad, they continually thin the further up the channel you paddle, to almost non existent after about a third of a mile. The channel is a good 2+ feet deep in the middle, and the water is very clear, it was nice coasting along watching the fish, and turtles in the water. For the most part the fish and turtles were not bothered by the boat, until the shadow of the boat or paddle passed over them, then they would run for cover.

Shortly after a short side trip to a small lake, I came to a fork in the channel, go left for the short 4 mile loop, or go right, and try for the big loop. Yep I took the right, two things happened here, the water got shallower, and the choices gat harder, because at this point the marsh opens up into a series of interconnected ponds. All I knew was I needed to get to a small pond with channel off to the right that meet up with the causeway, and my GPS does not have any of these ponds on it, so it was interesting comparing a aerial photo to an essentially blank screen on the GPS, so I kept a bearing on the causeway on the GPS and compared it to the photo. I found the pond and the channel to the road, and as I turned up the channel an otter popped its head up, saw me a quickly swam away. The channel along the road was kind of ugly, not much more then a drainage ditch. Now all I needed to find was a small channel to the left, and I am pretty much there, well not that easy, I see a couple of small channels on the left, and the only on that is wide enough is overgrown, but not badly. I look at it for a while, and decide to take it real slow, no maneuvering room, and lots of places for bad things to hide, and lots of spider webs, 50 yards and a couple of turns later, the channel begins to open up into the last pond that connects to the main channel. I am heading across the pond, and the water is getting shallower, and all I can think is I really do not want to turn around here, the muck is to deep to try and walk through, and I can see the channel 30 yards away. The bottom of the kayak is dragging in the muck, but I am still able to move, finally after about 20 yards of this the water gets deeper and I am in the channel.

After making the channel, I know I am home free, there is a slight Southbound current to help. About half way down, I saw something floating that caught my eye, there is a Cottonmouth floating about 10 feet from the shore. It appeared that it had no interest in me, only if it should cross the channel or not. It headed bank to the bank but just hung out in the reeds. I think it really wanted to cross, but not with me there. I continued back to the launch, not much really exciting, until I am about a quarter mile from the ramp, I see another Cottonmouth on the water. I am pretty sure this one was hunting, and for the most part ignored me. I think this is the first time I have seen 2 Cottonmouths on the same trip, I guess since winter is coming they are busy getting ready to hibernate. These 2 Cottonmouths were bolder then most I come across on the water, usually they move off the water pretty quickly at the first sight of me and the kayak, usually so fast Im not able to get a picture.

The trip today, was a great way to pass the 500 mile mark.