Kayak Virginia Beach

Eagle Eye - North Landing River - Altons Creek

I was not sure about today, not feeling 100% I almost took a pass, but I am really glad I stuck with my plan.
The weather was a bit crisp, about 54 with a North wind of 10 to 14 MPH, and the water level was really up. Launching the kayak was a little tricky, being as the beach I usually launch from was completely covered with water and some debris.

It has been a year since I last paddled this area of the North Landing River, so I thought it was time for another visit. I wanted to head up Altons creek, being as in the past low water levels have resulted in shorter trips. For the most part the marshes are set for the winter, and there is very little plant or animal activity, but it is still enjoyable listening to the wind in the reeds. About halfway up the creek, I spotted some large birds soaring above the trees in the distance, and I was hoping to get close enough to get some good pictures, but they were much further South by the time I got to the area.

I decided to focus on the North fork this time around, and there looks to be a lot of potential for this area in the warmer months, so I will be back in the spring or maybe before.

Since I had a late start, I decided to head out to the river, and use some of the wind I had been fighting all day for a free ride home.

I was about to turn into an oxbow and check out some of the old derelict barges, when I saw a a large bird, land in a dead tree on the river. I decided the the bird was a better then old barges any day. At first the sun was making identification real difficult, and at first I thought it was just a buzzard, but the angle got better, and I saw that it was a Bald Eagle. So now I was wondering how close I could get, and would I get the before the large power boat coming down the river, got there. Well the timing was almost perfect, I got to the tree, essentially right under the Eagle, just as the power boat got there, the Eagle decided to leave, and I got a pretty good picture of it taking off. I had barely enough time to put the camera away, and close the hatch and paddle like crazy before the large wake of the power boat did bad things to me. After getting things settled down again, I saw the Eagle again in a tree on the other side of the river.
Just one of the things that keeps me going back for more...