Paddling

Lakes and Caverns (Hershey, PA)

Earlier in the week I wrote about one aspect of a Labor Day weekend camping trip near Hershey, PA, focusing on the butterflies at Hershey Gardens. Today I wanted to touch on the rest of the trip. We were camped at Gifford Pinchot State Park, a lovely park with lots of amenities situated around Pinchot…Read more Lakes and Caverns (Hershey, PA)

Paddling: Mattaponi River, VA

Several years ago, I started paddling sections of the Mattaponi River one of the two primary tributaries of the York River (the other being the Pamunkey), in eastern Virginia. It's a beautiful, narrow stream with low but steady current despite only a slight downhill gradient, and its rural watershed transports a paddler into what feels…Read more Paddling: Mattaponi River, VA

Paddling Under A Full Moon

It was July 4th, but I still didn't expect so many explosions. Due to crowd restrictions, all the public fireworks displays in our area were canceled, and most of them have been rescheduled for Labor Day. With no plans for the evening, we decided to take advantage of a clear, warm summer night and go…Read more Paddling Under A Full Moon

Patuxent River, Bowie, MD

Tucked away in the trees, just out of sight of one of the busiest commuter corridors in the US (along US 301 and US 50 east of Washington, DC), you can still find a spot of wild refuge. The Patuxent River is the longest river wholly contained within the borders of Maryland, and along its…Read more Patuxent River, Bowie, MD

Odd Bird Out

A collection of barn swallows at Mallows Bay. Everybody seems to be focused in one direction, except for this guy - he's either the only one that knows something, or the only one that doesn't! This is posted in response to the Daily Post's Weekly Challenge - "A Face In A Crowd". See other takes…Read more Odd Bird Out

White Oak River, NC

Far off among the trees, a pileated woodpecker drums on a dead snag. Turtles abandon their sunny logs and disappear into the dark water. Butterflies flit over a half-acre of pickerelweed, marsh mallow, and cardinal flower blooms, while a great blue heron stands in the shallows, looking to catch its next meal. The water, stained…Read more White Oak River, NC

Paddling With Dolphins!

Yesterday, we had a tropical depression ("TD Number Ten" - it never got a name) go over. Today, the ocean was relatively calm, and the clouds were breaking up. I made the attempt to get the kayak out through the surf and see what I could see. (It only took me two tries....) Once I…Read more Paddling With Dolphins!

Paddling Mallows Bay

In April, 1917, US President Woodrow Wilson issued a challenge to his country. World War I was raging in Europe, and Allied shipping was being torn apart by German surface ships and submarines. As a result, the US churned out over a thousand wooden-hulled cargo ships in about 18 months. The war ended in November,…Read more Paddling Mallows Bay