BLUEBIRD GAP FARM PADDLE - JACK
We had an pleasant relaxed paddle, first paddle of the season for us. Nine of us turned out and enjoyed great spring weather, actually summer temperatures. We launched at the new floating dock and kayak launch recently put in by the City of Hampton.
Several people in the T.G. have asked who built my lightweight wooden kayak. I have two, and my daughter Jill just got one. The builder is Ted Causey, and I brought him as my guest.
We paddled by the Hampton Coliseum, thought about Power Point Park, but decided because of the swift outgoing current to head back and paddle around the salt water wetlands behind Bluebird Gap Park. Much of the water was very shallow and we were glad that it was near high tide. There was little to none of “suburban scenery”. We saw lots of phragmites and enjoyed the isolation, right in the middle of the Peninsula.
The second hour we paddled westward up Newmarket Creek, wondering if the outgoing tide might leave us high and dry. It did not, and we were able to paddle under the Power Point Parkway bridge, going all the way to the Aberdeen Road bridge, a little over a mile. On the way back we had favorable wind and current and the paddling was easy.
We were back to the launch by noon. After loading our kayaks, we found a picnic table under a huge tree just inside the Farm. We were greeted and entertained by a large completely white peacock. Bill got some great pictures. Lots of laughs at lunch, mostly due to Jane’s account of biking on the Virginia Creeper Trail. We all want to go there!
Then we walked around the “Farm” and saw cows, chickens, goats, emus, peacocks, pigs, geese, etc., and also a Master Gardener’s plant sale. It was fun and then we went home (without ice cream).
Addendum: A few days after our paddle, the Daily Press ran a front page article with a picture of the launch we used. It said that there had been a problem with contaminated water and other management problems by the City of Hampton (which did not advise the public of the water situation). The planned kayak rental program was abandoned. I had received assurances about a month before our paddle that there had been a contamination problem, but that it had been solved. I don’t know if that is correct or not.
View Bill's Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD98LEs