Northern Neck Water Trails: Currioman Bay Experience

This article by Guest Blogger Northern Neck Planning District Commission Environmental Planner Stuart McKenzie is part of an ongoing initiative by the Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Access Authority, the Northern Neck Planning District Commission, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and the Northern Neck Tourism Commission to promote the ten (and counting) Northern Neck Water Trails.

Heading downhill on Currrioman Road past several sorghum fields, the road narrows to one lane and you can smell the salt in the air. Currioman Landing is medium sized boat ramp facility located on Currioman Bay off the Potomac River near the mouth of Nomini Creek in Westmoreland County.  There was only one truck with an empty trailer when we arrived. The Currioman Landing boat ramp is concrete and sufficiently rough to allow the launching a canoe without worrying about slipping on algae. (See photo #1)

Photo 1:  Currioman Landing Boat Ramp

There is a nice little inlet with a sandbar that juts out to protect the Currioman boat ramp from the wind and waves. (See photo #2)

Photo 2: Protective inlet near boat ramp

Make note of the sandbar once you have paddled out into Currioman Bay, for a landmark to guide your return trip. Another useful landmark is a white house on the hill a few hundred yards downstream of the boat ramp.  Noting the appearance of these landmarks upon departing should lead to easy navigating back to the ramp.

When rounding the corner of the sandbar, the wind and waves became apparent. The wind was blowing from the Northeast, about 5-8 knots. As mentioned in the Currioman Bay Water Trail Guide, Currioman Bay is not very well protected from wind and waves (see Photo #3),

Photo 3: Currioman Bay

so this paddling trail is recommended for the more experienced (novice, or expert) paddler. The waves were manageable (no water was splashing into the canoe), and we headed into the wind, paddling the width of Currioman Bay to seek shelter from the wind near the shore of Hollis Marsh (Sharkstooth Island). NOTE: Sharks Tooth Island is privately owned and there is a permit and fee that must be paid to access the island, see

http://www.colonial-beach-virginia-attractions.com/sharks-tooth-island.html.

Paddling into the wind is not easy work, and is not very speedy, but we decided that paddling into the wind was best, as that way, on the return trip we would be going with the wind in a following sea making an easy to return to Currioman Landing with minimal effort. We did not land on Hollis Marsh, but instead skirted the island’s near shore (See photo #4 & #5).

Photo 4: Shark's Tooth Island in Currioman Bay

Photo 5:  Protected shore on Shark's Tooth Island in Currioman Bay

Photo 6: Comb jellyfish or Ctenophora

Next to the sandy shore, I noticed a comb jellyfish (See Photo #6), and remarked that this type of jellyfish does not sting (humans at least). The comb jellyfish moves by moving small hairs, called cilia that line the exterior of their bodies. There are often thousands of them in the waters of the Northern Neck, and you might not even see them unless you have polarized sunglasses that allow you to see past the water surface. We noticed a lot of sea grass (see Photo #7) on Hollis (Sharkstooth Island), and determined it was Phragmites. Phragmites is an invasive plant that spreads rapidly and crowds out native wetland vegetation. For more information on Phragmites, see http://www.fws.gov/GOMCP/pdfs/phragmitesQA_factsheet.pdf .

Photo 7: Phragmites

I cast a 4” chartreuse Gulp swimming mullet on a 3/8 oz. jighead a few times along the shoreline, and got a few nibbles, but was unable to catch any fish. The nibbles might have been small perch whose mouths were too small to swallow the bait, or my imagination. 

The sun was getting low in the horizon so we headed back. The wind provided most of the power, but we paddled to keep the canoe lined up with our destination. Here is a view of the sandbar from Currioman Bay that will guide you to Currioman Landing (see photo #8).

Photo 8: Use sandbar as point of reference on return to Currioman Landing

Northern Neck Water Trails Canoe Trip - Mulberry/Deep Creek Water Trail Accessed Through Belle Isle State Park

Guest Blogger Stuart McKenzie
Environmental Planner
Northern Neck Planning District Commission
Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority

Northern Neck Water Trails Canoe Trip - Mulberry/Deep Creek Water Trail (Belle Isle State Park)
The Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority (NNCBPAA), in cooperation with the Northern Neck Planning District Commission (NNPDC) and the Northern Neck Tourism Commission (NNTC), has created ten water trails for three of the four counties of the Northern Neck. The water trails created for Westmoreland County are Monroe Bay/Creek, Currioman Bay, Lower Machodoc, Bonum Creek Water Trails; for Richmond County, Cat Point Creek and Lancaster/Morattico Water Trails; for Lancaster County, Mulberry/Deep Creek, Greenvale Creek, Corrotoman River, and Little Oyster Creek water trails. Two new water trails for Northumberland are being created this year, and will be located on Cockrell Creek and the Coan River.
These water trails were funded by Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and the four counties of the Northern Neck, and are available for download at the Northern Neck Tourism website, northernneck.org. To access the maps, click on the "Visit" tab and then scroll down to "Parks and Water Trails". To access Lancaster and Westmoreland Water Trails, click on the county map to enlarge it, and then click on the water trail names (in red) to bring up the individual water trails. The large county maps have a long distance "through" trail, either along the Rappahannock River (Lancaster) or the Potomac River (Westmoreland). The ten newly created individual creek water trails are in interior creeks, making them ideal for beginner/novice paddlers. Most of the trails are short, 1-2 hour paddles, and of course you could shorten or lengthen your route depending on your time constraints or physical ability. Each water trail has a map, as well as text that describes the area's historical, cultural and environmental characteristics. These maps are available for download in PDF format, but can also be accessed using a smartphone. Working with local businesses as well as Belle Isle State Park, NNCBPAA staff utilized existing water access sites (mostly public boat ramps) as anchor sites for the water trails.
NNCBPAA staff, after creating the water trails, wanted to paddle some of the trails to experience the creeks firsthand, and to relay to the general public the beauty, serenity and excitement that comes by plying local waters with only a paddle for propulsion. The first water trail paddled was the Lancaster County Deep Creek/Mulberry Creek Trail, which is based at Belle Isle State Park. Early on in the process of creating the water trail, NNCBPAA staff learned that Belle Isle State Park had constructed a primitive paddle-in campsite at the mouth of Mulberry Creek, and this canoe trip was a chance to showcase that new amenity at Belle Isle State Park to local citizens.
Belle Isle State Park, in addition to renting powered boats, also rents canoes and kayaks. There is a car top boat launch on Mulberry Creek (see photo 1), and that is where NNCBPAA staff launched his old, tired and true aluminum canoe, fitted with a center seat. Others were enjoying a morning paddle as well (see photo 2). The day was bright and clear, with a few clouds, and a light wind. Upon launching, the water lapping the hull immediately had a calming influence. Being on the water relaxes me, the waves seem to carry away my troubles (see photo 3). Paddling towards the mouth of Mulberry Creek, I observed several ospreys vying to protect their territory, as well as few gulls looking for an easy snack. About halfway to the mouth of the creek, I noticed an osprey harassing a blue heron, evidently saying "these are MY fish, leave them alone!" (see photo 4). Paddling Mulberry Creek was very serene and quiet, save for an occasional osprey squawk, and the intermittent shrieks of some children playing on the beach opposite the state park. Rounding the bend at the mouth of Mulberry Creek, a nice beach approximately a hundred foot long, beckoned me. This is the beach adjacent to the four primitive campsites at Belle Isle State Park (see photo 5). After landing on the beach, I proceeded inland to examine the four primitive campsites. In addition to the four campsites, there is a portable toilet, a fire ring with benches, three picnic tables and a line to dry lifejackets, bathing suits or towels (see photo 6). Speaking with Belle Isle State Park staff, they relayed that in order to reserve these campsites, they would prefer people call the State Park at (804) 462-5030, so they can explain the limitations of the primitive campsite so that there are no surprises. Launching the canoe from the campsite beach, I decided to see if I could catch a fish, and baited up a bottom rig with some cut squid for bait. After a couple of minutes I had a tug on the line, and I could hear the croak of a croaker as I pulled him out of the water (see photo 7). The croaker wasn't that big, but he thought he was by the way he pulled after being hooked. After catching a few more croakers, it was getting hot and it was time to end the trip. As I paddled towards the canoe/kayak launch (see photo 8), I thought that more people should experience the Northern Neck from this perspective.

Photo 1:  Car top boat launch on Mulberry Creek

Photo 2: Fellow canoeists renting a canoe from the Park

Photo 3: Peaceful paddling

Photo 4: View to the Rappahannock River

Photo 5: Beach near primitive campsite at Belle Isle State Park

Photo 6:Amenities at primitive campsite at Belle Isle State Park

Photo 7: Fishing!

Photo 8:Canoe/kayak launch at Belle Isle State Park

Winter Hiking at the Northern Neck's Three State Parks

“ First Day Hikes” smacks of New Year’s Resolutions, like crowds at Zumba classes at the local Y in January. 

  In case you’re inclined to get outside in the Northern Neck during winter, Belle Isle State Park is a Lancaster County farm on the Rappahannock River and flanked by Mulberry Creek and Deep Creeks.  (The best speech that was ever given in the Northern Neck was by local historian C. Jackson Simmons, Esq., at the dedication of Belle Isle State Park in 1993, entitled “Whose Land is This?”  Let me know if you want a copy as I have it handy for inspiration.) If you have children with you, there is a playground at Belle Isle for ages 5-12.

On January 1, there is a guided hike at 11AM at the Visitors Center, or hike the trails on your own at leisure.  Belle Isle is open until dusk – so you might catch a gorgeous sunset! More information is available here:  http://www.americasstateparks.org/Virginia/park/Belle-Isle-State-Park/35   Trails at Belle Isle are here:   http://www.virginiaoutdoors.com/parks/details/belle-isle-state-park

The oldest state park in the Northern Neck is WestmorelandState Park on the Potomac River.  One of the Civilian Conservation Corps parks, Westmoreland State Park merited its own Historic District designation.  Great stone water fountains dating from the 1930s!   Although much of the Northern Neck is flat, there is a scarp and cliffs that line the Potomac from Stratford Hall, home of the Lee Family, though Westmoreland State Park.  The views to the opposing Maryland shore across the wide Potomac are dramatic and on a clear day, you can see St. Clement’s Island in the middle of the Potomac River. 

KidsPost in The Washington Post did an article on hunting for sharks’ teeth on the beach at Westmoreland, but dress warmly!  In winter the Potomac Beach can be mighty cold.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/neaby-shores-are-hunting-ground-for-shark-teeth/2013/06/17/838ce970-ceb0-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.html

To participate in a First Day Hike at Westmoreland State Park, meet at Visitor Center at 10:00 a.m. and be dressed for a two-hour hike! Meet park staff to take a short hike down the meandering Big Meadows Trail through old growth hardwood forests, final destination, the tidal shores of Fossil Beach. Please note, while the trail is only a little over 1/2 mile it is very steep. To make your adventure more enjoyable, please bring water and something to carry your found treasures.

The first 100 attendees will receive a special First Day Hike bumper sticker. Sign up for our team challenge or photo contest for a chance to win prizes. Find the details here http://bit.ly/2015hikes. You don't have to participate in the scheduled activity to qualify as participating.

Another gem of a state park on the Potomac River is Caledon.  Great trails to the water!  And now with canoe-in campground, for your intrepid and experienced canoists & kayakers.  Located at 11617 Caledon Rd. on Scenic Byway Route 218 in King George County, Caledon was a Natural Area known for its nesting eagles.  Now a state park with an annual Art & Wine Festival in November and other recreation-related monthly events, Caledon is an asset to locals and visitors alike.  Park-friendly with playground and pavilion. 

A Joyful, Healthy 2015 to All - and Happy Hiking tomorrow!

Holiday House Tours in the Northern Neck

First in the line-up is Westmoreland County Museum's Holiday House tour featuring homes in the village of Hague.  

Sponsored by the Westmoreland County Museum in Montross and Murphy’s Seed in Mt. Holly, our 5th annual “Holiday House Tour,” is scheduled for Sunday, December 7th from 2 PM until 6 PM.  Seeing these houses -decorated for the Holidays- will get you in the spirit to start your own decorating, shopping and celebrating with family and friends!

Tickets are now on sale for the 2014 “Holiday House Tour” for $20 and include admission to all houses. Tickets can be purchased at the Westmoreland County Museum in Montross every day, except Sunday, from 10 AM-4 PM, Carrot Cottage, The Inn at Montross, and at Murphy’s Seed in Mt. Holly, or at the Wakefield building (15779 Kings Hwy) on the day of the tour.  

This tour is self-guided.  This popular annual holiday tour proudly showcases the Northern Neck’s historic heritage.  Buy or present your ticket at the Wakefield building in Montross on Sunday, Dec. 7 beginning at 2 PM to receive your Holiday tour book with directions and background information on all of the tour’s houses.  The participating houses are Cameron Farm, The Parsonage, Centreville, and ending at The Manor House at General’s Ridge Vineyard.  As an extra bonus at the end of the tour from 5-6 pm, Westmoreland County Museum will be offering a reception for guests of our tour with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, petite desserts and punch at General's Ridge Vineyard!  General’s Ridge Vineyard will have wine tastings available for purchase.  (Cost of the tastings are not included in the ticket price.)

Participants must start at the Wakefield building in order to receive the tour book, and everyone must have a ticket.  The tour sponsors request no high heels that could damage floors, and no smoking in the houses.  Westmoreland County Museum and the house owners disclaim any responsibility for accidents on this tour.  For more information, please contact Westmoreland County Museum at (804) 493-8440, or email us at wcmuseum@verizon.net.

Next is the two-day Christmas on Cockrell's Creek House Tour in and around Reedville, sponsored by the Reedville Fishermen's Museum.  The 20th annual Christmas on Cockrell's Creek House Tour will be on Saturday, December 13, 10AM - 5PM and Sunday, December 14, 11AM- 4PM.

This year’s house tour features five private homes ranging from a restored farmhouse built in the early 1900s to a contemporary completed in 2008. Whether you choose to stroll Reedville’s Main Street historic district, or travel by free boat shuttle, you’ll enjoy the ambience of our historic village all decked out for Christmas. Five homes, spanning over a century of design and festively decorated by the Chesapeake Bay Garden Club are featured on this year’s tour.  Attendees will be able to see the Dey Cottage via free, narrated boat shuttle, compliments of local captains and the Smith Point Sea Rescue organizaiton. This tour also includes local attractions like the restored “Stack.” 

House Tour tickets are $25 in advance or $30 on the tour days and include all homes, the model railroad and refreshments. There is no cost for the boat ride, Walker House, Tablescapes, Santa's Workshop, or to tour the museum. The beautiful sanctuary of the Bethany UMC is also free to the public. Advance tickets may be purchased at the museum office located at 474 Main Street, Reedville. Office hours Monday thru Friday 9-5, Saturday 10:30-4:30, Sunday 1-4. Mail order forms are available online at www.rfmuseum.org or call the museum office at 804 453-6529 for more information.

 All proceeds will benefit the museum’s ongoing educational and preservation projects.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Heritage

9:00 a.m.
Depart one of the Northern Neck’s delightful bed & breakfasts or country inns after breakfast and travel to Reedville to see this turn-of-the-century fishing village historic district. Visit the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum and its exhibits detailing the traditions of the working watermen and fishermen of the Chesapeake Bay. Also tour several boat restorations, including the replica of John Smith’s barge, “The Spirit of 1608”, a third generation working boatyard and the Walker House, a modest 1875 fisherman’s home. 804.453.6529www.rfmuseum.org

12:00 p.m.
Walk down Main Street to lunch at a casual waterfront setting, The Crazy Crab, located at 902 Main Street. 804.453.6789 reedvillemarina.com

1:30 p.m.
Option 1: Cruise aboard the skipjack Claude W. Somers from Reedville. Watch the crabbers in their traditional Chesapeake Bay workboats tending their crab pots and unloading their catch at a local crab house. Available during the season on various Saturdays so call for a reservation. 804.453.6529 www.rfmuseum.org

Option 2: Tour The Gables, one of Reedville’s fine Victorian sea captain’s mansions, and learn how Captain Fisher built his stately home from bricks brought from England as ballast and how he included the mast of his favorite schooner into the construction. 859 Main Street, 804.453.5209 or www.thegablesbb.com

3:30 p.m.
Located on a low bluff at the end of the Yeocomico River, the historic village of Kinsale was established in 1706. It is the oldest colonial port town on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. Learn about the 1813 battle on Kinsale Creek and the many schooners that frequented the busy port at the Kinsale Museum located in a late 1800′s barroom, then board the Virginia W at nearby Port Kinsale Marina. Built in 1904 and one of only 22 known skipjacks still on the Bay, this stylish former oyster workboat has been restored by the Port Kinsale Foundation. 804.472.3001 or www.kinsalefoundation.org

For further information, contact the Northern Neck Tourism Commission at
804.333.1919 or nntc@northernneck.org. Visit our web sitewww.northernneck.org or on Facebook

Northern Neck's Potomac Heritage Itinerary

A Route 3 driving tour along the Potomac River

9:00 a.m.
Off of Pope's Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, is George Washington Birthplace National Monument, which includes the heart of Augustine Washington's plantation, the 17th century homesite of the immigrant John Washington, and the Washington Family Burial Ground. Tour the Colonial Revival memorial house and dependencies constructed in honor of the bicentennial of Washington's birth and as part of the creation of the national park in 1932. Visit the colonial farm where George Washington was born and took his first steps and immerse yourself in an 18th century experience that includes, gardens, outbuildings, fields and heritage breed animals. Walk along creekside paths to enjoy unspoiled waterfront vistas. 804.224.1732 or www.nps.gov/gewa

11:30 a.m.
Either travel through Montross stopping at The Art of Coffee for lunch, which features homemade soups, pastries, gourmet coffee, lattes, frappes and smoothies. Browse through their gallery as art is always on the menu! Located at 15722 Kings Highway in downtown Montross. 804.493.9651. Or continue on to Stratford Hall dining room for lunch and tour of the Great House.

1:00 p.m.
Stratford Hall is the home of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, and birthplace of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Georgian Great House was built in 1738 and the grounds still encompass 1900 acres of the original land which sits high along the bluffs overlooking the Potomac River. Explore the many dependencies, formal gardens, grist mill and hiking/nature trails. 804.493.8038 or www.stratfordhall.org

3:30 p.m.
Return back up Route 3 to Oak Grove and Ingleside Plantation Vineyards and Winery. Ingleside was built in 1834 and vineyards now cover about 50 acres of gently rolling countryside. Enjoy tours and tastings at one of Virginia's oldest and largest wineries. 804.224.8687 or www.inglesidevineyards.com

Option: Stop by the Westmoreland Berry Farm to stock up on fresh fruit and produce in season (closed until March), and the farm's own line of gourmet fruit preserves. Enjoy a fresh fruit sundae on their pavilion deck overlooking the Rappahannock River. 804.224.9171 or westmorelandberryfarm.com

For further information, contact the Northern Neck Tourism Commission at 804.333.1919 or nntc@northernneck.org. Visit us at www.northernneck.org or on Facebook

What’s the Northern Neck?

What’s the Northern Neck?

This history-laden peninsula between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers has impact.  Impact because of the Washington and Lee families who settled here, built homes, farmed tobacco, and raised families who grew up to chart the course of our nation’s  development.  Impact that predates John Smith’s 1608 explorations when the Virginia Indians encountered Smith’s shallop, or sailing barge, in the Northern Neck’s numerous navigable creeks and along the rivers.  The earliest impact started about 35 million years ago when the Chesapeake Impact Crater was formed by a hit from a mountain-sized meteorite off the coast of Virginia and formed the Chesapeake Bay.

And now, the Virginia Indians are gone from the Northern Neck, but English settlers kept their names on their villages and rivers.  The dense quiet woods that provided the resource for the early log homes later propelled the timber industry, when sawmills dotted the area.  The mill ponds remain, which bear the names of old families whose descendants live here today, and appear unexpectedly around curves on scenic drives through the Northern Neck and provide mirror-like reflections of the surrounding forests.