Angel’s Share Studio

On July 11,DITRT (Diamond in the rough Triathlon 2008, my paddling buddy, Billy Beals and I set off for Perryville, Maryland for the annual Diamond in the Rougbh Triathlon (DITRT.) No, we’re not triatholetes, we are part of Jack’s Yaks - the on-water support for the swim portion of the event. Billy and I have been doing this since the second year of the nationally sanctioned event. Since we have a distance to travel, Billy and I go up the night before and camp out at the part with Jack Davis the head of ‘Jackk’s Yaks.’

Jack, among a whole list of other things, is an historian, an archaeologist, an inventor, a maker of walking sticks, and the list could go on. Jack organizes and provides kayakers for the on-water support team. Any procedes coming from the event is funneled to the regional archaeological society.

After an evening meal at a local restaurant Billy, Jack and I settled in for the annual swapping of information and lies. At about nine o’clock I signaled that I was ready to hit the hay, hearing no objections we all hit the sack and within minutes snores could be heard from our two tents and Jack’s van.  This was the first year that I slept the night through without hearing the hourly sound of passing trains.

I was up by the crack of dawn as was Billy. We ate, struck camp and readied ourselves for the events of the day. Twenty kayakers finally made up our team. After instructions we set out in two teams to cover the ‘bases’ for the swim. The course is laid out somewhat like a baseball field. The one mile course is made up of four one quarter mile legs - the distances between ‘home’, ‘third’, ’second’, ‘first’ and back to ‘home.’ The course is run counterclockwise of a base ball field in order to allow for tide and river currents.

Over five hundred triathletes were divided into three heats. Each heat has a color-coded swim cap to designate entrants and their time of start. It also enables us, the on-water support team, to watch out for potential problems when a first heat person has fallen back amoung the second or third heat competitors. Fortunately only four of the swimmers had any difficulty. Two of the triathletes had to be ‘rescued’ because of cramps and ultimately quit the race. Two others just rested on boats catching their breath - all but the two finishing the race.

After our responsibility with the event, Billy, I and ‘Miami Mike’ a fellow paddler we have come to know at the event went out for a two hour paddle. We paddled in Mill Creek Furnace Bay andPrincipio Creek (the creek goes well beyond rt. 95.)   On leaving
Furnace Creek there are three ‘channels’ only one leading up to the stone train bridge, the Principio Furnace and the quarry. We started by taking the far right ‘creek’ which we knew to be a ‘false’ lead but a very pretty paddle. We then took the middle creek and finally the true course (Principio Creek)  to the bridge, quarry and old furnace.

On our way we saw many interesting flora and fauna. However, the most interesting was the ‘hitch-hiker’ who joined us for the last hour of our paddle - a zebra swallowtail butterfly. Billy had chased me down all excited. “Do you have your camera with you?” he asked. Unfortunately I did not. He showed me the butterflie that had joined him for a ride.   As I looked at the butterfly and named him for Billy and Mike the butterfly flew over to a blue throw-line pouch that I had in my lap. Fortunately Mike did have a camera with him and he took pictures (see gallery of images) of the zebra swallowtail, Billy and Me.

The butterfly stayed in the bottom of my kayak for the next three quarters of an hour while we paddled back to the Perryville Community Park boat ramp. I dashed up to get my camera to get some real close-ups of the butterfly but by the time that I returned he had flown away.

The Perryville Community Park ramp is a very friendly put over for kayaks and canoes. From the ramp you can paddle in very quiet waters of Mill Creek, Furnace Bay  and Pricipia Bay or you can paddle East/Northeast to the Northeast River,  south and west to the Susquahanna and Havre de Grace or for the more hearty paddlers south across (or down) the bay to points of interest on the eastern shore (Betterton, Tolchester, Rock Hall etc.) . Have a good paddle! Until next time. HEM

On Friday, May 4th, Billy Beals, my friend, fellow guide and instructor, and I took a group of ten friends paddling on Church Creek. My previous report on Bogles Wharf - ENNWR paddle provides a way to get to Church Creek from the public ramp at Bogles Wharf. We were launching from a private residence located on Church Creek.

The launch was delicate - one boat at a time.  While Billy saw to the launching I circled those already launched and provided additional instruction and practice. Once assembled we paddled from mid-point in Church Creek, south toward the mouth of the creek and the Eastern Neck Narrows. (Last year we took the same group up the creek while providing basic and advanced instruction.)

Tide is an essential factor in paddling through the Eastern Neck Narrows as at low tide it is nothing but sand and mud flats. The almost non-existant channel is difficult to find and navigate. We were on a rising tide. We fought the current of the rising tide toward the Chesapeake bay turning into long cove about fifty yards beyond the wooden bridge over the narrows. This cove is a protected meandering cove. (Good fishing for perch, catfish and in the fall, Rock fish.) The narrows opens to the Chesapeake Bay on the west side and the Chester River on the east. One could paddle around Eastern Neck Island (a ten mile paddle), north up the bay shoreline to Tolchester and points north depending on length of paddle. Or paddle the Chester River shoreline north toward Chestertown (about a 15-20 mile paddle) passing Cliffs City (the Corsica River on the Queen Annes side of the river), Quaker NecK and other points of interest along the way.

I mention all of these paddling opportunities because the place from which we launched is a beautiful six room cottage that, for a group of paddlers willing to share the cost, is an incredibly beautiful place to rest your head at a very reasonable price. The cottage, Riverside House at Alton Farm, looks out over Church Creek, Napley Green penninsula and on into the Chester River. For more information on cottage rental call J.P. Ridgely at 410 639 7970 - ask for Miss Julia (tell her Howard, the kayak guy referred you.) Believe me the location and accomodations are worth the call.  Rock Hall has many fine bed and breakfast accomodations as well - with several public put over points.
I hope to get out Wednesday of this week - possibly Southeast Creek. Have a great day. HEM

In prepartation for guiding a group of ten friends in the area of Church Creek between Eastern Neck and Napley Green I put over at Bogle’s Wharf at the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (ENNWR.) The Refuge is six miles south of Rock Hall. Take a left off of Route 20 at the blinker light and proceed through Main Street which becomes Eastern Neck Road, continue six miles until you cross the Eastern Neck Narrows Bridge and on to the Refuge. Follow the signs to Bogles Wharf public ramp. This is the starting point of the Eastern Neck Island Water Trail ( part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.)

[The water trail is a circular route of about ten miles around the island. (To learn more about this and other Kent County and ‘Greenways’ water trails visit www.kentcounty.com/paddling or www.dnr.state.md.us/greenways/watertrails.html.)

I have paddled the ENNWR water trail several times both in setting up the trail and guiding groups around the trail. I have soloed in each direction several times and taken side trips up Church Creek , Gray’s Inn Creek and of course the many tiny coves on the Island itself. The most ambitious trip around the island was to put over a Tolchester and paddle south past Rock Hall past Eastern Neck Island then back up the Chester River to Cliffs City. (This one way paddle is about 25 miles. And you obviously need a drop off and pick place. I’ll report on this and other long paddles in future entries.) If you choose to paddle the water trail you may get an inexpensive waterproof map at the Refuge Visitor’s center.]

Sorry if I got off track. Today’s paddle was (Eastern Neck, Bogles Wharf to Chruch Creek and back) a warm up and recon trip for the trip from Church Creek two days later. My friend John Foehrkolb and I did the paddle in two hours of leisurely paddling. We put over at Bogles traveled north past points 1- 6 on the watertrail. Bogles (1) and two marked points on Bogle Cove (2 -3) past Duck Inn Trail water entrance (4 - a stopover beach point from which you could walk the winding nature trail) past Boxes Point Trail (5 - another beach area stopover where the trail may be accessed via foot.) Beyond Boxes Point in slightly west of North direction is the mouth of Church Creek. From the mouth of the creek to its mud flat head is 2 mi. There are no public put overs on the creek.

During our paddle we saw great blue herons, mallards, three eagles - two mature and one immature, several osprey and one white tail deer. It is best to paddle this area during the spring and fall. July and August in addition to being very hot are months of the flying tormentors - mosquitoes and various fly species. If you do paddle these waters bring sun screen and insectrepellant. As usual, have a nice paddle. HEM

Welcome back to the on going log of what I hope to be many paddles this season.  Today’s paddle, a two hour paddle, up and down Morgan Creek from the Riley’s Mill put-over at the public ramp by the same name.

Riley’s Mill public landing is located just a few miles north of Chestertown, Maryland on route 213.  The ramp is at the end of the road by the same name.  The put-over is hard to soft bottom - good only for kayaks, canoes and very small trailered boats. 

The creek meanders north (to the left) up toward route 213 and south about three plus miles to the Chester River. 

Today I chose to paddle north first just to see how many obstacles arose over the winter months.  I took a leisurely paddle (probably 2.5-3 mi per hour.)

Right at the start I jumped five woodducks.  They were about two hundred feet ahead but their distinct flight and the female sqweal gave them away.  I continually saw these five and several more as I paddled.  In addition there were black and Mallards.  An eagle, a  third to fourth year juvenile crossed my path several times as did blue herons and one green heron.  I did not encounter any marsh rats during this paddle.

About fifteen minutes into the paddle I saw a flock of about ten resident Canada geese (not so remarkable - but…) at the edge of the flock stood a very large whitetail deer.  It, possibly an anterless buck, stood frozen staring at me hoping he was invisible.  I had stopped paddling and allowed the  tide to carry me silently for the next few minutes.

The usual bird calls for that area and early spring sounded through the wooded area and the marsh grasses throughout the paddle - red-winged black birds,  red bellied woodpeckers,  northern flickers,  mourning doves, Carolina wrens, robins, chick a dees were all heard at one point or another.

Two frogs, southern lepard, kept a conversation going for quite a while.

About twenty minutes into the paddle you come to a not too distinctive ‘Y’ in the creek.  The arm to the left is drainage from Urieville Lake located on route 213 north of Riley’s Mill Road.  The right fork on a very high tide will carry you on for another twenty minutes to culverts under Perkins Hill Road.  Unfortunately on  low water you can only paddle about two hundred yards when you come to a very large tree lying across creek (it can be ‘jumped’ at a very high tide.  I have on an especially high tide gone under Perkins Hill Road and paddled thirty yards beyond where you come to a dammed pond.

The Urieville Lake arm (the one to the left) carries you a short distance where it is choked out by water  iris and other plants and downed trees. 

I turned around and slowly meandered down the creek again passing the put-over just to get roughly two hours of paddling in.   This area is great for very large channel catfish.  During the spring perch and large rock fish can be found there as well.

The paddle from the put-over south (to the right) is a great paddle leading to the Chester River (the point of entrance mentioned in my last entry.)  I have paddled this leg many times - two years as on-water support for the local ‘Paddle for Sight’ fund raiser for the Chestertown Lion’s Club.  (Unfortunately the event did not survive the first two years.) 

The paddle down and back is about three-four hours depending on the tide and your paddling skills.

This is but another beautiful area accessed by the many public ramps in Kent, County Maryland.   See you next time.  HEM

In addition to my photography, poetry and my love of the nectar of the gods I am an avid kayaker.  I am an ACA flatwater instructor and former guide.  During the past ten years I have kayaked most of the rivers on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, some of the western shore waterways, Cape Breton Island and numerous other areas.  I have Kayaked from all of the thirty Kent County public ramps and all of Queen Anne’s Counties ramps and those of most of the Eastern Shore Counties.  Having said all of that, I would like to start with April 16 and 17 as the start of my new season.

 Yesterday, April 16, 2008, I paddled a portion of the Chester River - launching at the public ramp at Buckingham, about one mile notheast of Chestertown -and half of Morgan Creek - about a two hour slow rate paddle (I’m getting the muscles back in shape.) 

 Fist, let me say for those of you who have not paddled the Chester River - it is a brown river.  Runoff, muddy bottom in many areas of the river and tannens of tree roots are some of the reasons that it is a  ‘brown’ river.  Do not let this deter you from paddling the Chester.  It has some of the loveliest coves and scenery anywhere on the shore.  the flora and fauna are also a joy to see.

 Yesterday as I stated I put over at Buckingham public landing at 4:00pm and paddled round trip for two hours.  The first thing to greet me was an eagle in the nest just fifty yards north of the landing.  A bassboat with two fisherman were fishing just beyond the put over point.  Halfway between Buckingham and the mouth of Morgan Creek I saw two osprey and over three hundred double crested cormorants - a good indication that the rockfish (stripped bass) are spawning and the perch are running.

This stretch of the river, as is the case in most of the creeks, is best paddled on a rising to high tide.  Even in a kayaka you can get grounded if you don’t know exactly where to go.  And, to me at least, all of the creeks look much better with high water.

Just prior to entering Morgan Creek I encountered several pairs of mallards and one pair of black ducks.  I hadn’t gone far in Morgan Creek before I saw the first of nine muskrats crossing the creek at various points along my way.  I was startled by a pair of woodducks that were as surprised as I.  And just as I had recovered a bald eagle crossed my bow obviously having come from fishing the shoreline.

The redwing blackbirds were busy building nests and trying to attract the females returning from their southern migration with their oak-a-lea calls.  They are brilliant in their mating plummage as are the mallards.

At this point I have passed the blue trestle bridge of Morgneck Road.  Three fisherman are bank fishing and all have caught small perch and mud cats.  In the next mile and a half I encountered three additonal eagles, several great blue heron and most importantly solitude.  I recommend highly Morgan Creek for a pleasant flat water paddle.  It may be accessed at Riley’s Mill Road and landing (off of route 213 about two miles north of Chestertown.)  This landing gives you two choices: up the creek [to the left from the put over] a good winding paddle through marshy surroundings with many flura and fauna surprises along the way.  The second choice is to go down the creek about two and a half miles to the Chester River - a comfortable two to three hour roundtrip paddle.

 Today,  Thursday, April 17,  I put over at the Washington College Boat ramp (I have special permission to launch there.  Sorry, but the closest public ramp is at Buckingham landing the ramp that I mentioned in yesterday’s trip report.)  On a good high tide you can actually launch a kayak or canoe at the foot of highstreet (but don’t get caught on a low tide.)  There is a private ramp at the Chestertown Marina [I’m not sure of the cost for putting over there] just about two hundred yards above the Washington College put over from which I launched.

These launching sites give you multiple opportinities to access the Chester river exploring up and down the river with Kent county on the launching side and Queen Annes County on the opposite side of the river [the Chester River is a boundary between these two counties.]

I paddled south about two hundred yards to the entrance to Radcliff Creek and paddled an equal distance up the creek before deciding to return to the Chester.  Radcliff creek is a beautiful paddle at high tide, very shallow and muddy at low tide.  I decided to do Radcliff another day on a high tide (and possibly a full moon night.)

I returned to the River and paddled south for about a mile passing homes and the Chester River Country Club on the Kent County side.  At his point after about three more very lovely homes there is about a mile of farms and woodlands.  I then crossed the river (about a half mile at that point) to the Queen Anne’s County side.  (Be very careful crossing the Chester and be knowlegable of just where the channel is - it tends to take wide turns at various places up and down the river.  Friday through Sunday large boat traffic can be very heavy.)

I always like doing the northern stretch of the Queen Anne’s County side up to and past the Chester River Bridge.  There are some very beautiful and unusual homes along that stretch.  I paddled about another mile up the river then crossed to just above the Heron Point retirement complex.  Then I returned to the Washing College Boat House ramp (actually floating dock - one of the few places where you have a ‘dry’ entry.)  About two hundred yards north of the  Chester River Bridge is a small gut called locally Horsey Gut.  On a high tide I often put over there from Queen Street by a little wooden bridge.

The stretch from Horsey Gut to the bridge is lined with many old and stately homes.  Just beyond the bridge about two hundred yards is Wide Hall a lovely colonial home with a vast expanse of walled-in grass and garden next to the foot of High Street. You will see a pier like landing with benches.  Next to that is the Customs House now a Washington College property that houses the Archeology Department and an interesting display of artifacts in the basement area of the building.

You next encounter  the Chestertown Marina and Restaurant (formerly The Old Wharf Restaurant) on most days you will the Sulatan - a replica of a revolutionay sailing vessel.  Next to the Marina is a group of Condinium Houses then Wilmer Park, the larger of two parks in Chestertown.  The tree and bench lined park is venue to many activitie held seasonally in Chestertown.  (Native American Pow wow,  Jazz concerts, the second day of the Chestertown Tea Party,  and other activities.)

The ajoing pavillion is owned by Washington College. The floating dock is the termination point of my paddle - but not before waiting for three rowing shells to be launched.  Two of the shells are adult teams from the community (the college works closely with the community in many endeavors) and one single.  I manage to kid with several menbers of each crew whom I know from working out together at the local health and fitness center.  These last two days have been incredible for paddling this early in the season.

Please ask any questions that you may have about paddling over here on the Eastern Shore.  I hope I can be of service or can direct you to someone who can help.  The end of another wonderful paddling day.  HEM