# Is it safe to take my kayak from Richmond to VA beach down the James?



## whiteka6 (Oct 11, 2010)

It's a sit on top and I don't think it can handle any sort of white water. I want to kayak down the James and have a friend pick me up at the beach where we can just hang out from there. I was thinking some time in March when the weather warms up a little. It seems like it would be fun. How long do you think it would take too?


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## fish123 (Aug 26, 2008)

Yeah, just start below the fall line(14th street bridge). No rapids below there. And in the lower portions, stay the hell out of the shipping channel! I'd recommend doing it in the summer, lower water.


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

Safe- depends on how experienced you are in a yak
Ability- sure you're able to


Don't think you are Kayak Kevin and go exploring without knowing everything. JMO

Ask Kayak Kevin what his thoughts are. He may be able to give you a better perspective on what to do and not to do.


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## whiteka6 (Oct 11, 2010)

I'm not taking a week or month long journey. It's just the James, maybe 100ish miles would be my guess.


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## c.story (Jul 28, 2009)

It will take you more than a day to make that trip. You really need to do your homework before attempting something like this. You need to know where you will stay overnight and what you will sleep in, how much food and water to bring, etc etc. It doesn't seem far at all, but i'd say you need to plan for a minimum of a week.


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## cducer (May 7, 2010)

agreed.... ya gotta figure that with winds,tides, stamina,etc. I dont think even Kevin would make 100 miles a day.... the Bay tour took 6+ weeks and still came up a little short.... Still a major feat in anyones book !!

Take a few short trips first


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

I would think that you at least want to wait until the water warms up enough that you don't have to worry about dumping the boat in 50d water. May/June or Sept would be my months of choice. . . 

Kayak Kevin has a DVD of his bay trip. . I would buy it and watch it with an eye for equipment techniques, etc. Like someone else said mapping out where you will be sleeping, getting supplies, etc. is probably one of the most important parts of the trip. 

Also I would start doing research on currents and tides. If you play the tides and currents you can probably do 30 or 40 miles in a day. Play them wrong and 10 miles will be a tough day. I am basing this on 20 miles a day in flat water or water with mixed currents. I can paddle 10 miles on a half day fishing trip. 

Oh also make sure that you have the correct boat. . . longer is better for a touring boat. Internal storage for camping gear food, etc. is also important for keeping the center of gravity low.


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## dlwn88 (Nov 7, 2010)

This sounds like a great idea. I've been gaining experience with someone else's kayak but I plan on getting my own in the summer, I'd love to do something like this. We'd have to do some research but it'd be great way to spend a day or two.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

I agree this sounds like a great idea. Just plan it well! i would wait for decent water temps.


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## NCSrfsh (Nov 29, 2005)

JOURNEY ON THE JAMES: Three Weeks through the Heart of Virginia
By Earl Swift
It's been a couple years since I read the book. From what I remember the portion about the river below Richmond was very informative.


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## kayak kevin (Jan 31, 2008)

wannabeangler said:


> Safe- depends on how experienced you are in a yak
> Ability- sure you're able toQUOTE]
> 
> what kayak are you going to use?
> ...


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## landlocked (Jun 10, 2001)

I would suggest making smaller trips to get a better feel for the river under different conditions before undertaking the fall line to the beach. I have covered most of the Delaware river up north using rafts, tubes, and canoes and the same trip can double in time from one week to another due to water level. One 4 mile run that I often tubed with my family usually took 4 hours. I remember a trip of 1.5 hours and another of 7 for the same run. Also you cant go wrong listening to Kevin. Good luck.


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## whiteka6 (Oct 11, 2010)

Oh man I was thinking like 3-4 days at most. I go camping a lot that part isn't a problem. I have tons of camping gear. I just need to find some places to camp. I didn't take into consideration the winds though.


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## kayak kevin (Jan 31, 2008)

your gear is going to be limited to how big your kayak is. i wouldent think you will have a hard time finding a spot to camp, you dont need a whole lot of room to camp on. im sure there are small flat, above high tide spots to sleep for a night olong the james.
also like tom said about a longer boat, it will be alot easyer on you then a short one. what kayak you thinking about using?


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## tripp (Apr 6, 2010)

reading this got my wheels spinning. I think it would be a fun trip to make. I was guessing it would take 4-5 days to complete. thats starting on this side of richmond and ending around the JRB or elizabeth river. being a teacher I have spring break at the end of april. was thinking about doing it during that week. I would be riding a prowler 15 and would do it with one or two other guys. 

also, kevin, I ordered the DVD today to get some pointers on making a tour.


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## jasonr (Mar 23, 2009)

NCSrfsh said:


> JOURNEY ON THE JAMES: Three Weeks through the Heart of Virginia
> By Earl Swift
> It's been a couple years since I read the book. From what I remember the portion about the river below Richmond was very informative.


I just saw this post today and must say this was a very good book. Earl is a friend of mine actually and brings his car into my shop for repairs haha. He is a very knowledgeable person and his books are a great read.


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## Smittroc (May 1, 2009)

bring lots of spinach popeye.. toot toooot


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## BAYSLA-ER757 (Oct 26, 2009)

Make sure u got a gps.... And pin point areas where u can stop and make sure where u stop u can light a fire to keep warm ... Pack as lite as u can bcuz that will slow u down


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## cducer (May 7, 2010)

I would think that overnight camping areas and restock areas would be a major concern. Maybe have a "mother ship" pontoon boat for a place to sleep on. some may say its cheating... but at least you wont run the risk of getting arrested for trespassing ! it would also lessen the amount of gear needed on each yak.


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## whiteka6 (Oct 11, 2010)

cducer said:


> I would think that overnight camping areas and restock areas would be a major concern. Maybe have a "mother ship" pontoon boat for a place to sleep on. some may say its cheating... but at least you wont run the risk of getting arrested for trespassing ! it would also lessen the amount of gear needed on each yak.


That's my biggest concern for camping.

Also I have a Ocean Kayak Trident 13. 

Also I think I'm gonna pick up that book to get this week.


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## kayak kevin (Jan 31, 2008)

tripp, the prowler 15 is good for the distance, shante used mine when she meet me for the last two weeks of the bay tour.

whiteka6, your trident 13 will be fine. 
if you scope out a site to camp on well away from any paths, roads or easy access to you by foot, you should be ok.
ive never been kicked off of a camp in the evening, i wait to put my tent up late and if any one comes buy they usally are cool with me staying there after i tell them what im doing. ive been kicked off of camps in the morning but it dosent matter then.
i woudent do camp fires, its going to draw attention to your position.


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

There was a guy a couple years ago that paddled from Lake monticello all the way to Va beach. He put in on the Rinvanah at Crofton, hit the James in Columbia, portaged around the "real stuff" at the fall line in Richmond, then made it the rest of the way to the ocean. He had a blog type deal where he posted his notes from each day of the float. It included camping spots and various other tid bits of info.
He used a 17 ft fiberglass sea kayak. I'll seach around & see if I can find it.


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

I couldn't find the blog, but I think he posts on paddling dot net as "Jbead". you might contact him over there.


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## tripp (Apr 6, 2010)

looking at the map theres the chickahominy riverfront park you can stop at to camp and prob restock. There also looks to be plenty of shoreline you can camp out on. I am thinking about doing this trip the last week in april. going to be doing alot of research between now and then.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

Water temperatures, . . . water temperatures . . . Water Temperatures. . . Air Temperatures. . . . 

For like 6 years running I did the C&O canal trail along the Potomac River with one or the other of my two sons and Boy Scouts. Always on spring break in the local school system. Some years it was way colder than I would be willing to take a swim after a emergency dump of a boat. . . some years it wasn't so bad.

Maybe Kevin can speak of clothing, emergency gear, etc. as a function of water temperature or a combination of water temperature and air temperature.

Me I am nervous when the water temps are below about 55d.

As far as equipment. . .A good camp stove, a good 20d sleeping bag, a good waterproof tent, etc. and you should be fine. Backpacking equipment works well in a kayak if you use a dry bag to store it low. If you are potentially camping without permission then no fire unless you are wet and in danger of hypothermia. With that in mind bring fire starter sticks, fire ribbon and matches in a dry box.


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## yerbyray (May 18, 2010)

*Kayak Camping*

I have done several kayak camping trips and the two items that I found indespensable were a water filtration pump and a hammock.

The pump, a good quality one that has a back flow wash out feature, will really cut down your weight as you can refill your water along the trip. Do carry some sort of chemcial back up as no system is fool proof and you need lightweight redundency on any critical item.

The hammock is amazing. I found one that has a bug screen that zips up for less than fifty bucks. It weighs less than 20 ounces and with a cheap poly tarp it is rainproof. The use of a hammock eliminated the bulk and weight of a tent and the need for a sleeping pad, although I do on occassion use my sleeping pad in it. The downside is that you need trees about 20' apart, but I imagine there are still a few left in Virginia.

This trip does sound interesting and although I am in NC, I would be interested in doing in one time from the historic perspective.

One cool tool that I hope you are using is Google Earth. It is free and you can get a good idea of where to camp, where population centers, stores, etc are and what to stay away from.


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## dlwn88 (Nov 7, 2010)

Maybe to make the time shorter it could be started from Newport News/JRB area or something then on down to virginia beach if you were trying to do a weekend thing. I think that'd be possible...


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## kayak kevin (Jan 31, 2008)

dlwn88 said:


> Maybe to make the time shorter it could be started from Newport News/JRB area or something then on down to virginia beach if you were trying to do a weekend thing. I think that'd be possible...


there's not to many places to camp between jrb and vb, if any.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

My opinion for a first trip would be to pick a put in spot 15 to 20 miles upstream from a known campground, going on a day when you can catch an outgoing tide. Paddle to the campground; camp using only what you brought and paddle to a second car at the down stream lot. 

For instance put in at Jordon Point paddle to the campground at the RT 5 bridge over the Chickohaminy River. The paddle down to the Warwick river or maybe to the JRB. There are enough "secret" camp site in between the spots that you could pull out at if your really had to. Plus you have the campground at Jamestown that might be available.

The real thing that we all might try to share is the location of legal campsites along the river.


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## dlwn88 (Nov 7, 2010)

kayak kevin said:


> there's not to many places to camp between jrb and vb, if any.


That makes sense, didn't even think about that. I know there's a KOA campground but thats all the way on the VB oceanfront lol


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## fishnuttz (Jun 27, 2008)

I do alot of fishing near hopewell and know there several islands that people sometimes camp on one right next to the Benjamin Harris bridge . I would watch out for Cotton mouths though there is a bunch all up and down the river in the summer.


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## tripp (Apr 6, 2010)

Fishnuttz, 

thanks for the info on the snakes, what are some good launching sites up that way? I am going to make this trip at the end of april.


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## fishnuttz (Jun 27, 2008)

tripp said:


> Fishnuttz,
> 
> thanks for the info on the snakes, what are some good launching sites up that way? I am going to make this trip at the end of april.


I put in most of the time in City point. free parking and short carry with the yak at the park . Just go to bottom of the hill where the fishing dock is . Jorden point will charge you ten dollars .


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## fishnimpossible (Feb 1, 2011)

i think you have been watching too much bear giles or survivor man....lol..lol...just kiddn....good luck and stay warm and hydrated......dont forget your rod!!!!


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## tripp (Apr 6, 2010)

is this coming from the same guy asking about a permit for the hot ditch!? haha :beer:

:fishing:


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

I've launched from the Hopewell City Park behind the Library many times.I was told by a ranger that launches were not allowed at City Point but you could at the the west end of it on Water Street where the tugs used to be tied up some years ago.
You could also do a sneak launch down on Rt 618 on the Charles City County side .There is a Park at the end of Rt 618 and a fishing pier don' know the name of it but thought about launching there.
Also on that side there is a guy I used to work with that lives on Herring Creek and rents kayaks and will let you launch there for $4 at his launch site..
Good Luck on your trip.
You should post this on the kayak board and also on other kayak forums.
such as www.wkfa.org, www.tidalfish.com


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## fishnuttz (Jun 27, 2008)

bbcroaker said:


> I've launched from the Hopewell City Park behind the Library many times.I was told by a ranger that launches were not allowed at City Point but you could at the the west end of it on Water Street where the tugs used to be tied up some years ago.
> You could also do a sneak launch down on Rt 618 on the Charles City County side .There is a Park at the end of Rt 618 and a fishing pier don' know the name of it but thought about launching there.
> Also on that side there is a guy I used to work with that lives on Herring Creek and rents kayaks and will let you launch there for $4 at his launch site..
> Good Luck on your trip.
> ...


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