Kayaking the Rivanna River, Albemarle County, Va
Kayaking the Rivanna River
Gardening chores complete, Stephen and I pulled the kayaks out of winter storage and headed down the hill to the river for a few hours of glorious, relaxing time kayaking the Rivanna River.
Several years ago, the place we now put in off of Reas Ford Rd was a mess of trash and, during hunting season, deer carcasses. Then, one hot day, someone dumped a load of animal remains. The smell at our home was horrific (we are located above the site). I started making phone calls, calling the health department and then our representative on the Board of Supervisors, Ann Mallek. In years past, calls to local officials had fallen on deaf years. The situation had reached terrible proportions, and the fact that this part of the river feeds so closely into the Rivanna Reservoir, well, I thought, surely someone will care. And that someone did present themselves... Ann Mallek took immediate action. Within three days, the entire area was cleaned and barriers were placed. Boaters and fisher-people can still get to the river, but vehicles are not allowed. We are now able to put our kayaks in at a reasonably clean area and enjoy this remarkable resource.
The place we "put in" isn't an official, County-sanctioned boat ramp, and I caution residents to scope out your options before heading out with your boats. Confirm that the place you find is not private property... it isn't always clear. There are great, public options throughout the County. Following are links to a few local resources.
Heron fishing along the banks of the Rivanna River
The City of Charlottesville website Boating page
This is the boating/river access page for Albemarle County and, from there, here are the Parks in Albemarle County
A few other links for people wishing to enjoy our local waters...
If you know of other links that I should add, please email me.
I'll leave you with this short video of a detour we took along our way down the river.
[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="http://www.charlottesvillehome.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rivanna-May-29-2017.mp4"][/video]
Please visit our other posts about outdoor recreation in the Charlottesville area and VA:
Enjoying water sports around Charlottesville
Hiking Crabtree Falls
Great Trails to Visit in VA
Shenandoah National Park Waterfalls
There are LOADS of fun, outdoor recreational opportunities in the Charlottesville area. The best resource we've found is the Charlottesville-Albemarle Recreation Guide, developed by Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Activities in the guide include hiking, cycling, mountain biking, canoeing , kayaking, fishing, golfing, horseback riding, and more. Also, there are website links to visit for more detailed information. Above all else, there is something fun for everyone here!
Albemarle County - Information about this Central Virginia County - Learn why the area is attracting people of all ages and interests.
Homes for Sale in Charlottesville Area Neighborhoods...always current!
If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Charlottesville area, rely on me to help you put the pieces together. Virginia Gardner, Roy Wheeler Realty Co., (434) 981-0871 Email Virginia
