Water Words: “Exploring Virginia’s Waterways”
Exploring Virginia’s Waterways
A Paddler’s Guide to Waters of the Old Dominion State
By Edward Gertler
Seneca Press, 2022
411 pages
Report by Bob Brueckner
In the opening chapter of his new guidebook of Virginia’s rivers, author and paddler Edward Gertler expresses his desire to be a “river match-maker” because “these waters beg to be enjoyed.”
To that end, Gertler provides the paddler with descriptions of more than 6,000 miles of rivers, bays and wetlands.
The book shares a resemblance to H. Roger Corbett’s Virginia Whitewater, and Gertler notes that Corbett served as his mentor for guidebook writing.
In addition to this new guidebook, Gertler has written Maryland and Delaware Canoe Trails, Keystone Canoeing: A Guide to Canoeable Water of Eastern Pennsylvania and Garden State Canoeing: A Paddler’s Guide to New Jersey.
Sometimes it’s just fun to read Gertler’s descriptions, which provides a glimpse at the inner workings of the author’s mind. He’s not exactly a cheerleader for every river and creek in the book and at times laments the changes wrought by urban development along the shores. But here are some gems:
Broad Run: “…When I first ran this in the early 1990s, much of the path was through unspoiled farmland. Now it is suburbia. It is a stream of extremes, one part extremely exciting, the other part extremely dull.”
Cedar Run: “… Cedar Run is a quiet country stream within easy reach of many. Too small and complicated for a beginner and too quiet for a whitewater paddler, that pretty much assures that if you go there, you will have the stream to yourself.”
Little River (Yes, Virginia has one, too.): “Indeed it is little, and probably not your idea of a “river.” But such tiny paths are irresistible to a portion of the paddling community, and if you can overlook the hardships, this one is a lovely tour.”
Jerrys Run: “You will probably want to carry three waterfalls, the bigger of which is about an eighth of a mile below the tunnel. Tunnel? Yes, the creek passes through a long dark tunnel under the railroad grade, and you will be running rapids in the dark.”
But there’s more. While flipping through the guidebook’s 411 pages, the names of some rivers and creeks captured my attention:
Short streams with long names: For example, the Laurel Fork of North Fork of South Branch Potomac River. Despite being “one of Virginia’s most beautiful,” hazards listed on this Class II-IV stretch are listed as “Definitely expect wood. Isolation.”
Long streams with short names: The Pigg River fits the bill. Gertler writes that he was “happy to explore this creek just for its name.”
I actually raced against CCC member Cleo Smith and hundreds of competitors on a rather lean Pigg many years ago. Contestants included one paddler in a jon boat and two more in a pedal boat. The pedal boat did remarkably well considering the fact there was almost no water in the river.
Names that cut to the chase: Consider Difficult Run. Do you need to read any further? Gertler classifies this tributary of the Potomac as one of the “urbanized creeks of Northern Virginia.”
However, Difficult Run is at first deceptive, “… mostly flatwater and ripples.” But things change quickly, Gertler writes. “… for most of us, it is time to switch from boats to boots. The creek plunges into a glen, and I mean plunges.”
Run, run, run: The observant paddler will find descriptions of several runs in the book, including Broad Run, Kettle Run, Bull Run, Cub Run and Gooney Run.
Cripple Creek: “Its alliterative name is reason alone for you to be curious about this obscure Wythe County stream.”
Crooked Creek: “Indeed it is crooked. What creek in Virginia is not?”
South River: “There are just so many South Rivers in Virginia. So confusing.”
Creeks at odds with their names: “You would think that with a name like Swift Creek and with it being positioned between the fall lines of the James and Appomattox this would be another prime whitewater run,” Gertler writes. “But it is not.”
And what about Four Mile Run? It’s actually 5.3 miles long.
Ed “Boulderbuster” Gertler has been paddling a canoe since 1962. His curiosity has lured him down rivers in 37 countries, 47 states and every county in Virginia
Ed Gertler’s website: https://paddlersguides.wordpress.com/
Questions on the availability of Exploring Virginia’s Waterways can be sent to e_gertler@yahoo.com