Know your environment

Flowing James River

During a canoe trip yesterday, my husband and three older children encountered the river flowing a little faster than usual.  They revisited Huguenot Flatwater which is a safe, flat place to canoe and kayak, but other parts were higher than normal.

There were actually several rescues that took place on the river yesterday, but that occurred further downsteam closer to the dam where more rapids and hydrolics are prevalent. Life jackets are a must when the river is above 5 ft., insha Allah

So, part of learning to canoe is also learning how “read” the river or any other type of body of water you are canoeing, insha Allah.  For example, if the wind is blowing it is easier to paddle if you hug the shoreline.

Along the way, they discovered an small island where they landed the canoe and took a break, masha Allah.  There was actually a make shift grill set up on the island already, masha Allah.

Island exploring

 

Uprooted trees and branches

On the way back, they saw many trees that had been uprooted and were piled up near the bridge, masha Allah.  This is evidence of how strong the current of the James River can be, masha Allah.