Reading over everyone’s posts, I’ve observed a developing trend. A lot of you guys are comparing your favorite waterways to the James River. Since I’m a conformist, I guess I’ll do the same!
I have lived in VA Beach my whole life. For the first half of my life I lived near the Chesapeake Bay which locals call Chick’s Beach. Then my family moved maybe 3 miles away to a house on the Lynnhaven River. The Lynnhaven River is brackish and meets the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It is known for its oysters, which many of you know have been the source of my young-adult income!
I have very fond memories about my life on the Lynnhaven River. These memories are marked by beautiful sunrises, wildlife sightings, and recreation! My favorite thing to do on summer nights is eat dinner with my family outside on our picnic table.
This river is very different from the James to me. First of all, it is much smaller with a tiny watershed. Second, it does not feel like a river at all. It is very salty and not linear at all. When most people think of rivers, they probably think of a long, thin body of water that meanders through valleys or something, not the Lynnhaven.
Also there are no rocks. I thought about this when James talk to us about the rock formations, the cracks, and the potholes. There are no rock formations like that back home. It was so cool to examine the rock closely on Wednesday. I remember when I came to Richmond for school in 2010, my local friends took me to “The Rocks” at Belle Isle. I remember thinking “This is their beach. There’s no sand to lay your towel on. Hmm…better be careful with my head.”
I still think rocks are great even when I have a preference for sand. Rocks are like historical monuments from eons ago (I’m corny- Rocks Rock!) I believe James told us the rock from the James River is from the Paleozoic age- and that the official name is “Petersburg Granite.” For some reason when he told me this I thought, “I really hope this is never cut out to make someone’s countertop.” Then I thought about dinosaurs roaming the river.
I think that the rocks of the James River contribute to most of its beauty. Back home, I think that the wildlife is the best part of the Lynnhaven River. I remember discussing the wildlife of the James River on Wednesday, but I had to shake my head a little because there is just SO much wildlife back home. I’ve had crazy sightings from my backyard. In late July and early August, sometimes I see packs of rust-colored sting rays flap their flippers across the river like they’re in a parade. During high tide, a few otters will hop onto our pier. We’ve regularly seen porpoises leaping out of the water. This is all from my backyard.
I plan on attending grad school in Richmond. When we were crossing the bridge at Belle Isle, I looked at the view downtown and thought, “This is a great river city. I need water wherever I am.”
I’ve shared a picture taken of my pier back home:
It was taken after the hurricane so it’s a little wrecked.