Day 24, Monday July 18th

Eric & The Hogchoker

This morning everyone woke up late,

but it was alright, because we knew the day was going to be great.

We had skiffs pick us up, Chuck, Bill, and Matt,

Matt studies sturgeons at VCU, Bill’s the JRA Executive Director, and Chuck, the river keeper, you already knew.

We took a sneak up Chippokes Creek,

 Racoon’s Tail and Spiny Niad grasses did we seek.

but then we saw a house that looked rather wealthy.

No sediment control and lots of erosion,

the bank looked like there’d been an explosion. Next we motored across the James to Chickohonomy River, straight up Morris Creek,

Frazier and Isaac Identify Gras

Bill talked about freshwater tidal marshes, man knows what he’s about, he’s a superfreak!

We know marshes are more productive than a fertilized cornfield, providing a nursery for crabs and fish, otherwise known as a baby shield.

We saw places with more biodiversity than a rainforest or coral reef,

Bill showed us Marsh Mellow and Pickerel weed leaf by leaf.

Some few minutes later we pulled up an otter traval and collected lots of blue catfish,

Matt says they make up 81% of the James River biomass, the guy’s so smart and pretty you wanna give him a kiss.

Some native species we found were hogchoker, flounder, and perch,

soon learning there was more in the James than lots of River Birch.

We found out about bioaccumulation,

toxic pollutants in older fish that makes them unsafe to eat and raises everyone’s frustration.

Visiting the River’s Rest Marina, we got a break to buy some sweet sodas,

and while learning about trade between John Smith and the Indians on the Chickahominy River Trail sign, our reporters took some sweet photas.

We got greeted with barbeque by JRA Executives at the James City County’s Chickahominy Riverfront Park,

our visitors staying to chat, and leaving just before dark.

After playing volleyball and getting squeaky clean,

Gabriel played us all a few soothing lullabies, proving to everyone that he’s not all that mean.

Derrek and Lena

Chuck Loves Aquatic Grass

Bill Explains the River

Faster than Canoes

The Beautiful Chickahominy