Cooperative Living April 2024 - 8

EXPLORE MORE
Paddles, Puddles and
the Great Outdoors
Exploring Virginia State Parks by water
by Amanda S. Creasey, Outdoors Writer
W
hen Crystal Hughes of
Norfolk, Va., finished the
Virginia State Parks' Trail
Quest program last year, visiting all 42
state parks, she told herself she " wasn't
going to get all wrapped up in Paddle
Quest. " Not long after, she found herself
on the water. " I just felt like I had to do
it, even though I told myself I wouldn't, "
Hughes, the AmeriCorps program
manager for the state parks, says.
Between May 2023, when the
program began, and the end of January
2024, Hughes had paddled seven of the
31 parks participating in Paddle Quest,
a Virginia State Parks' program that
encourages visitors to explore the parks
on the water. Participating parks offer
paddlers the opportunity to explore
various rivers, lakes and the bay while
earning a variety of prizes for logging
their paddling adventures on the
Virginia State Parks' Adventure page.
Those who wish to participate in the
initiative enroll in the program online
can explore the water in three ways:
a ranger-guided paddle trip, a selfguided
paddle adventure using their own
equipment, or a self-guided paddle with
equipment rentals from the park. Not
all parks offer rentals, so checking each
park's page for a calendar of events and
equipment availability is important.
While the prizes prove both fun
and practical, the experience of paddling
the parks is a reward in and of itself.
Even though participating in Paddle
Quest means revisiting parks with which
6 * Cooperative Living * April 2024
she is familiar, Hughes has enjoyed it.
Sammy Zambon, who has worked for
the state parks for 22 years and currently
serves as the visitor experience specialist,
explains, " Exploring a park by paddle
is a unique experience. The connection
between paddler, boat and water can be
very meditative and relaxing. There is
no better way to get close to wildlife. "
Jessica Bowser, host of the Virginia
Outdoor Adventures podcast, which will
feature an episode about Paddle Quest in
May, also touts the benefits of paddling
parks she has already
explored. " I get to go
back and re-explore
places I've been in a
completely new way.
Exploring a park by
water is vastly different
than exploring it on
land. It's two totally
different experiences, "
she says. Zambon, who has paddled
24 of the 31 participating parks, cites
Caledon as his favorite paddle. " While
paddling there I have seen bald eagles,
bioluminescent jellyfish, and some of
the prettiest sunsets in Virginia. "
One of Bowser's favorite paddles
is Kane's Creek in Mason Neck State
Park. " Kane's Creek in the summertime
is covered in gorgeous lily pads and
blooming lilies and wild rice, and you
often see bald eagles, osprey and great
blue herons. There are dragonflies
everywhere, and frogs croaking. "
Kiptopeke State Park is another
favorite. Paddlers there can paddle
out to ghost ships. " Watching the sun
set behind the ghost ships, you see the
pelicans flying in and landing on the
ships, and the gorgeous bright-orange
sun. You're floating on water with
dolphins all around you. You sit out
there and think there couldn't be anything
more beautiful in all this world. "
In addition to the natural beauty
of the parks, Hughes enjoys meeting
like-minded people, recalling a
full moon paddle she completed at
Caledon State Park. It was attended
by " this amazing group of people
who just wanted to get out on the
river and look at the full moon. By
the end of the night, we were all joking
around and having a blast. "
Participating in Paddle Quest has
also inspired Hughes to try paddling in
formats she wouldn't otherwise have.
" I've always kayaked, but I went canoeing
for the first time at Hungry Mother
State Park during one of their interpretive
programs. I was terrified but then I
was like, 'Wow, I just accomplished
something that I've never done before.' "
Guided paddles like the ones Hughes
has done provide
opportunities for
comfort, expertise
and safety. " If you're
nervous, that is an
amazing way to
start, " Hughes said.
Bowser also
Jessica Bowser
advocates for
the benefits of
ranger-led paddles, which often offer
" unique experiences you can't do on
your own. Mason Neck, for example,
occasionally has sunset paddles or full
moon paddles, but normally closes
at dusk. "
Currently, Paddle Quest boasts
roughly 600 participants, and
Zambon hopes to see that number
grow. He started Paddle Quest hoping
" participants discover the joy of paddling
and it becomes a lifelong activity. My
goal is to grow a new group of paddlers
that see and value our parks from a
different point of view. "
*
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY SAMMY ZAMBON
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living April 2024

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