Oct. 17: Nassawango Creek
KAYAK/CANOE: Nassawango Creek (Red House Road to Nassawango Bridge), 8 am – noon
COST: $65/person sharing a tandem kayak/canoe ($130 total), $90/person solo kayak, $60/person with your own boat & portage
MEETING LOCATION: Pocomoke River Canoe Company
Join us on this paddling adventure while we drift downstream under a canopy of bald cypress and search for wildlife along the xeric dune ridges that skirt along the swamp edge. Amidst migrating songbirds and raptors, we’ll tell the story of the area; from native wilderness to the early industrial revolution, its abandonment and ultimately its protection. We’ll delve into the cultural and natural history of the creek and watershed, dissecting both the observed and the immensity of what is hidden from view.
In the early 1980s, noted ornithologist Chan Robbins spent considerable time birding in the Nassawango watershed, to help quantify the early reports by local birders of the sheer number of neotropical songbirds. Since that time the area has become synonymous with birding and wildlife observation; Audubon Maryland-DC designated the watershed as an “Important Bird Area” and the state has recognized most of the bottomland swamp as “Wetlands of Special State Concern”. The creek and adjacent uplands, with thousands of acres of protected lands, is an immense green space and will provide a corridor that will be critical for species to migrate as the climate changes.
Nassawango Creek flows south east for 18 miles under an expansive tree canopy, joining the Pocomoke River downstream of Snow Hill. From the numerous spring seeps and wet-woods that constitute the headwaters, the creek transitions to tidal freshwater near its mouth. Along the way it picks up its distinctive tea color, the tannins that are indicative of southern swamps. The creeks watershed supports close to 100 rare, threatened or endangered species, some of global significance. The bottomlands, wet and sometimes muddy, may seem dark and foreboding to the casual visitor, but they are in fact rich with life in many forms. The interspersed dry and sandy uplands complete this unique ecology and are the target of both private and state restoration efforts.
On a windy day, this ~3-mile paddle can present a moderate challenge as we approach the bridge. Paddlers may choose canoes, tandem kayaks, or solo kayaks. For scheduling, please select tandem kayak if you want a canoe. We will follow up later with your preference. PLEASE NOTE: this trip requires delivery by van to the launch location, and pickup from the haul-out site for delivery back to Snow Hill. Vans will operate at 50% capacity.
All paddling done by participants; some experience required. Must be 13 years old to participate. Please note: If you are reserving a tandem kayak or canoe, please plan to attend with a paddling partner also registered with the DBW. We can’t always guarantee another solo paddler will join you in a two-person boat. All trips require a 4-person minimum to launch. If minimum is not met, we will refund paying participants. Thank you!
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