|
General information
about the whitewater rapids through Richmond Virginia |
| Almost all of the property along either side of the river
is owned by the City of Richmond or is in private hands. Fortunately the City of Richmond
has been accommodating to the needs of paddlers. Pony Pasture is a nice put-in with ample
parking and rest rooms that are open in the summer. The city has imposed a few reasonable
restrictions. |
- When the river is above five feet at the Westham gauge everyone on the
river is required to wear a PFD.
- The river is off-limits when the level is nine feet or above at the
Westham gauge.
- A conditional permit is required for paddling above nine feet at the
Richmond City Hall.
- If you have a permit and are paddling on the James at nine feet or above
you are also required to be in a group of at least three and to be wearing protective
headgear.
- Also it goes without saying that if you are on the James at this level
(at any level really) you know what you are doing and you are going with someone who knows
the river. The James starts getting rather pushy above six or seven feet. Of course this
is all relative to your level of expertise. If you are on the James above nine feet
without a permit be prepared to pay for your rescue if the city fire department helps.
|
| You can paddle the James river all year long. To me the
river seems boney below four and a half feet. I believe the river stayed above 6 feet for
all of the winter 96/97. My preference is 5 and a half feet on the Westham gauge for
kayaking. That is mostly because I am an intermediate kayaker. At this level I can park at
the Pony Pasture parking lot and play in the Class II after work and not to worry about
arranging a shuttle. There are usually paddlers there most days after five o'clock. For
rafting the river begins to get fun at that same level. |
| For beginners and advanced paddlers a great place to
practice is Pony Pasture. Beginners will Probably enjoy Pony Pasture
most at levels below 5 feet on the Westham gauge. Advanced paddlers will probably love
playing on the nice waves that form at Pony Pasture at 7 and above. |
Miscellaneous Pictures
of rapids. |
 On the way to Hollywood you can run 1st break which is probably the most common
way to get to Hollywood. 1st break is the break in the dam that is furthermost river
right. This picture is of kayakers surfing and doing enders in a nice wave below 1st break
called "Jaws" by raft guides. As always click on this picture to bring up a
larger version of it. Thanks to Ingrid Shannon for this photo! |
 This is a picture looking back up river at 2nd Break. You run 2nd break if you
choose not to run Fish Ladder. Fish ladder is generally class III at normal levels. 2nd
break is always class IV at normal levels. 2nd break consists of a nice big wave with a
diagonal in it. Shortly after the maw of 2nd break there is a ledge and then the water
gets shallow. Then there are more ledges. There is dam debris and rebar in the area so you
want to be careful here. Go with someone who knows this rapid. The fishladder may be a
better route if your are not familiar with 2nd break. You will need to decide if you are
going to run the Southside rapids by following the main current here to river right or
ferrying over to far river left to run Pipeline rapid. Remember that at higher levels
Pipeline becomes a dangerous rapid because the current pushes so hard towards the Pipe.
Thanks to Ingrid Shannon for the photograph! |
|
| Here are some rafts running the "cemetery" route
through the Belle isle section of the river during flood. These rafts have chosen to run
this route on river left instead of the normal river right run through Hollywood. WARNING: You cannot see where these rafts have run the dam in
this photo! You do not want to run this dam at any level if you
don't know where the runs are and how to run them! There is a notch in this dam that you
cannot see in this photograph called "Suckers Break". Thanks again to Ingrid
Shannon for having her camera with her. |
 Nice picture of the river at flood level. I
need to ask Ingrid Shannon where this is at because I don't recognize the location
right off. I think it is near Belle Island. Notice the drop in the river. |
On the way to Hollywood you can run 1st break which is probably the most common
way to get to Hollywood. 1st break is the break in the dam that is furthermost river
right. This picture is of kayakers surfing and doing enders in a nice wave below 1st break
called "Jaws" by raft guides. As always click on this picture to bring up a
larger version of it. Thanks to Ingrid Shannon for this photo!
This is a picture looking back up river at 2nd Break. You run 2nd break if you
choose not to run Fish Ladder. Fish ladder is generally class III at normal levels. 2nd
break is always class IV at normal levels. 2nd break consists of a nice big wave with a
diagonal in it. Shortly after the maw of 2nd break there is a ledge and then the water
gets shallow. Then there are more ledges. There is dam debris and rebar in the area so you
want to be careful here. Go with someone who knows this rapid. The fishladder may be a
better route if your are not familiar with 2nd break. You will need to decide if you are
going to run the Southside rapids by following the main current here to river right or
ferrying over to far river left to run Pipeline rapid. Remember that at higher levels
Pipeline becomes a dangerous rapid because the current pushes so hard towards the Pipe.
Thanks to Ingrid Shannon for the photograph!