11 March 2021
Forecasted daytime highs in the 80’s gave us an excuse to leave the confines of our neighborhood and go visit a new (to us) campground on Kerr Lake. Built by the US Army Corps of Engineers damming the Roanoke River in the early 1950’s, Kerr Lake reservoir has over 800 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 50,000 acres when full.
Between the Army Corps, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina, there are thirteen campgrounds around the lake. North Bend Park is one of the few that is open year round. It sits just north of the North Carolina/Virginia line in Boydton adjacent to the John H. Kerr Dam. A big park, it boasts 249 sites plus group camping areas.
We ended up in campsite #83 for $20 including electricity. Non-electric sites were $10. Only one loop is open from Nov 1 through March 31, but there were plenty of open sites. I strongly suspect that would not be the case in June. Since this is a Federal campground, those of us with an America the Beautiful Senior Pass only pay half the listed price (e.g. $10 or $5).
A few sites away was a path to our own private beach. No one else came down to watch the sunset.
Checking out the campground for future stays, we were pleased to see modern shower facilities in each loop.
One of the loops extends out into the lake on a peninsula offering pull through sites on the shoreline.
It would be great fun to return to be in a site like this where we could pull-up our sailing kayak.
One reason we wanted to stay here was we had heard rumors that bald eagles hang out just below the dam.
Tailrace Park had lots of parking, a handicapped accessible kayak launch, and several viewing areas. Dam tours were suspended due to Covid-19.
Disappointed at first, we eventually found seven eagles as Beth used
binoculars to peruse the trees across the river on Buggs Island.
Eventually this juvenile flew over looking for lunch, coming close enough for an in-flight portrait.
This was a great chance to try out our new Wimberley Gimbal Head (made in Virginia) on our tripod. If you have a heavy lens and want to track birds in flight, it is a wonderful tool.
Using air brakes, the big youngster succeeded in seizing a fish without even getting his feathers wet. Eagles have a different fishing style from pelicans and osprey.
This mature Bald Eagle flew over just before we met Dave, a friendly local photographer. Dave shared that the eagles are most active when the dam outflow is high. Daily water flow information can be found on the web here: USACE Daily Report.
Great Blue Herons and Cormorants were also having good luck fishing. Afternoon was a perfect time to be there because the sun was behind us. In the morning, light would have been in our eyes.
After filling up a memory card, we headed back to the campground to make dinner. Our eyelids grew heavy shortly after viewing a lovely sunset from our little beach. An overnight low of 54° F was a treat for mid-March.
The next morning we drove across the dam and checked out a back road to the other side of Buggs Island with the thought that light would be good on that side of the river. The area was primed for development with electrical boxes and a septic field. We walked around, but didn’t really find a good view of the river.
Driving back to the park, we found the Liberty Hill Trail, just the right length for a walk before lunch.
Here’s the trail plot. The design has an option to loop back at the half-way point for those with less time.
It was a pretty trail, even before the trees had leafed out. Didn’t meet any other people on our walk, but did see this Bald Eagle perched above us.
Sandwiches were assembled in the parking lot of the Tanner Wildlife Education Center. Unfortunately, the center wasn’t yet open for the season.
We did get a chance to take a look at Dan, this retired tugboat. Built in 1937, it motored from Duluth, MN on a 2000 mile journey across the Great Lakes, up the St Lawrence, and down the Atlantic Coast before spending a long career working on Kerr Lake projects. Dan II allowed Dan’s retirement in 1992.
After lunch we drove a mile north on route 4 to the Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area in hopes of finding interesting birds at their waterfowl impoundment. Heading down a dirt lane into the park led us to a signboard with the rules. Learning a permit is required to be in the WMA, we left without seeing any waterfowl. This black vulture watched to make sure we didn’t turn back. A license or permit may be in our future since Virginia is so close to home.
Tailrace Park lured us back for another hour of eagle watching.
Only an hour and fifteen minutes after leaving the eagles and cormorants, we were back in our driveway at home. Kerr Lake is now on our short-list for quick getaways.