women's Trips/Tours

Women's Milldam Creek
Sunrise is a beautiful time to explore Mill Dam Creek. Abundant in wildflowers, this gently meandering stream begins in a hardwood forest and continues through the green sea to the North Landing River. A boardwalk trail borders a portion of the creek allowing for a short hike with birding opportunities. The green sea marsh abounds with big cordgrass, cattails, and black needlerush. This is a surprisingly clean marsh, free of debris - silent testimony to its wilderness heritage and The Nature Conservancy’s efforts.

Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $48.00, which includes boat and paddling gear
Dates: 2009 schedule is being developed

Women's Sunset Paddle Tour
This relaxing and enchanting paddle is conducted on Owls Creek after the boating activity has calmed down. This is a great event to introduce the family to kayaking. Padding along the shoreline, we'll be able to explore the nearby creeks as the sun sets to the west. 

Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost: $45.00, which includes boat and paddling gear
Dates: 2009 schedule is being developed

Women's Pocaty River Tour
Our private put-in site for canoes and kayaks is at the old farmers’ landing, used for transporting produce from the area since the late 1800’s. Pocaty River drains a cypress-tupelo swamp and terminates at the North Landing River. These rivers are now part of the 10,000 acre North Landing Nature Preserve thanks to The Nature Conservancy and the State of Virginia. With a greater range of biodiversity than any other area east of the Blue Ridge, the Pocaty remains today as beautiful as it was in the 1600’s. A highlight of this tour is the view from the top of The Nature Conservancy observation tower at the junction of the Pocaty River with the North Landing River (where we will stop for a lunch break). The “green sea”, defined here as the view of the pocosin and marsh, is outstanding. This trip covers approximately 3 miles roundtrip.

Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $48.00, which includes boat and paddling gear
Dates: 2009 schedule is being developed

Women's Weekend @ Merchants Mill Pond, NC
Escape the hectic pace of life and find solitude in an "Enchanted Forest" setting. Drift idly along the smooth, dark surface of the millpond and savor the many sights and sounds that come alive in the stillness of the forest. The 760 acre millpond is more than 180 years old and has developed into a complex, mature ecosystem. Numerous species of aquatic plants such as floating yellow cow lily and the submerged parrot feather thrive on the pond. A red and green layer of floating duckweed, water fern and liverworts often cover the water's surface. Moved by wind and current, these floating mats create a changing mosaic of colors and patterns. 

We'll meet Saturday morning and pack and launch our kayaks for the beautiful paddle across the millpond toward our island campsite. Along the way we'll see a variety of wildlife including turtles, geese, ducks.... and may possibly sight some of the beaver, otter and alligators that make their home here! Once we establish camp, we'll further explore this truly remarkable area by kayak. Following dinner we'll take a night paddle amongst the Spanish moss covered cypress and tupelo gum trees.

Prerequisite: absolutely none
Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
Cost: $175.00, which includes kayaks, paddling gear & meals
Dates: 2009 schedule is being developed

Did you know? There are four alligators living in Merchants Millpond.