Just another Heads up about recently fallen trees. On Jug Handle there are two low crossing trees
midway in the handle before the rapid. We have successfully ducked under them at or near 3 ft level
on our runs. However, the first one is low enough to be a hazard at 4 ft and probably a serious
risk at anything higher. I suggest scouting these trees if the river is near or above 4 ft. The
second tree wasn't as bad but still worth noting.
2009-04-26 08:34:59 (226 days ago)
Ran today. Strainers abound in the section of the river after the first dam through past the
jughandle. This part of the river is deceiving as it splits up and converges many times. Look for
where the most water is and try to stay with it as we cut across at one point and were faced with
strong enough currents and many bank strainers which are everywhere since the river splits in so
many places. Edit
2008-09-01 03:15:19 (463 days ago)
Andy B. My son and I ran this on 31 Aug 08. It was running at 4.68 and was a fantastic run. Minimal
scrapes, great surfing holes, and 3 foot standing waves. There was a strainer about 200 yards above
Jughandle on river right that did a good job swamping canoes. Numerous other strainers here and
there. Be cautious. Edit
this was a fun summer time run. I have a friend that lives in Petersburg and the take out is right
near his house so it was an easy run for us. The first part of this run is real calm and a good
place to have some brews, fish or whatever....It didn't seem too shallow in any spots and we just
cruised for about two hours.....the river picks up some with some mild rapids further downstream
but as stated above becomes frustrating with several dams that have to be portaged......seemed like
our portage spots were all river left for anyone travelling without people that have done this run
before......the best spot on this run is the pipeline rapid at the end which is river right (maybe
an old canal?) with a sharp 90 degree left as the last section of rapid......we hadn't seen anyone
all day but when we shot out of the end of this rapid there were police everywhere! Apparently a
guy had drowned swimming in the river or something and his body was floating face down on the
opposite bank! Pretty gruesome but makes for a good story.....now after that rapid there seem to be
some good jumping rocks if you want to swim...I have heard the river (which gets very narrow at
this point) is almost 45 ft deep!!! at the bridge....most of the jumping rocks seem to be upstream
from the bridge but I would be very careful as I have heard that several people have drowned here
from a whirlpool under the bridge. Thats why I mentioned the rocks upstream as it seems a little
less sketchy and still quite deep.....use caution as people have died jumping from the
bridge.....At the end of the run it is easy to visuaize how prominent Petersburg once was from all
of the old factories and abandon buildings.....rumor is the City will dredge downstream from here
to establish a city dock for travellers from the Chesapeake so it may be a revival area soon!
9 May 04: Ran this stretch at about 3.0 ft with my daughter in a kayak and her boyfriend, beginner,
running open boat tandem with me. Wouldn't want to run this at a lower level, as it was a bit
scrapy. Left some green vinyl from my Mohawk XL15 on several rocks! Pipeline and Target were fun,
though. Caught the eddy river left of Target Rock, ferried out above the rock and continued down.
Was a fun maneuver. All in all, a good river, mostly Class I-II at this level, with Pipeline and
Target a good II+ or III.
User Comments
midway in the handle before the rapid. We have successfully ducked under them at or near 3 ft level
on our runs. However, the first one is low enough to be a hazard at 4 ft and probably a serious
risk at anything higher. I suggest scouting these trees if the river is near or above 4 ft. The
second tree wasn't as bad but still worth noting.
jughandle. This part of the river is deceiving as it splits up and converges many times. Look for
where the most water is and try to stay with it as we cut across at one point and were faced with
strong enough currents and many bank strainers which are everywhere since the river splits in so
many places. Edit
scrapes, great surfing holes, and 3 foot standing waves. There was a strainer about 200 yards above
Jughandle on river right that did a good job swamping canoes. Numerous other strainers here and
there. Be cautious. Edit
near his house so it was an easy run for us. The first part of this run is real calm and a good
place to have some brews, fish or whatever....It didn't seem too shallow in any spots and we just
cruised for about two hours.....the river picks up some with some mild rapids further downstream
but as stated above becomes frustrating with several dams that have to be portaged......seemed like
our portage spots were all river left for anyone travelling without people that have done this run
before......the best spot on this run is the pipeline rapid at the end which is river right (maybe
an old canal?) with a sharp 90 degree left as the last section of rapid......we hadn't seen anyone
all day but when we shot out of the end of this rapid there were police everywhere! Apparently a
guy had drowned swimming in the river or something and his body was floating face down on the
opposite bank! Pretty gruesome but makes for a good story.....now after that rapid there seem to be
some good jumping rocks if you want to swim...I have heard the river (which gets very narrow at
this point) is almost 45 ft deep!!! at the bridge....most of the jumping rocks seem to be upstream
from the bridge but I would be very careful as I have heard that several people have drowned here
from a whirlpool under the bridge. Thats why I mentioned the rocks upstream as it seems a little
less sketchy and still quite deep.....use caution as people have died jumping from the
bridge.....At the end of the run it is easy to visuaize how prominent Petersburg once was from all
of the old factories and abandon buildings.....rumor is the City will dredge downstream from here
to establish a city dock for travellers from the Chesapeake so it may be a revival area soon!
running open boat tandem with me. Wouldn't want to run this at a lower level, as it was a bit
scrapy. Left some green vinyl from my Mohawk XL15 on several rocks! Pipeline and Target were fun,
though. Caught the eddy river left of Target Rock, ferried out above the rock and continued down.
Was a fun maneuver. All in all, a good river, mostly Class I-II at this level, with Pipeline and
Target a good II+ or III.