AJ Nolan

“As one who’s paddled about half of the 30 trips in Savario and Nolan’s book, I can attest that they’ve chosen well.”

–Tom Horton, The Baltimore Sun, “At the Water’s Edge,” August 29, 2004

From the book jacket:

The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers 64,000 square miles and drains parts of six states and Washington, D.C. Along with its 400-plus rivers and creeks, the Chesapeake Boast 4,600 miles of tidal shoreline suitable for kayaking. This new guide describes dozens of trips along the Eastern and Western shores, in the Bay proper, and in its tributaries. Trips described here include outings to St. George’s Island; the Patuxent River; Annapolis; the Susquehanna River; the Sassafras River; Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge; Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; and Assateague Island National Park.

Trip descriptions include important information on put-ins and take-outs, winds and currents, equipment, paddling techniques, and safety issues. The authors enliven their instruction with informative sidebars on topics such as salt marsh ecology, wildlife, and social and maritime history. They also provide crucial information on low-impact paddling techniques, hypo/hyperthermia awareness, and many other paddling-related topics.

Book Excerpt:

“Maryland is a land defined by its water. A paddler’s paradise, the Chesapeake Bay offers many lifetimes of kayaking opportunities as it carves a broad path through the center of this small state. Named Chesepioc (“Great Shellfish Bay”) by the Algonquin Indians, the Chesapeake is a fertile and rich ecosystem that is tidal for its entire length. Its tributaries can change from salt to brackish to fresh water during a day’s paddle. Because of this mixture, freshwater animals are found in the upper parts of the Chesapeake and its rivers, and every fish or marine mammal that swims in the Atlantic can live in the salty lower waters. The bay’s tidal boundaries are elusive, influencing the region’s culture and creating a unique and beautiful landscape of water and earth.”