River time

 

After a Covid induced hiatus, the James River Batteau Festival returned for its 37^th running in 2022. The event started at Percival’s Island in Lynchburg on June 18. It concluded 120 river miles and eight days later at the Maidens Boat Landing near the south end of the Rt. 522 bridge. The event was created by the Virginia Canals and Navigation Society https://www.vacanals.org/, whose purpose is to “preserve, enhance, and explore Virginia’s Historic Waterways.”

A batteau  pulling into Maidens Landing

The Batteau Festival was born after remains of batteaux were unearthed during excavation of the turning basin in downtown Richmond in the 1980s sparking interest in this mode of transport.  Before canals, railroads, and interstates, the James River was the major thoroughfare for moving agricultural products, including perhaps whiskey—a value-added use of grain—downstream to market. Goods that could not be made on farms, were carried upstream on the return trip. The James River Batteau festival, which attracts people from all over the world, is believed to be the only reenactment exploring this period in history.

Batteux are flat-bottomed shallow-draft boats capable of navigating widely varying depths of the river and negotiating rapids and rocks. According to a knowledgeable source, who generously shared river lore while awaiting arrival of the batteaux, they traveled down river in flotillas that included well-made boats and some more cheaply built. Upon reaching Richmond, the simpler ones were disassembled and sold for lumber. The crews were consolidated on the sturdier boats for the arduous journey—polling all the way—upriver. Homes built with batteau lumber may still be standing in Richmond.

Each batteau—there were 15 in this year’s festival—is a labor of love. For part of the year, they are submerged in ponds or streams to swell the wood. Cracks are filled with oakum, tarred fiber, to prepare them for river use. Trailers built from modified undercarriages of mobile homes transport the batteaux to the river.

Loading a batteau onto its trailer is a delicate task and must be done right to ensure a safe trip.

After a rousing send off in Lynchburg, the batteaux wended their way down stream stopping at various points along the way to rest and celebrate. Along the way folks in canoes, kayaks, and on paddle boards joined the batteaux, all having a great time on the river.

On Wednesday, June 22, the batteaux spent the night at Scottville, which celebrates the batteaux with its own festival that includes music, crafts, and food.

Go to the James River Batteau Festival page on FB for exquisite photos of the event and details about each stage the trip. Visit its website at https://vacanals.org/batteau/.