Day 1 Lynchburg to Galt's Mill/Stapleton

by Tom Bowman

The Official Batteau Festival web page

Batteaus are 18th century river boats, designed to operate in the shallow waters of the James River. They took loads of goods, like tobacco packed in barrels called hogsheads, to the fast growing city of Richmond, from the agricultural hinterlands. Most batteaus were then broken up and sold for the lumber. Some were poled upriver with manufactured goods. The JRBF celebrates the batteau era, which ended when the railroad came in, with a 120 mile tribute, to the bygone heroes of the river. While most of the batteau crews wear period attire, they are accompanied by kayaks, canoes and some paddleboards to provide support during those long river miles. I decided to try doing it with my Seaeagle NeedleNose 14 paddleboard and a full load of camping gear, so I would be as self-sufficient as possible. The organizers arranged for all the necessities at the take outs every night, so a shuttle support was not necessary.