James River National WildLife Refuge

James River National WildLife Refuge. Captain John Smith’s Adventures on the James. , Atlantic Ocean tides push salt water into the Chesapeake Bay, where it mingles with fresh water from the bay's tributary rivers, including the James., Many of the plants and animals that thrive in the Chesapeake are highly adapted to its estuarine waters. Among these are anadromous fish like sturgeon, shad and striped bass. They spend most of their lives at sea but migrate up rivers to lay eggs amid reeds and underwater grasses., Indians living along the James relied on the summer abundance of anadromous fish, spearing them or catching them in nets. The English colonists followed suit. The bony plates, or scutes, that cover sturgeon have been found at Jamestown by the thousands., Eagles, too, have made the James a summer fishing ground for centuries. The once-endangered birds now enjoy special protection along the river bluffs of the refuge. From the water, you may spot these majestic creatures nesting, roosting, or scouting for fish., (sidebar) , Not To Be Caught With Frying Pans , In his 1624 Generall Historie of Virginia, New England and the Summer Isles, John Smith described sailing through a vast school of fish, likely menhaden, when exploring the Chesapeake Bay in 1608: "For want of nets (our barge driving amonst them) we attempted to catch them with a frying pan ... neither better fish, more plenty, nor more variety for smal fish, had any of us ever seene ... but they are not to be caught with frying pans.", (captions) , Capt. John Smith’s Trail , John Smith knew the James River by its Algonquian name: Powhatan, the same as the region’s paramount chief. Smith traveled the river many times between 1607 and 1609, trading with Virginia Indians to ensure survival at Jamestown. What he saw of Virginia’s verdant woodlands and pristine waters inspired him to explore the greater Chesapeake Bay, chronicling its natural wonders., Capt. John Smith’s Trail on the James is a 40-site water trail and auto tour for modern explorers., “The New World” © MMV, New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Photo by Merie Wallace. Photo appears courtesy of New Line Productions, Inc.