December 11, 2024
I began my "photographic expedition" of the Elizabeth River Watershed here, at the terminus of the Eastern Branch of the river in Virginia Beach, Virginia, about a 30 minute drive from my apartment across town.
What would appear to be a neglible Princess Anne Road overpass for most commuters offered a wealth of watershed narratives to this particular MNR program student.
First, a city improvement project is underway, as seen on the right hand side of the photograph. A kayak launch is being installed here, presumably to improve public access to the Eastern Branch, a waterway that has traditionally been flanked predominantly by private residences and thus inaccessible to most.
Another interesting detail at this overpass is the installation of a USGS Stream Gaging Station (seen in photographs below). Several miles from the river's eventual confluence with Chesapeake Bay, scientists are likely interested in how pervasive coastal flooding can be thanks to tributaries like this one.
This location also provided me with my first wildlife encounters of the expedition (photographs below).
And now a more personal anecdote: the bridge from which this photo was taken is adjacent to Project Seed Coffee, a Filipino inspired coffee shop that provided the caffeine to fuel my photography efforts. For my classmates local to the Hampton Roads area, I highly recommend stopping by and supporting this new local business. Their ube Spanish bread is phenomenal.
Afer this first stop, I proceeded to Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk, at the main stem of the river, followed by Elizabeth River Park just to the south in Chesapeake, and finally on to Paradise Creek Nature Park just across the Southern Branch of the river in Portsmouth. Each location tells a unique story about the river. I hope these photos encourage you to get out and explore your own local watershed - you never know what you will find!
Military and commercial ships with the cranes of the Port of Virginia in the background, seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
A belted kingfisher flies over Paradise Creek Nature Park, with an Enviva Inc. wood pellet storage dome in the background (Portsmouth)
A USGS Stream Gaging Station seen at the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
The Elizabeth River Ferry en route to Portsmouth (Norfolk)
A bridge passing over Paradise Creek (Portsmouth)
A mermaid statue seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
An erosion control fence borders a construction site near the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
The imposing South Norfolk Jordan Bridge, with the Elizabeth River Lift Bridge (Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad) in the background (Elizabeth River Park, Chesapeake)
A brown pelican flies over the main stem of the Elizabeth River (Norfolk)
A large naval vessel in drydock, seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
Signage for an accessible kayak launch (Paradise Creek Nature Park, Portsmouth)
Workers move a barge on the river (Chesapeake)
Tugboats (Chesapeake)
Locals on the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
Portsmouth, seen from across the main stem of the Elizabeth River in Town Point Park (Norfolk)
Signage for a construction project near the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
Ripples seen in the surface of the Elizabeth River on a windy December morning (Elizabeth River Park, Chesapeake)
The sculpture "One Flock" by Scottish environmental artist Rob Mulholland (Paradise Creek Nature Park, Portsmouth)
A 2024 Norfolk Harborfest flag flies over a dock near Town Point Park. The popular annual festival is a celebration of Norfolk's maritime history and culture (Norfolk)
Educational signage from environmental nonprofit Elizabeth River Project at Paradise Creek Nature Park (Portsmouth)
Signs of industry and urbanization are almost omnipresent throughout the central Elizabeth River watershed, especially in the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth (Paradise Creek Nature Park, Portsmouth)
Cue a specific Red Hot Chili Peppers song... (Elizabeth River Park, Chesapeake)
The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge, as seen from Paradise Creek Nature Park (Portsmouth)
A USGS Stream Gaging Station seen at the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
A cement supplier facility is seen from Elizabeth River Park (Chesapeake)
Canada geese in the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge towers over the Elizabeth River (Chesapeake)
Offshore supplies vessel Northstar Navigator, seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
Big boats and buildings (Norfolk)
The industrialized Elizabeth River (Paradise Creek Nature Park, Portsmouth)
Those looking to get on the water have the option of tradition or modernity. The American Rover and Spirit of Norfolk, seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
A US Navy helicopter flies over the main stem of the Elizabeth River. Naval Station Norfolk is the largest naval installation in the world (Norfolk)
A construction project is seen along the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River (Virginia Beach)
The Waterside District, seen from Town Point Park (Norfolk)
Surface of the Elizabeth River (Chesapeake)
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