Five Fair Rivers: Sailing the James, York, Rappahanock, Potomac, and Patuxent
"Good-humored, observant, and knowledgeable, Robert de Gast is an ideal cruising companion on the historic rivers of the Chesapeake's lower Western Shore. In an unconventional small boat with a four-inch draft, he takes us where few other sailors can. Five Fair Rivers will delight all who love Tidewaterland." -- John BarthA devoted sailor, Robert de Gast takes his inspiration for these trips from Captain John Smith who, while exploring the Chesapeake in the early seventeenth century, found himself mesmerized by the magnificence and unexpected charms of the bay's "fayre and navigable rivers." Travelling in Smith's wake, de Gast records the details of wind and sail, landscape and water -- always with an eye toward how things differ from what greeted the captain almost four hundred years ago. Five Fair Rivers captures the beauty of unspoiled stretches of marsh, shore, and isle; the luxury of dry socks; and the pungence of the air surrounding the Westpoint, Virginia, paper plant. Here is an adventure that will appeal equally to sailors and arm-chair travelers alike.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0801850797
ISBN13:9780801850790
Release Date:July 1995
Publisher:Johns Hopkins University Press
Length:184 Pages
Weight:0.90 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 6.3" x 8.6"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Small Sailboat Exploration
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
As a sailor who relishes using a shallow draft boat to explore remote water passages, I thoroughly enjoyed Five Fair Rivers by Robert DeGast. His modest 21' sailboat with 4" draft brought him up the rivers on the lower western shore of the Chesapeake Bay to for a close-up investigation of the both the historical aspects of the Virgina Tidewater and their current state. DeGast's writings reminded of Tom Horton, another good writer who has poked about the Chesapeake Bay and shared observations about this fascinating estuary. Thoroughly recommended for all small boat explorers and those interested in the natural history of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
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