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The Joseph Leidy lay anchor near an oyster bar just south of where Route 231 crosses the Patuxent River.
The Academy of Natural Sciences research vessel’s captain, Bill Yates, was looking for boats, not the fishing craft that typically speed around the area, but a flotilla of kayaks and canoes.
The paddlers were participants in the inaugural Patuxent Sojourn — a weeklong trip down Maryland’s largest intrastate waterway.
When they finally arrived, the paddlers dumped Yates’ 100 bags of oyster shell overboard in an effort to create a suitable substrate for larval oysters.
Throughout the week, the Sojourn called attention to the restoration of the river’s estuarine habitats.
In addition to the oyster shell seeding, sojourners released diamondback terrapins, planted submerged aquatic vegetation, and helped with BayScapes and wetland plantings.
The journey began at Patuxent River State Park in Upper Marlboro on June 3, and ended at Bernie Fowler’s wade-in at Broomes Island June 10.
“The Sojourn serves as an interactive outdoor classroom for the paddlers as well as the communities visited,” said Brook Lenker of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
"Sojourners learn about the river’s resources, explore important wayside sites and spread a colorful stewardship message along the way,” he said.
Indeed, the sojourners learned a myriad of natural and cultural information: Environmental historian Kent Mountford presented the history of changes in the Patuxent watershed, Ralph Eshelman chronicled the Barney Flotilla and Margie Whilden discussed diamondback terrapin catch-and-release programs.
Impromptu riverbank stops also allowed the paddlers to explore fossil deposits and learn from fellow sojourners. Friendships developed throughout the trip.
“Planning a sojourn is impossible without developing strong partnerships,” Lenker said. In the Patuxent Sojourn, for instance, more than 20 organizations provided time and assistance.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust and BP Amoco also provided generous financial assistance.
As the Patuxent and Susquehanna Sojourns become more popular, communities along the routes have started to realize their connection to both the river and the paddlers who make the weeklong trips part of their summer ritual.
Meanwhile, Sojourns are springing up throughout the Chesapeake watershed.
In addition to 2002’s 12th Annual Susquehanna Sojourn and the 2nd Annual Patuxent Sojourn, look for the inaugural James River Sojourn.
Visiting the Refuge
The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located in Laurel, MD. To get to the center, take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to Powder Mill Road, then go about 2 miles east to the entrance.
The visitor center is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m daily, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Admission to the refuge and visitor center is free, although there is a small fee for the tram tour.
To get to the North Tract, take the Baltimore Parkway to Route 198, then go 1.4 miles east to the entrance.
The Contact Station at the North Tract — where all visitors must get a free access pass — is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. The center opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. in the winter, but is open until 8 p.m. in the summer.
Both the National Wildlife Visitor Center and the North Tract offer a variety of free programs, hikes and activities for all ages.
Those with special needs who wish to attend these events are asked to give the refuge two weeks’ notice so that arrangements can be made.
For information about programs or the refuge, call 301-497-5580, or visit its web site at http://.patuxent.fws.gov
Information is also available on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways web site, www.baygateways.net
