|
|
|
24th Annual NRLHF and NMLRA
EASTERN PRIMITIVE RENDEZVOUS - Year 2000 |
 |
|
A Pre-1840 Living History Encampment
September 23 - October 1, 2000 - - Oak Ridge Estate, Nelson County, Virginia |
|
|
An Exceptional Millennium Event |
|
|
|
SPECIAL EVENT:
A BATTEAU ADVENTURE
Ride the white water of the James River on a historic batteau!
This is an adventure you will not forget! |
|
|
|
Running the rapids in a 40 foot, 3000 pound cargo boat is a thrill. The James River Batteau was designed to move cargo through the swift and shallow sections of the river. The boat design was so successful the design was used on most Eastern rivers and was also the forerunner of the Western Keelboat. A patent was even issued to the original designers of the batteau! The boat on the right is the batteau Fluvanna. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Captain Paul Kreynus (pointing, on the left) of the Lord Chesterfield batteau discussing the day's adventures with the crew of the batteau Appomattox. A canvas or sailcloth canopy was often used on the boats, the same as was used on a covered wagon. Batteau crews were considered a rough lot and were known to raid gardens along the river or pilfer farmer's chickens for an evening meal. |
|
|
|
|
During the Eastern Primitive Rendezvous seven batteaux will be available to take rendezvous participants on a three hour float trip. This will be your opportunity to become a crew member on one of the boats and run several fun rapids. SPACE IS LIMITED, so please call ahead to reserve a spot. A reservation phone number is shown below. Each boat can only take ten people. The batteau organizers have arranged four trips, thus a maximum of 280 people can participate in this adventure. First come first served! If you plan to attend this, please read the information below carefully.
All necessary safety equipment will be provided by the boat captains, including life jackets. Captains are experienced and every batteau carries the required Coast Guard safety devices. While this float trip is not considered dangerous, every participant must prepare for the possibility that they may be required to get out into the river and push if the batteau becomes hung up in shallow water. For this reason period footwear is not required for this float. An old pair of tennis shoes or wading shoes are recommended. Going barefoot in the James may result in cut feet as the rocks in the river are quite sharp. To repeat: you must be prepared to get wet if you want to float the river!
Transportation to and from camp will be provided. Cost is $20.00 each to cover shuttle transportation and cost to move these big boats. $5.00 each will be donated to the Eastern Primitive Rendezvous. Period coolers and ice will be provided. Bring your own beverages. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. A sign up sheet will be available at the gate. Please pay at the gate for this trip even if you make prior reservations.
Schedule of trips: |
|
|
|
|
|
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! To make reservations please call Captain David Haney @ 804-821-4204. |
|
|
|
|
An original batteau on the Haw River in North Carolina. This photograph was taken about 1905. The team and wagon in the rear was the property of Virginia Cotton Mills. Note the large rolls of cotton on the boat as well as several barrels and crates. The boat was powered by two men with poles and one man on the sweep. This boat appears to be nearly identical to the boats discovered by archaeologists in the Richmond Canal basin in 1983. This is one of the few surviving batteau photographs in existence. The James River style batteau was first invented in 1771 and these boats were used throughout the canal era and into the era of railroads. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A very pretty batteau wench on the Pride of Campbell County batteau. Although women did not originally work on the river boats, there are written accounts of women using batteaux as transportation up and down the James River. |
|
|
|
Organizers of the Batteau Adventure for rendezvous participants: |
|
|
Captain David Haney
Pride of Campbell County batteau
524 Falkland Place
Evington, VA 24550
Phone: 804-821-4204
Captain Roy Barnard
Col. Charles Lynch batteau
94 Batteau Road
Alta Vista, VA 24517
Phone: 804-369-7261 |
|
|
