It’s been nearly 40 years since I asked a boat salesman how I could attach a motor to the 11-foot Poke Boat that I was considering purchasing. Laughingly, he replied, I guess it could be done but, really, I don’t think you’ll want to once you try this watercraft out. After a couple of days on the water with the little boat, I had to agree with him. This 23-pound vessel was the best little watercraft I’d ever used for exploring new waterways that were ordinarily inaccessible to larger boats. Maybe the Eskimos had something after all.

For the next few years, I used the Poke Boat (an 11-foot version of a kayak) to explore a lot of waterways that I’d never been to before in my larger boat. It was a real eye opener for me and I became a big advocate for the sport of kayaking.

I paddled the Tar River from up in Granville County to Greenville and started fishing for rock (striped bass) in the Weldon area of the famed Roanoke River. Lake Ellis Simon near Havelock didn’t have any flowing water to speak of, but this body of water sure showed me some exciting times, as I caught largemouth bass and photographed some huge alligators from the Poke Boat. Twice I positioned the Poke Boat between an alligator and the water, attempting to photograph the gator, and was nearly upset as the gator slid over the bow of the boat as it attempted to reach safety in the open water of the lake. I was convinced that a kayak was probably the one boat I’d have if I were limited to owning just one boat.

Now, 40 years later, the kayak has caught on with outdoorsmen all across the state and we’re seeing organizations such as the Pamlico Tar River Foundation and the Roanoke River Partners make good use of the sport (and canoeing), introducing both natives and newcomers to our waterways they’d never seen before. Paddle boating has inspired and renewed interest in conserving our natural resources and preserving them for future generations. Eastern North Carolinians are now beginning to finally realize that maybe the future of our area lies in the outdoor recreation (and tourism) industries and not in heavy industry.

The Pamlico Tar River Foundation (PTRF) is promoting their waterways by sponsoring boating activities that make good use of their natural waterways and the public is responding well. Sales of “paddle boats” are booming, as illustrated by the numbers of cars with kayaks on top. Almost every weekend some sort of boating activity is available in our area. And it doesn’t stop at just simply boating. Camping by paddleboat is gaining popularity every day, as platforms along low-lying sections of the rivers are made readily available.

In their press release, the PTRF states, “Tar-Pamlico River Camping Platforms, owned and operated by the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation in Washington, NC, provide overnight camping facilities to recreational users of the Tar River. PTRF’s goal is to build a continuous system of platforms approximately 8 to 15 miles apart spanning from the headwaters of the Tar River in Granville County to the wide-open estuarine waters of the Pamlico River in Beaufort, Hyde, and Pamlico Counties. Enjoy white water paddling in the headwaters to sea kayaking along the Inner Banks.

“You can choose to sleep under the stars or in a screened-in enclosure along the scenic Tar River in central and eastern North Carolina and the platforms are open to the public. Recreational paddlers, boaters, and fishermen are welcome to use the facilities year-round; however, users must make a reservation through PTRF and use is by permit only.

Reservations and permits can be made anytime using our online system below. We hope you enjoy these facilities and spread the word about your experience on the Tar River. Visit the Tar-Pamlico Water Trail website to learn more about river camping and reserve your camping.”

The Roanoke River and its tributaries are a very different system than the Pamlico-Tar River waterways. The Roanoke River originates high in the mountains of Virginia, flows through several large lakes (Smith Mountain Lake, Kerr Lake, Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake for instance) on its way to the Albemarle Sound below Plymouth.

Some 25 years ago, much of the low-lying land along the lower Roanoke River became parts of several National Wildlife Refuges to conserve and protect this very unique waterway system. Several North Carolina counties banded together to form the Roanoke River Partners, which is similar to the PTRF in its goals to conserve and protect the natural resources of the lower Roanoke River.

Even the very name of a “National Wildlife Refuge” seems to infer that there is no hunting allowed in these areas, but this is not the case. Controlled hunting is a recognized method of wildlife management and hunting is allowed on the National Wildlife Refuges (as well as on the National Seashore Parks). Several North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Public Hunting Lands join with the national systems to offer (by permit) some of the best waterfowl, deer, wild turkey and small game hunting in our state. Bird watchers find that the swamps along the lower Roanoke River offer a great deal of neo-tropical birding in the U.S. There’s no better way to experience wonders of the lower Roanoke River Delta than from a kayak (or canoe).