{"id":1390,"date":"2017-10-02T07:32:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T11:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/?page_id=1390"},"modified":"2017-10-13T22:37:31","modified_gmt":"2017-10-14T02:37:31","slug":"otter-creek-campground","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/","title":{"rendered":"South from Otter Creek Campground"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_1584\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1584\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1584 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-3.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-3-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1584\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Selfie with a Trail System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Driving south from Otter Creek Campground, we made three stops: Otter Lake, the James River, and Peaks of Otter. On the way we encountered enough fog to wish for RADAR. We traveled on very slowly until another car came out of the fog &#8211; so we decided to stop.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-1390 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170913_fog_brp_waterfall\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-200x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall.jpg 684w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1522'>\n\t\t\t\tWe woke to see the Otter Lake campground in fog.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170913_fog_brp_waterfall-6\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-6-300x197.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-6-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-6.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1521'>\n\t\t\t\tNot much to see as we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170913_fog_brp_waterfall-3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-3-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-3.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1518'>\n\t\t\t\tA scenic Overlook with nothing to see\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170913_fog_brp_waterfall-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-2-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170913_fog_BRP_waterfall-2.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1517'>\n\t\t\t\tFog on Blue Ridge Parkway\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Following the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Otter Creek south from the campgrounds, we came to the beautiful Otter Lake, and then Stu discovered Otter Creek Falls at the south end of the lake.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-1390 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170914_brp_otter_lake_to_rocky_knob-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-2-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-2.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1585'>\n\t\t\t\tOtter Lake Pier\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/loft-mountain-the-southern-skyline-drive\/unnamed-manmade-waterfall-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/unnamed-manmade-waterfall-1-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/unnamed-manmade-waterfall-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/unnamed-manmade-waterfall-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1495'>\n\t\t\t\tOtter Lake Falls\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Continuing south of the Parkway along the Otter Creek, we, and the creek, came to the James River. The river has a restored lock on a canal built about 1848\u00a0 to carry traffic around falls and low water areas. The canal was dug around a natural rapids.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-1390 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/lock-south-of-otter-creek-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-1-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-1-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1530'>\n\t\t\t\tRestored open lock\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/loft-mountain-the-southern-skyline-drive\/james_river-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-2-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/loft-mountain-the-southern-skyline-drive\/james_river-6\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-6-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-6.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/20170914_brp_otter_lake_to_rocky_knob-5\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-5-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_BRP_Otter_Lake_to_Rocky_Knob-5.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1582'>\n\t\t\t\tYou can see, it is not very wide.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/loft-mountain-the-southern-skyline-drive\/james_river-4\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-4-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-4-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1619'>\n\t\t\t\tJames River above the lock\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/loft-mountain-the-southern-skyline-drive\/james_river-5\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-5-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-5-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/James_River-5.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1620'>\n\t\t\t\tLooking out from the James River bridge\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The James River has been a major transportation artery through Virginia for centuries. Although originally planned to provide a navigable waterway from Great Falls at Richmond to the Ohio River, the James River was destined to extend no further west than Buchanan. When completed in 1851, it was the primary commercial route in the state. But civil war, floods, and railroads spelled disaster for the canal, causing it to fail within the next thirty years.<\/p>\n<p>Leaving the James River behind, we drove to the Peaks of Otter, where we walked around the beautiful lake at the Visitors Center, one of the many creations of the Civilian Conservation Corps inherited by us and our children.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1532\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-3-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Lock-south-of-Otter-Creek-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_Peaks_of_Otter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1626\" src=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_Peaks_of_Otter-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_Peaks_of_Otter-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_Peaks_of_Otter-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/20170914_Peaks_of_Otter.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/index.php\/rocky-knob-campground\/\">Click here to continue our journey from the Rocky Knob campground.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Driving south from Otter Creek Campground, we made three stops: Otter Lake, the James River, and Peaks of Otter. On the way we encountered enough fog to wish for RADAR. We traveled on very slowly until another car came out of the fog &#8211; so we decided to stop. Following the Blue Ridge Parkway and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/otter-creek-campground\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">South from Otter Creek Campground<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1619,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1390","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1390"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1629,"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1390\/revisions\/1629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shearwater-sailing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}