Lake Anna State Park Geocaching

We visited Lake Anna State Park in Virginia to do some geocaching while my son was camping with friends.

Our host was kind enough to take us there by boat, which meant that we were able to find Rock Anna, a geocache hidden on a small island just off the park's beach and pier. This cache was our first five-star difficulty find. The range of difficulties run from one-star (accessible by wheelchair) to five-star (requires special equipment to get to the cache). The motor boat got close enough for us to jump onto the island. A few minutes of walking took us to the cache, which was not very well hidden (except for being on the island, of course).

View from the boat

The island was pathless

Looking around

The find

The rehide

Looking for a pickup

On shore, we first hunted down VSP Get L.O.S.T. at Lake Anna State Park, which was placed by the park rangers. The park is part of Virginia's state park system and if geocachers find multiple caches in multiple parks, they can get special prizes (see their web page). This cache's coordinates led us to a building on which the cache was hidden. Luckily we had our phones with us because a critical clue is in the cache's description. After deciphering that, our group was able to open the container and get the find.

At the park

A suspicious box

The log in the box

Heading for the next cache

Our second "on land" cache was another one hidden by the park rangers, though it was subsequently adopted by another geocacher. VSP Lake Anna Tree-mendous Adventure has a great hiding spot, a very unconventional stump in the middle of the forest.

The trunk

Swiveled open

Ammo box inside!

Further up the hill is JQ015- Lake Anna (75th Anniversary Adventure) which was a little easy to spot (after hiking into the woods).

Another suspicious spot

Heading out after the find

We headed for another cache, only to find a visitor hiding out among the fallen leaves!

Can you spot him?

Cutie close-up

On the trail along the lake is a cache hidden by some Girl Scouts. Lake Anna Hidden Treasure was easy to find. We signed the log book only to discover a second log book in the cache! I left a note online for the cache owner to come and take the first (almost full) log book home. We found an aerosol can inside (bug spray) which is an item not good for a geocache. We took it out to keep it from potentially exploding the cache.

Not so well hidden

While at the last cache, we put the call in for the boat to come back and pick us up. The ride back was a lot of fun.

Camp Anna Fishing

One of the merit badges my son worked on while camping with friends was the Fishing Merit Badge. In addition to classwork, the badge also requires actual fishing and cooking! My son was an ace at the academics but had to be patient with the practicals. He spent a couple of days not catching anything while he figured out the best spots and the best techniques for catching a fish.

Fishing off the dock

Getting some help

One of the tough parts is baiting the hook. My son wasn't too squeamish about getting the worms but putting them on the hook was a bit tricky.

A box of nightcrawlers

He did succeed at catching a fish, though he did not want to do the traditional pose for fear of losing his prey.

Moving the fish into a smaller body of water

The only thing tougher than putting the worm on the hook was getting the fish off the hook. He was patient and methodical and got the job done.

Unhooking

The first catch

He did try some more fishing but got no more bites.

Trying from a different part of the dock

Back at the house, he worked on preparing and cooking the fish. First, he had to kill the fish, then get the scales and head off.

Pointers on what to cut off and what to keep

With a few more cuts, he was ready to fry that blue gill up.

Frying up a fillet

The finished product

The merit badge requires catching and cooking but not eating. He didn't try a bite though it did look pretty good at the end.

Camp Anna Kayaking

My son and I are early risers when we camp. My ability to get up early is directly related to how comfortable I find sleeping outside (I don't count the inside of a tent as "indoors"). The mid-July weather was hot, even at night. I woke up with the early light and was able to shower before the other parents were up and about. One morning I forwent the shower to go kayaking on Lake Anna with my son.

Ready to kayak

No, he doesn't need a bigger boat

The lake was pleasantly quiet and still.

Calm waters

More or less every house on the lake has a pier or a boathouse or both. Some of the houses were very fancy. Boat houses with garage doors? Multiple garage doors? Multiple levels? You betcha.

Might as well be a guest house

Check out the awesome reflection!

Another double-decker

We had fun paddling around, seeing the other houses in the distance.

Two boats, not about to collide

The other shore

Just a few ripples

Down the shoreline is a public dock that is accessible by visitors to the area. Can you guess which of the docks below is the public dock and which the private dock?

A mystery

The government-funded access to the lake

We paddled out to Rose Valley Island, a grand name for what amounts to one tree surrounded by a very small beach. It was pretty and in the early morning no motorboats were creating the sort of waves that would capsize a kayak.

Rose Valley Island

No wakes this morning

The sun came up over the lake while we were out there, resulting in some fabulous views.

Sunrise

My son crosses the sun

On our way back to our place, we admired some more of the fancy boat houses (and regular houses).

Sort of a double-decker, with just a deck above

Boathouse with stairs to the regular house

A fun lake house

Kayaking is a great way to see a lot of interesting parts and places on a lake. Especially before everyone else is up and around! More from camping in a future post...

Camp Anna 2020

My son went camping with other boys from his troop that was an unofficial summer camp. We gathered at a house on Lake Anna in Virginia. The lake is part of the Anna River. One area was dammed to make a reservoir, resulting in a large lake that spreads out like a spider. The house on the lake had enough property to set up socially-distanced tents and plenty of outdoor activities.

Arriving at the house!

The house is uphill from the boathouse, a good spot from which to fish, swim, or use any of the available boats (kayaks, sailboat, motorboat, etc.).

View to the boathouse

View from the boathouse

The waterfront was clearly the boys' favorite area. It accommodated several sports at the same time.

Swimming, jumping, and kayaking

Out on the motorboat

The motorboat was especially fun because the owner had two inflatables to drag behind it. He was an expert at making the inflatables splash, crash, and jump out of the water.

Going for a ride on the Triton

Ready to go!

Other activities happened, like flag ceremonies and some merit badge classes. My son was happy to complete three badges and do most of two others.

Lowering the flag

More flag work

The astronomy class including an exercise comparing relative distances. If the sun were the size of a soccer ball, the earth would be the size of a small bead and be about 75 feet away!

Space and relative dimension in the yard

We launched some bottle rockets too as part of the fun at the camp.



More in-depth posts will follow with an early morning kayak ride, my son fishing, and our geocaching adventures.