April, 2011.  Anyone can talk to eagles, right?  Often, when I see one of the resident eagles in Jefferson's Reach, I say, "Hello!" out loud.  On many occasions, I'll continue my conversation with an eagle by mentioning the obvious.  Our conversation might sound something like this ... "Good morning pretty girl.  How are you this morning Varina?  I am sorry, but I don't have a breakfast shad for you or your chicks this morning."  As my pontoon boat, the Discovery Barge II continues on the James River, I'll end with, "Goodbye Varina.  I promise to bring a shad back to you later if I find plenty during the day and have an extra one at the end of my fishing trip."

Yep, if I can talk to them, anyone can talk to eagles.

But how many people talk to the river?  This is quite different than talking to bald eagles.  Eagles have eyes, and thoughts, and sometimes, you can 'sense' what one might be thinking.  The river is different.  There are no eyes to read and no ears to hear.  No wings to fly and no talons to hunt with.  What the river does have is a soul with moods, parts and pieces.  The river has lines, shapes and color.  It has sounds, thousands of different sounds.  The river and all her surroundings in many ways is perfection no matter when you go.  The James River has been alive and has been the ultimate resource for eons, and will continue to survive and provide forever.  The James River is a time machine and a portal to our future.  Who better to ask life's perplexing questions to, than one that has so much experience?

The river is perfect.  The lines, and curves along the shore and trees reflected in the water just makes sense.  Everything is where it is suppose to be.  All these pieces of the natural puzzle are placed together so wonderfully, that the river becomes the ultimate listener.  It's there, in the face of perfection, the home of so many creatures, I'll take the pieces of my own puzzle to talk and think.  Often I get the answers, and just as often, I get more questions.  But it's those special occasions, I get to see pieces of my own puzzle fit together.  And it's then and there that I realize anything is possible, like talking to eagles.  Yep, the James River is perfect.  --Capt. Mike