Now’s the time to snorkel in the James River

There is nothing quite like grabbing your mask and snorkel, plunging into the refreshing James River and coming face to face with a huge catfish.

"Mentally, you know they are not going to hurt you, but you are swimming with big fish," said Chris Hull, an engineer from Henrico County.

Hull, 48, was standing waist-deep in Catfish Alley, a 3½-foot-deep, rock-rimmed pool in the James near Shockoe Slip.

As Hull's two young sons dived like seals, flathead catfish the size of fire hydrants swam around them, sometimes brushing the human interlopers with their tails.

"I like it when they swim under you," said Noah Hull, 9.

The fish probably weighed 20 to 40 pounds. What really thrills Hull and the boys is an encounter with the General, a 60to 80-pound monster catfish that inhabits a deep hole nearby.

"It may not always be the same fish, but that's part of the legend," Hull said. "There's always one really huge one down in there."

In late summer, when hot, rainless days leave the James running low and clear, a dip with a mask and snorkel can open up a surprisingly entertaining aquatic world.

"We used to call it the poor man's Bahamas," said Tricia Pearsall, 64, a Richmond teacher and photographer who has been snorkeling in the James for nearly 30 years. "I think we have something really unique here."

You can see smallmouth bass, carp, and yes, catfish, in 8to 12-foot-deep spots known as holes. Or you can explore shallow areas, where you might see colorful minnows or a harmless northern water snake gliding through riverside plants called water willows.

"You can be in three feet of water, and you're in a different world," said David Mangum, 35, a Richmond architect who likes to explore under the Boulevard Bridge.

Pools like Catfish Alley dot the James when the river gets low enough. Fish can get trapped in the pools until the water rises again. The alley is about 25 yards long and 10 yards wide, and a little water gurgles in and out of it, keeping it fresh.

Snorkeling in the James is becoming increasingly popular, said Ralph White, manager of the city's James River Park. The city even offers a how-to brochure for $2.

None of the James' inhabitants will hurt you, White said, but some will give you a start.

You might come upon a 2½-foot longnose gar, a toothy fish that resembles a baby barracuda. Or you can look under an underwater rock and find an American eel, which has a habit of opening and closing its mouth.

"If your face is nearby, my God it's frightening," White said.

You can snorkel in 10 feet of water, or a few inches. The best time is usually from late July to early fall, when the water is clearest.

During really dry years, there is more time for dirt to settle out of the water, and you can see for 10 feet or more. Now, you can see about 4 feet, which is fine.

Some people -- particularly older people -- consider the James dirty and won't set foot in it. It's almost a prejudice, borne by memories of 40 years ago, when the river stank and many fish traveled belly up.

But improved sewage treatment, forced by tough federal laws in the 1970s, has renewed the James. The river is far from pristine, but it is reasonably healthy, harboring lots of fish and fish-eating birds such as ospreys and herons.

Still, you should delay a dip for a couple of days after a big rain, which can wash in waste from dogs, geese and upriver cattle.

If Richmond isn't your cup of river water, you can try cleaner spots 40 miles or so west of the city.

That's what a group of schoolteachers did during a recent Virginia Commonwealth University science workshop. They donned masks and hopped out of their canoes between Cartersville in Cumberland County and the Westview landing in Goochland County.

The river snorkeling was a first for Steve Csikari, 35, of King George County and Cameron Novak, 32, of Fredericksburg.

Floating in four feet of water, they saw expansive flat rocks and mats of waving green grasses called wild celery. Underwater grasses, which cleanse waters and give small fish a place to hide, are signs of a healthy river.

"This is pretty amazing," said Csikari, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area. The rivers there "are nowhere near as clean as this."

Back in the city, Chris Hull dove a few times near the Mayo Bridge to find the General, but rain had recently fallen and the deep water was too murky.

When son Isaac, 7, first saw a big catfish in the James a year ago, Hull said, "He jumped up out of the water and went, 'Scare-eee!'"

Now the two boys can't wait to get in the river, running ahead of their dad like happy spaniels.

Like so many others, they know the poor man's Bahamas can be awfully enriching.

James River snorkeling tips
• You don’t need expensive equipment. You can get a cheap mask and snorkel at a drugstore.
• If you have only a mask, that’s fine.
• Don’t go when the water is high. A level around 4 feet or less, as measured by the Westham gauge near Huguenot Bridge, is good.
• For the river’s level, call (804) 646-8228, ext. 4. Listen for "Richmond Westham."
• The Richmond Times-Dispatch carries James River levels in the Sports section.
• Wear shoes. The river’s inhabitants won’t hurt you, but nails and broken glass will.
• Shallow water is a good place for children and adults. It is safer, and there is more light, which helps viewing.
• Rocks can be slippery. Be careful.
• Don’t go in big rapids.
• Have small children wear life jackets.
• Adults also may want to wear life jackets. You can simply float in shallow water and look down.
• Don’t go in the water for a couple of days after a rain, which can wash animal waste and other pollutants into the river.
• If the water looks or smells bad, don’t go in.
• Stay out of the water if you can’t swim.
• James River Park sells a snorkeling-in-the-river booklet for $2. Call (804) 646-8911.