Tying-up at the New Rocketts Marina

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The marina at Rocketts Landing is finally starting to look like – well – a marina. Bayliners, SunTrackers and Benningtons are just a few of the boats occupying 17 of the newly built dock slips.

Now residents motor along the banks of the James River, watching the occasional water skier pass by and enjoying the sunset. It surely helps, too, that the last few weeks have been unseasonably pleasant.

The slips at the new marina cost $10 per foot a month for an annual lease, and five are reserved for transient boaters who wish to visit Richmond by water and park their boat for up to 45 days.

Most resident boat owners purchased their boats just after the marina opened on May 1st, according to Eileen Davis, the proud owner of a double-decker, 24-foot Sylvan pontoon boat.

Davis says she grew up around boats on the New Jersey shore, and that she and her husband, Martin, are currently “transitioning” from their house in the far west end, near Short Pump Town Center, to their condo in Fall Line.

“When I first moved to Richmond 15 years ago, I couldn’t understand why the city’s beautiful waterfront was undeveloped,” she said.  “My husband and I decided to move to Rocketts when we found out they were planning to build condos with water access. We intend to retire to our condo at some point after our daughter graduates from college, but for now, having it and the new boat is like having a vacation house without the long drive.”

Davis currently teaches nursing at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and for her, weekends at Rocketts Landing and dinner onboard the new boat is the perfect way to unwind after a long week.

“The new marina is a genial environment that always seems to put me in a good mood,” she said.  “Everybody is always lending a hand and giving each other boating advice. It’s just another fun thing to do and talk about with your neighbors.”

Davis expects more slips at the marina to fill up once the economy takes a turn for the better. She also thinks the opening of the new Boathouse Restaurant will play a role in attracting a significant amount of boat traffic to the area, but she isn’t concerned.

“The more the merrier,” she said. “Even if they extend the marina all the way to the club house and more boats come, I don’t think too much traffic will be an issue. Rocketts Landing is a deep water port and the James River is wider than you think.”

A part from having dinner on the water, Davis also enjoys viewing all the wildlife the area has to offer, especially the rare birds.

“Out on the water we’ve spotted turtles, herons and even a Peregrine Falcon,” she said. “The falcons have almost disappeared from the Richmond-area, but we saw one right there from the deck of our boat.”

Get Pumped for the New Fitness Center

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Little by little, Rocketts residents are learning more about one-another. Now that the fitness center at 210 Rock is open, they will know who can bench press 250 pounds, and who flexes in the mirror between every set.

The fitness center location is not meant to be permanent but has most of what you need to stay in shape, from elliptical machines and treadmills to stack weights and dumbbells. Also, let’s not forget the flat-screen TV.

Construction on the 1,800 square-foot, two room site began back in April and was completed last month. It will serve as temporary location for Rocketts residents to exercise until the riverfront community center, which will house the permanent gym, is completed.

“Access to an onsite fitness center is part of the Rocketts homeowners’ package,” said Community Manager, Amanda Madden.  “I think that everyone here is pleased to have a place to exercise until the community center opens.”

A number of residents took advantage of an informational workout session this past weekend. The session was hosted by Teresa Glauser of Elite Fitness Systems, the company that outfitted the new fitness center with its exercise equipment.  

 “I showed the class how to use each piece of equipment safely and effectively,” Glauser said. “People want to see results when they’re exercising. So, it is important to learn to do things right.”

Yes, that means you, Mr. cut-off sleeves, grunting bench-presser.

Glauser also runs the personal training business, Take Action, and she hopes that Rocketts residents will opt for more private fitness classes at the new fitness center in the future. 

“I’m already meeting with two ladies from this past weekend’s class again on Friday,” she said. “I’d also like the residents to do a survey on what exercise classes they would be willing to attend at what times. When it comes to exercise, it’s important to give people not what you think they are interested in but what they want.”

The new fitness center is open to all residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can contact Teresa Glauser at (804) 432-1251 to set up an appointment.

The Rare Civil War-Era Pottery Beneath Rocketts

Monday, June 01, 2009

A team led by Robert Hunter from the Center for Archeological Research at William and Mary University recently excavated hundreds of American Stoneware pieces at Rocketts Landing. The stoneware is believed to be the product of David Parr Jr., a prominent post-Civil War potter from Richmond.

Parr established a pottery in Richmond around the 1850’s somewhere near Rocketts Landing, but no one knows exactly where.  His American stoneware is highly sought after by collectors, and Hunter feels he might be on to something, given the abundance of “wasters” or broken pieces of stoneware found during the recent excavation at Rocketts.

“The area has huge potential to be the location of Parr’s kiln or maybe even one of his storage facilities,” Hunter said.  “During a dig, we have never before encountered so much of his stoneware.”

The term stoneware refers to the predominant house ware of nineteenth century North America –pottery usually covered in a salt glaze and often decorated using bright blue cobalt oxide. The vernacular term “crocks” is often used to describe the pottery, and it is thought to have originated in Germany during the 1400’s.

No one has ever found a stoneware factory belonging to David Parr Jr.  For this reason, his work is extremely rare and sells for thousands of dollars.  One of the most significant vessel he has produced is the twenty-gallon salt-glazed stoneware cooler decorated with an incised American eagle and on display at the Virginia Historical Society.

No fully intact Parr pieces were found during the recent dig at Rocketts.

“Collectors, of course, want whole pieces to display in their houses,” said Hunter. “For us though a fragment is just as good. We’re more interested in the historic value of Parr’s work.”

The dig was funded in part by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and Hunter is currently in the process of raising more money for a second visit.  Dan Boyer, a sales associate at Rocketts Landing, volunteered during the excavation and would like to see the search for the Parr kiln continue.

“With permission from the Rocketts community we would like to dig as much as possible in order to preserve and promote the rich legacy of the area and the city,” he said. “We have even discussed the installment of a small museum on site to display all our findings and maintain that legacy.”

 Editor’s Note:  Robert Hunter asked that the Captain’s Blog encourage people not to encroach upon the areas excavated for fear of damage that could be imposed upon the historic stoneware potentially located there.

Photos / Robert Hunter