Howardsville
Albermarle County, Virginia
Brian Roberts of Nelson County, Virginia is just about ready for this year’s James River Batteau Festival starting on June 20th. For months and months Brian has been working on his latest project, Rockfish Runner. It’s a brand new batteau that will float the James in this year’s festival. Batteau is a french term that means boat. We’ve been telling you about Brian since the Summer of 2007. Back then we followed Brian by helicopter over the James as he headed toward Richmond. On that same trip we got this very rare and unique video of a black bear crossing the river. Thanks to Al Stacey of Gaia Homes for use of his helicopter and piloting us around!
“It’s been a lot of hard work. We started back in February. And over my college spring break, I picked up a lot of the wood and got a lots of work done! It’s been a big process,” Brian said Saturday morning as he was launching the Rockfish Runner into the James.
Be looking for lots more on Brian’s new batteau and his trip along the James in our upcoming July printed edition of Nelson County Life Magazine!
