A 3,000-mile trail made of water

People first arrived at the Chesapeake Bay during the last ice age. As the
glaciers melted, diverse societies learned to thrive in a world of water.

When the Englishman Captain John Smith explored the Bay in 1608, he
documented hundreds of American Indian communities. His map is the reason
the trail bears his name — and the reason it is worth being precise about what
it records. **Today, sites on that map are archaeological treasures and sacred
sites for tribal citizens.** It is a European's document of places that were
already old, and the communities on it have descendants now.

A water trail

The trail is 3,000 miles long, and there are countless places to reach it.
Its headquarters and main visitor centre is at **Colonial National Historical
Park — Historic Jamestowne**.

For a map search or GPS: **Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center, 1368 Colonial
Parkway, Jamestown, Virginia 23081**.

The safety advice is a boater's, not a hiker's

Summer. Light, comfortable, moisture-wicking clothing and sunscreen. High
temperatures and humidity raise the risk of **heat cramps, heat exhaustion and
heatstroke**. Carry water — and wear a life jacket at all times.

Winter. Submersion in freezing water can be deadly. If you go out,
bring safety gear such as a wetsuit, and practise the techniques for
avoiding a capsize.

That winter paragraph is the one to read twice. On a walking trail, cold is
discomfort; on this one, going into the water in January is the hazard the
whole season is organised around.

*Location: National Historic Trail — VA, MD, DE, DC, PA, NY. Source: U.S.
National Park Service.*