"A hop". This 773 acre hidden gem took about 30 minutes to reach by pickup from my home base. Located in a residential area of both Maryland's Howard and Prince Georges (PG) counties, this reservoir was peaceful paradise to explore. Peaceful, because I launched my kayak from its very muddy banks at 6:30 a.m. The fact is, if you want to see wildlife you better go early or you better go late. I made "a crack of dawn plan", hoping I would have more wildlife sightings at such an early hour, I was not disappointed. Rocky Gorge Reservoir is owed by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and is a source of drinking water for the counties. A watershed use permit must be purchased before kayaking at the site. It is easily obtained on the company website for $6/day or $70/year.
"It's the sounds that I had to get used to, it's the sounds that draw my attention. Being in such a peaceful environment you would think that the scenery would capture my attention but it's the sounds that I have surprised and delighted me, when I first arrived. The sounds of the birds, the sounds of my boat striking objects under the water, the sounds of enormous fish somersaulting out of the water, the sounds of great blue herons swooping down to catch fish in their beaks and fly away, the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves, the sounds of raindrops in the trees, the sounds of air bubbles popping up from beneath the surface. Initially it was a little scary but the longer I was there, the more I got used to the sounds. The sounds of the woodpecker out in the forest, the sound of a stream trickling into the reservoir. When I first started out, I felt comforted to hear the sounds of cars driving by on a nearby bridge, it made me feel like I wasn't alone and that if I needed help I would find someone. But soon I wanted to get away from the sounds of the cars, so that I could enjoy the peacefulness of the water and the further I got away from the cars the more comfortable I got with the unique sounds of nature. So many sounds! Every now and then a plane flies over and I get annoyed because it is interrupting my enjoyment of the sounds of nature and it also reminds me that unfortunately I am not too far away from the hustle and bustle of modern-day-life. To have a place like this, so peaceful and untouched, (as I paddled) I hoped it would never change. I hoped that no one would come someday and destroy this gift. If they destroy this gift, they will also destroy the sounds".
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/laurel/ph-ll-history-rocky-gorge-0704-20130705,0,3124649.story
