After eight days on the river and 120 miles of low water, hard poling and walking a two-ton boat over sharp rocks, Ellen Blankinship was ready for a cold drink.

“And a hot shower,” she was quick to add as her boat, The Spirit of the James, was the first to land at Maidens Landing last weekend.

It was the last stop of a seven-day journey that has become a James River tradition since 1985, the Batteau Festival.|

Each year, hearty participants build and equip replicas of batteaux, flat-bottom boats that once were the transportation backbone of Virginia’s economy. The boats carried goods and people up and down Virginia rivers, utilizing the rivers as main thoroughfares throughout the state.

This year’s event offered its own set of challenges for the participants, as waters levels were unusually low, and the going tough during several segments of the trip.

One crewmember aboard the Dreaming Creek said she felt like she had “walked to Wingina,” referring to a particularly challenging portion of the trip.

But the low water and extra work didn’t deter the boaters from enjoying their usual week of peace and tranquility on the river, a reminder of bygone days along the James.

For Blankinship, it’s a yearly labor of love that she looks forward to. She got her first taste of batteauing on the river when she crewed on the Admiral. When that boat retired from the festival (“Boats don’t last forever, you know”), she decided to build her own.

Depending on the expertise of the many friends she’s made on the river, Blankinship completed the Spirit of the James and took over the helm.

“I talked to a lot of people and got a lot of help from people who are in the festival,” she said.

The festival appeals to her for its sense of camaraderie, rather than the competition. “We help each other out a lot here,” she said. “Some of the problems that come up require the help of other boats and they always pitch in. Another boat will always stop and help.”

Blankinship, and other captains, said the stretch between Bent Creek and Wingina was the toughest this year, due to water levels and exposed rocks.

Other than that, Blankinship said it was a smooth run, her eighth in as many years.

It’s a love affair that has blossomed between woman and nature, and Blankinship said the river offers a peace of mind unattainable anywhere else.

“It’s just wonderful out there,” Blankinship said. “The peace and quiet and beauty of the river are all around you. I just love it,” she said.