Outdoor enthusiasts have a new destination for all of their fishing, kayaking, and adventure in Tidewater Virginia with the launch of Gloucester Blueways, a system of five water trails spanning more than 40 miles.

The trail system was announced Oct. 13 at Dragon Run Day by the Gloucester County Parks, Recreation & Tourism department, along with its various partners.

The project, which only took about 18 months to bring to fruition, enlisted the help of various partners in the Gloucester community. Among those involved were Gloucester County Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Bay Country Kayaking, York River Charters, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and various individuals from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and its Center for Coastal Resources Management.

Marcia Berman, program manager for the Comprehensive Coastal Inventory Program at VIMS, took part in the project along with VIMS’ Geographic Information System Programmer/Analyst Karinna Nunez...