Get out on the water and explore Rhode Island's Blueways!

PaddleRI:

The Rhode Island Blueways Alliance, in partnership with watershed groups and other non-profits across the state, along with a number of generous outfitters who are contributing their time, expertise and equipment, is sponsoring a series of paddling events in June and July to celebrate the launch of the Rhode Island Blueways. For more details on any of these events please contact the contact person listed for that event or check the website listed. For a PDF you can print out with the list PaddleRI events show below, click here. For a PDF map showing the approximate location of each event click here.

Pre-registration is required for all trips. Some groups have boats available; for other events you must bring your own boat. Life jackets must be worn during any paddle. If you are bringing your own boat make sure you have enough wearable life jackets for everyone in your boat. Be safe and have fun!

Date	Contact Person	Event	Start Location	Description
Saturday May 31 Postponed to Saturday, June 7 due to weather	Mark Bullinger: 401-322-3068 mbullinger@gmail.com www.saltpondscoalition.org	Salt Ponds Spring Paddle - Ninigret Pond	Ninigret Pond	Explore the fascinating world of a coastal salt pond on this 4 hour paddle suitable for people of all ages and abilities. Highlights include a local historian, a demonstration of water quality sampling, and information about salt pond and barrier beach ecology.
Saturday June 7 This paddle is full!	Denise Poyer: 401-539-9017 denisep@wpwa.org www.wpwa.org	Wood River Source to Sea Paddle, First Leg	Arcadia Management Area, Exeter	On this 7-mile, 5-hour voyage paddlers will experience the most wild and scenic section of the Wood River. This event is open to paddlers with some experience on rivers. There will be one portage with lunch (byo)at WPWA headquarters.
Sunday June 8	Bob Nero: 401-330-0812 pra@pawtuxet.org www.pawtuxet.org	Paddle the Pawtuxet	Greenwich Village Apartments	Paddle from Greenwich Village Apartments down the Pawtuxet to Rhodes on the Pawtuxet. This 7-mile paddle will take you down the lower section of the Pawtuxet, which is surprisingly wooded for its urban location. The Pawtuxet River Authority will provide food and refreshments at the end of the paddle as well as a shuttle back up to the starting point.
Sunday June 15	Keith Gonsalves: 401-474-3813 www.tenmileriver.net	Ten Mile River Fathers Day Family Paddle	Armistice Blvd., Pawtucket	On this two hour down river trip, which is good for all levels of experience, we will paddle the surprising urban wilderness of Pawtucket. End at the Kimberly Rock Sports Complex for refreshments. A shuttle will be available to return you to your vehicles.
Saturday June 21	Don at Blackstone Valley Outfitters: don@bvori.com www.blackstoneriver.org	Rivers Day Celebration	Central Falls Landing	Join Blackstone River Valley Tourism Council and Blackstone Valley Outfitters for a free 1 hour guided tours into the Valley Falls Pond and wetlands complex between 10am and 2pm. There will also be other events going on from 10 to 4, including tours of the river on the Blackstone Valley Explorer, food, displays by local groups, and more.
Saturday June 21	Ruth Strach: 401-934-2277 rstrach@verizon.net. After May 30 call Cindy Gianfranseco: 401-934-9212	Summer Solstice Paddle	Hope Pond, Scituate	Celebrate the first day of summer on the beautiful upper Pawtuxet River with a late afternoon paddle from Hope Pond up to the Gainer Dam and back. Participants are invited to bring a picnic dinner and enjoy the sunset from the Hope Pond beach after the paddle.
Saturday June 21	Paul Earnshaw at the Buckeye Brook Coalition: 401-739-6592; www.buckeyebrook.org	Ride the Tide with Buckeye Brook	Conimicut Point parking lot, Warwick	Explore Warwick’s hidden treasures on this 2 hour paddling event, which is open to all levels of experience. Highlights include discussion of over 300 years of history made along this absolutely beautiful watershed. Buckeye Brook is a jewel within the urban city of Warwick.
Sunday June 22	Jason Considine at the the Narrow River Preservation Association: 401.789.0334 or 401-316-9755 narrowriverkayaks@verizon.net www.narrowriver.org	Pettaquamscutt Paddle	Middlebridge Road , Narragansett.	This 2 hour round-trip tour of the lower Narrow River will leave from Narrow River Kayaks, 94 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett; boat into Pettaquamscutt Cove, around Gooseberry Island, under Sprague Bridge, out to Narragansett Beach; and then return to Narrow River Kayaks. Kayak rentals available.
Saturday June 28	Bruce Hooke at the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council: 401-351-5747 bhooke@woonasquatucket.org www.woonasquatucket.org	Afternoon Paddle on the Lower Woonasquatucket	Downtown Providence	Paddle the lower Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers and see the city and the rivers from a new angle! This is an easy paddle through the heart of Providence. We will start and end at the same location so no shuttle is necessary. Some canoes and kayaks are available but please bring your own if you have one.
Sunday June 29	Chuck Horbert, RIDEM Freshwater Wetlands Program; 401-222-4700 ext. 7402 chuck.horbert@dem.ri.gov	Big River Paddle	Zeke's Bridge, Harkney Hill Road, Coventry	This moderately strenuous paddle up the Big River and back, through a wide variety of freshwater wetland habitats, will take 3 to 4 hours. Some of the things to see along the way: freshwater marshes, shrub swamps, birds, fish, remnant beaver dams, beaver lodges, muskrat lodges, culverts under Route 95 and wetlands impacted by Phragmites.
Saturday July 12	Rob Hancock: 401-272-3540 ext 103 rhancock@savebay.org	Save The Bay Summer Paddle	Aspray Boathouse, 2 E. View St. Warwick	An opportunity for a saltwater paddle around Pawtuxet Cove and, weather permitting, upper Narragansett Bay. Trip comes complete with marine educators, canoe guides, and other enthusiastic paddlers. You can bring your own boat (canoe or kayak), and safety equipment (minimum requirements below) or you can coordinate a canoe rental with Save The Bay. All paddlers participating in Save The Bay’s Summer Paddle should plan on staying with the group for the duration. Minimum Requirements for Equipment: • Life Jacket – type III (fitted, zipped, and clipped). • Boat must be 12’ or longer with either water tight bulkheads OR floatation inside fore +/or after deck. • Sit-on-top boats 12’ and longer are okay. • No inflatable boats.
Sunday July 27	Keith Gonsalves: 401-474-3813	Narragansett Bay Day	Goddard State Park, Warwick
Monday July 28 10am (rain or shine) Postponed to Friday, August 22, at 10 am	Tina Dolen tina@aquidneckplanning.org	Dedication of the new Blue Trail in Narragansett Bay	Weaver Cove Boat Ramp off Burma Road (Defense Highway) in Portsmouth	The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission invites you to the dedication of the new Blue Trail in Narragansett Bay. Paddlers and Public all welcome for this land and water event. Dedication at 10am with RI Federal Delegation followed by public paddle. RSVP recommended to tina@aquidneckplanning.org Complete Invitation (PDF format)