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

The RI Blueways Alliance is celebrating paddling in the Narragansett Bay Watershed with Paddle09, a series of paddle trips throughout June and July. These trips are organized by watershed organizations, Save the Bay, RIDEM and local outfitters and are designed to introduce recreational paddlers to the varied and beautiful rivers and coastal waters in our watershed. Map showing general locations of Paddle09 events (in PDF format).

Below the list of Paddle09 events there is a list of links to lots more paddling events!

All trips require advanced registration and some require an event registration fee. Although a few trips provide boat rentals, most ask you to bring your own boat. Read the enclosed descriptions and call the trip organizer or check ExploreRI.org for additional information. Things to remember:

All events require advanced registration.
All participants must wear life vests (PFDs) when on the water. PFDs must be worn in the manner intended by the manufacturer.
It's a good idea to bring snacks, water, and sunscreen.

Salt Ponds Spring Paddle on Upper Point Judith Pond :: Saturday, May 30:

Point Judith Pond runs from the mouth of the Saugatucket River to Block Island Sound. On this guided paddle of the upper section you will hear from presenters about environmental issues facing the pond, water quality monitoring, local history and aquaculture. This event is free, but donations to the Abby Auckerman Scholarship Fund are appreciated. Meet at the Marina Park launch ramp at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Salt Ponds Coalition, www.saltpondscoalition.org. Contact Mark Bullinger, 401.322.3068 or mbullinger@gmail.com.

Great Pawtuxet Paddle :: Saturday, June 6:

Join the Pawtuxet River Authority & Watershed Council on their inaugural trip from the new Pontiac Canoe Launch. This seven mile flat water paddle, suitable for all levels, begins at the Howard Conservation Area and ends at the Rhodes on the Pawtuxet parking lot. Meet at 9 a.m. Shuttling will be available; lunch and refreshments will follow the paddle. Bring your own boat or rent one from a nearby outfitter. Sponsored by the Pawtuxet River Authority & Watershed Council, www.pawtuxet.org. Contact Rita Holahan, 401.935.0723 or rlholahan@cox.net.

Blackstone River Canal Paddle :: Saturday, June 13:

The Blackstone River was a working river and a great way to explore this piece of history is from the water. Meet at the Blackstone Bikeway River access on Albion Road, Lincoln at 10 a.m. This easy, flat water paddle is about 4 miles long – half on the Blackstone River and half on the Blackstone Canal. Learn a little about what goes into permitting a bridge project from the wetlands perspective as you paddle under it. Sponsored by RIDEM. Contact Chuck Horbert, 401.418.2838 or chorbert@juno.com

Hunt River/Davis Memorial Wildlife Refuge :: Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14:

Friends of the Hunt River Watershed and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island welcome you to this beautiful wildlife refuge. Come explore this little known river that is in the heart of Rhode Island. Once used to power mills at several locations, the Hunt River is now the home of beaver and other wildlife. This is an easy flat water paddle for both the novice and experienced paddler. Because the number of boats during the event will be limited we are offering the same paddle on two different dates. Meet at the parking lot of the refuge on Davisville Road on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. or at 3 p.m. Sunday for an afternoon paddle. This event is free but donations to the Friends of the Hunt River Watershed would be appreciated. Sponsored by Friends of the Hunt River Watershed. Contact Barry Martasian, 401.338.4072 or bmar1865@verizon.net. Note: Recent construction has changed access to Davisville Road from Route 4 South at Exit 7. Use Exit 7A to Frenchtown Road. At the end of the ramp, take a right. At next light, take a right onto Davisville Road.

Woonasquatucket River Paddle in Downtown Providence :: Thursday, June 18:

Go for an after work paddle with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) and see the City of Providence and the river from a new angle. This is an easy 4 mile paddle on flat water, starting and ending at South Water Street in Providence. Meet at the South Water Street Landing at 6 p.m. The WRWC has canoes and kayaks available for rent but you can also bring your own. Suggested donation: $5/person for WRWC donors and $10/person otherwise; boat rental: $5/person for donors, $10/person otherwise. Sponsored by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, www.woonasquatucket.org. Contact Bruce Hooke, 401-351-5747 or bhooke@woonasquatucket.org.

Ten Mile River Fathers Day Family Paddle :: Sunday, June 21:

Discover the surprising urban wilderness of Pawtucket on this easy 2 mile paddle up the Ten Mile River. We will meet at Armistice Blvd., Pawtucket at 11 a.m. and paddle upstream through the Ten Mile River Reservation. After stopping at a trailhead upriver for a little on-land exploration we will return downstream to our starting point. Good for all levels of experience. There are a limited number of boats available for rent. Bring your own snacks and drinks. Sponsored by the Ten Mile River Watershed Council, www.tenmileriver.net. Contact Keith Gonsalves, 401.474.3813 or ktggroup@aol.com.

Farm and River Day :: Saturday, June 20:

Support your local farmers and a local river on this multivenue event. Friends of the Pawtuxet will offer canoe rentals from the lower Rhodes on the Pawtuxet parking lot, Cranston. They will supply canoes, paddles and life jacket and you paddle the calm river at your own pace for an hour. This is a great trip for kids. Canoes are available at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Rental fees are $3/adult and $1/ child. A guided bird walk along the riverbank will leave from the same spot at 8 a.m. that morning and a farmers market will be held on Rhodes Place from 9 a.m. to noon. Sponsored by Friends of the Pawtuxet. Contact Hillary, 401.784.8240 after June 1.

Summer Solstice Paddle :: Saturday, June 20:

Welcome in summer with this evening paddle on the Blackstone River. Meet at the Blackstone Valley Outfitters store in Cumberland. Plan to leave the store at 6 p.m. and return about 9 p.m. Costs are $30 and include boat, guide and gear; $10 for people with their own boat. $10 will be donated to RIBA. Sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Outfitters, www.bvori.com. Contact Don Martin, 401.312.0369 or don@bvori.com.

Ride the Tide with Buckeye Brook :: Saturday, June 27:

Explore Warwick’s hidden treasures with the Buckeye Brook Coalition as we celebrate R.I. Rivers Month. This paddling event is open to people with novice levels of experience. The event is free. Join us for a casual paddle where we will launch into Narragansett Bay, and enter the mouth of Buckeye Brook, as high tide approaches which will assist in making this trip very easy. As we gently move with the tide, you will learn of over 300 years of history made along this beautiful watershed. Explore the picturesque scenery that makes Buckeye Brook a jewel within the urban city of Warwick. It is home to one of Rhode Island’s only natural, free flowing herring runs in the state. The trip should take only about 2 hours. Come enjoy wildlife, history, and the beauty that Buckeye Brook has to offer. Bring your own canoe or kayak, refreshments, binoculars, & maybe some bug spray. LIFE JACKETS ARE REQUIRED. Pre- registration is required. The trip will be limited to 20 people only. For more information, contact Paul Earnshaw at 401-739-6592 or go to www.buckeyebrook.org.

Wild and Scenic Taunton River Run :: Saturday, June 27 to Sunday June 28:

This two day event explores some of the most scenic parts of the Taunton River. Start out on the Town River in Bridgewater and paddle to the Titicut Reservation at the Bridgewater/Middleboro line for a cookout, entertainment, and camping. The next day paddlers will travel to the Weir Village take out in Taunton. Sponsored by the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, www.savethetaunton.org. Contact Carolyn LaMarre, 508.828.1101 or director@savethetaunton.org.

Alternative Taunton River Paddle :: Sunday, June 28:

Join us at the Weir put-in in Taunton and paddle upstream at a leisurely clip and get a river’s-eye view of this old industrial city’s once-bustling waterfront. Then paddle downstream to the Berkley Bridge and some of the best scenery and wildlife to be seen in the Southeastern MA area. Meet at Ocean State Adventures, Bristol, RI at 10 a.m. Fee is $10, including ACA-certified guides and safety equipment. Kayak rentals at $20 per person for tandems, $30 for single kayaks; shuttle service $10. Sponsored by Ocean State Adventures, www.kayakri.com. Contact Jack or Cat Radcliffe, 401.254.4000 or jack@kayakri. com.

Family Paddle on the Wood River :: Sunday, June 28:

Watch for dragonflies and great blue herons on this lovely 3 mile section of the Wood River. We will meet at the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association campus in Hopkinton at 1 p.m. and head downstream to Wyoming Pond in Richmond. While this section has a few challenging areas, it is still suitable for new paddlers with a little experience. Children should be at least 8 years old. Fees are $15 per person for members; $20 for non-members and include boat rentals. Childcare and craft projects are available for younger family members for the same fee rates. Sponsored by the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, www.wpwa.org. Contact Denise Poyer, 401.539.9017 or denisep@wpwa.org.

Providence River Paddle to Waterplace Park :: Tuesday, June 30:

Join the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club for this special event open to Blueways Paddle 09 participants for one night only. Meet at the boat ramp off Rt. 44 in East Providence at 5:45 p.m. This 3 mile paddle, suitable for intermediate paddlers, will take you past the hurricane barriers into downtown Providence and the Water Place Park. Bring your own boat; spray skirts are recommended. Sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club, www.ricka-flatwater.org/bvschedule.htm (scroll down to June 30). Contact Cheryl Thompson Cameron, 401.647.5887 or stonefoxfarm@juno.com.

Second Annual Pettaquamscutt Paddle :: Saturday, July 11:

This 3 hour roundtrip tour will explore the lower portion of the Pettaquamscutt (Narrow) River, including John H. Chafee Wildlife Refuge, Pettaquamscutt Cove, and the beach at the mouth of the river. Paddlers will learn about some of the river's unique features, wildlife, and historical background of the watershed. Meet at Narrow River Kayaks at 8:30 a.m. Fee: $10 per person with own equipment. Discounted kayak rentals available. Refreshments and raffle to follow. Sponsored by the Narrow River Preservation Association, www.narrowriver.org. Contact Jason Considine, 401.317.9755 or narrowriverkayaks@verizon.net.

Save The Bay Summer Paddle :: Saturday, July 18:

Join Save The Bay for this saltwater paddle around Hundred Acre Cove. This trip comes complete with marine educators, canoe guides, and enthusiastic paddlers. You can bring your own boat or coordinate a canoe rental with STB. Meet at the Walker Farm Boat Ramp in Barrington at 9 a.m. Reservations required. Fees are $20 members/$25 non-members. Canoe rental for $5/canoe (Canoe can hold up to three people). Sponsored by Save The Bay, www.savebay.org. Contact Rob Hancock, 401.272.3540 ext. 103 or rhancock@savebay.org.

Tour Olney Pond :: Sunday, July 19:

Have you always wanted to paddle but didn’t know where to start? Learn to paddle a kayak or canoe with the experts at EMS Kayak School. ACA certified instructors will help you gain confidence on the water as they take you on a two hour tour of Olney Pond. Meet at the EMS Kayak School, Lincoln Woods Park at 10 a.m. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy this historic park after the paddle. A nature program provided by the Park may also be available. Cost: $40 per paddler includes instruction and kayak/canoe rental. Sponsored by EMS. Contact EMS Kayak School, 866.635.2925, or emskayakschool@ems.com.

Wickford Harbor Paddle :: Saturday, July 25:

Take a mid-summer evening paddle to explore the historic Wickford Harbor. Meet at The Kayak Center at 6 p.m. and launch from their facility. Cost per person is $10. Kayak rentals are available as follows: Tandem kayaks $20 per person. Single recreational kayak $25 per person. Sponsored by The Kayak Centre, www.kayakcentre.com. Contact The Kayak Centre, 401.295.4400.

RI Bay Day :: Sunday, July 26:

Join the RI Blueways Alliance and RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) as we celebrate the Parks Department's 100-year anniversary. This year we are at Colt State Park in Bristol from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy a free picnic provided by RIDEM in this beautiful park on Narragansett Bay. Participants will converge on the park by paddle, boat, bike and foot. Sponsored by RIDEM. Contact Keith Gonsalves, ktggroup@aol.com.

Mid-Summer's Day Paddle :: Saturday, August 1:

Meet at Ocean State Adventures's launch site at the head of Bristol's beautiful harbor at 10 a.m. We'll bring picnics along and paddle out to Hog Island where we'll stop and enjoy the calm waters of the lagoon and the sweeping vistas of Narragansett Bay, then return to the harbor around 2:30 p.m. Novices are welcome! Fee is $10, including ACA-certified guides and safety equipment. Kayak rentals at $20 per person for tandems, $30 for single kayaks. Sponsored by Ocean State Adventures, www.kayakri.com. Contact Jack or Cat Radcliffe, 401-254-4000 or jack@kayakri.com.

More Choices!

The following groups are running paddling or other outdoor related events this summer and have sent us either a calendar in PDF format or a link to their events calendar. Check out all the great paddling events coming up this summer and get out on the water!

Many of the groups listed on the links page and many of the outfitters listed on the outfitters page are also starting to schedule paddling events for the spring and summer.

For calendars of nature-related events we particularly recommend Natural News Network and What Grows on in Rhode Island.

If you are organizing and event and want more publicity for it, consider submitting it to the What Grows on in Rhode Island events calendar!