PARTICIPANT INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS

BRONXRIVERALLIANCE CANOE TRIPS - 2006

The Bronx River Alliance offers public and group canoe trips along the BronxRiver from spring through fall, providing the community with a unique way to explore their local environment. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the trips. For more details and to register, please contact our canoe guideCanoe Program Coordinator, Michael Hunter at 718.430.1864. or .

To Join a Trip: You must register with Michael Hunter and receive a confirmation email or phone call from him (or someone designated by him from our staff) in order to be officially registered for the trip.

Registration Policy: You can register yourself and up to three other people for a trip. Each minor (under 18 years old) must be signed up with an adult accompanying him or her. If you know of more people who is are interested in paddling, have them call Jose Michael directly to register.

Canoe Guide Availability: Jose works both as our Canoe Guide and as a member of our Bronx River Conservation Crew. He can check and respond to email and voicemail on most days, but when he works in the field, his availability is limited. Please allow 24-48 hours for Jose to return your call or message. In an emergency, please call our general number, 718.430.4665, and ask to have someone get a message to Jose as soon as possible.

Sign Sign-Up Limit: Each member of the public may register for threethree trips in one year. After three trips, you can be added to our waiting list in case someone cancels or if a trip isn’t filled just before the paddling date.

Age Limit: Paddlers must be 8 eight years or older for public trips (for certain trips, paddlers must be older, but this will be noted).

Fee: We ask for a suggested minimum donation of $10 to help us pay for our canoe insurance. $30 covers the cost per person for the trip. Your donations is are tax deductible and can should be given to an Alliance staff member on the day of the trip via cash or a check made out to “Bronx River Alliance”.

Insurance: You will be required to sign a waiver for insurance purposes. A parent or legal guardian must sign waivers for minors (under 18).

Cancellation: If you know you cannot attend a trip after registering, please let JoseMichael know as soon as possible. This allows someone else to paddle and ensures we have the appropriate number of staff and amount of equipment for a trip. If the Alliance has to cancel a trip due to inclement weather or another reason, participants do not automatically receive a space on another trip, but we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Prior Experience: Many of our trips can accommodate participants with no prior paddling or swimming experience. However, the trips require a fair amount of physical exertion, including climbing up and down hills and carrying boats--particularly the “full river” trip (see below for details). Please contact Jose Michael with any questions or concerns in advance.

Paddlers - Number Per Boat: This depends on the trip, but we may place up to 3 three paddlers in one boat. Please be prepared to share a boat with others you are just meeting for the first time. Many new friends have been made this way! The person in the middle doesn’t paddle, but there are often opportunities for paddlers to switch roles, between steering, front and middle.

What the Alliance Provides: We provide canoes, paddles, and pfd’s (personal flotation devices, or lifejackets), and a short lesson before going out on water. You are responsible for all the equipment that we lend you for the trip. We also give some commentary on the Alliance, the river itself and other activities and projects on the river.

In general, we do not allow participants to bring their own boats on these trips due to issues with transportation, liability etc. If you would like to organize a trip for experienced paddlers with their own equipment, please contact Michael for consideration.

What to Wear: As there is always the possibility of getting wet, muddy, or wet & muddy, we recommend that you wear closed toe sport sandals or old sneakers, lightweight pants or shorts of nylon or similar quick drying material (running pants, warm-ups, wind pants) and a light jacket or rain-jacket if the weather is questionable. Glasses wearers should purchase cords so that if their glasses fall off, they will not lose them. These can be found at pharmacies, optometrists, or sporting goods stores.

*Please note that jeans and sweats hold a lot of water and take a long time to dry, for these reasons they are not recommended!

What You Should Bring: On these trips, be prepared to get wet and dirty. The water level may be low in some areas and participants may have to disembark and drag their canoes for short distances. We also suggest that you bring sunglasses, a wide brim hat, sunscreen, bug repellent, a change of clothes, plenty of water and something to eat. It is a good idea to bring a ziploc bag for your wallet or purse and your cell phone, as well as a plastic garbage bag for your backpack. Bathroom facilities are available at several points on the river, but no drinking water is available in the estuarine (saltwater) section.

Transportation To and From River: The canoe put-in and take-out points are generally very close to public transportation. We do not provide shuttle service to and from the river, but we can provide numbers for taxi service and directions to the closest public transportation.

TRIP DETAILS

Our “full river,” or “border to the mouth” trip, which starts at 219th St. in ShoelacePark and ends just south of Starlight Park at the Sheridan Access Road Turnaround (see Directions). at Westchester Avenue at the *Concrete Plant Park (“CPP” - Westchester Ave/Edgewater Rd)This trip takes approximately 3 ½three and a half hours from start to finishof paddling, and up to five hours total, with registration, put in and take out, etc. During these trips, you will travel south through Shoelace Park, The Bronx River Forest, The Botanical Garden, the Bronx Zoo, Drew Gardens and then into the South Bronx and the estuarine, or tidal, section of the Bronx River. You will see wildlife throughout your trip (fish, turtles, birds, native trees and shrubs). You will encounter three waterfalls/dams, at which points you will be required to portage. (Portage is French for “get out of the canoe and carry it.”) The staff can provide some assistance, but for the most part, you and your paddling partner will carry your boat and equipment yourselves.

The “Upper Bronx River” Paddle starts at 219th St. and ends at River Park on 180th St/Boston Road, just south of the Zoo. These trips are approximately two and a half hours on water. Please allow approximately four hours, which includes time for registration, put in and take out, etc.

* Or an access point just south of Starlight Park when the C.P.P is closed. This area, called the Sheridan Access Road Turnaround, is just north of the CPP – more details when we start to use this site

On estuarine trips, we start at either the *Concrete Plant Park, or at The Sheridan Access Point when the C.P.P closes for construction in summer ‘05. On these trips, we usually paddle south towards the mouth of the river where the BronxRiver and the East River meet. We will paddle to and from the mouth. Trip length and time vary based on current, winds and the experience of the participants, but normally estuarine paddles last about two hoursfrom two to two and a half hours. Please allow approximately four hours, which includes time for registration, put in and take out, etc. On these trips, you will also see wildlife, but since it’s a tidal region with saltwater marshes, you’ll be looking for different flora and fauna that thrive in the estuary.

NOTE: The Sheridan Access Point is rather steep and often muddy. Our staff will be available to help you get in and out of the river, but some agility is necessary.

GROUP TRIPS

The Bronx River Alliance offers group canoeing trips on weekdays from May or June through SeptemberOctober. The fee is calculated on a need-based sliding scale, and priority is given to Bronx groups. We can usually accommodate up to 27 paddlers, and in some instances we may be able to take more (a higher fee will apply, and larger trips depend on staff availability). Please contact Jose BaezMichael to enquire inquire about a group trip.

DIRECTIONS

1.Directions to Bronx Park (aka Shoelace Park):219th /Bronx Blvd. Put-In

By Subway:

Take the #2 train to 219th St. (you can transfer to the #2 from the #5 at 180th St. on the same platform). When you come to street level, you’ll be at 219th St. and White Plains Rd. Walk 3 blocks west on 219th St. to the river toward Bronx Blvd. You will see Bronx Park ahead. Walk into the park to the Olinville parkhouse, located next to the playground. We will meet in front of the parkhouse.

By Car:

Bronx River Parkway to Gunhill Rd. exit (if coming from North must use 233rd St. detour). From the North – Make a left onto Gunhill Road. From the South – Make a right onto Gunhill Road. Turn left at traffic light before the Exxon Station. There will be a short curve to the left, bringing you to a stop sign. Make a right at the stop sign, looking to your left, and proceed toward 219th St. Park on the right side of the road. Meet in front of Olinville parkhouse located by the river at 219th St.

2. Directions to “Sheridan Turnaround” Canoe Access Point just South of Starlight Park

(Alternate Canoe Access Point for the South Bronx since Concrete Plant Park and Hunts Point Riverside Park are both currently closed for reconstruction)

NOTE: For those of you who have been to the Concrete Plant Park (CPP), this temporary access site is just a few minutes north. Instead of going into the CPP from Westchester Avenue, you’ll walk/drive north on the Sheridan northbound access road until you reach the “Turnaround” area. See below for details.

By subway:

#6 train to Whitlock Avenue. Take the north exit, walk down the stairs and walk north to Westchester Ave. You’ll be on the south side of Westchester Ave. Take a right and walk east on Westchester Ave, crossing the Sheridan exit ramp (on your right). On your left, you’ll see an access road leading to the Sheridan Expressway North (sign on the right says “North 895”; sign on the left says says “To 95 & Cross Bronx Expwy”). Turn left to cross Westchester Avenue to the north side of the street. (If you've crossed the river, you've gone too far east.)

Follow the access road north to its end (approximately five to seven minutes). There is a sidewalk on the right side of the access road. On your right will be Hunts Point Repairs with long yellow/blue/grey sign along fence that says Cars & Repairs, followed by Marine Boiler & Welding. At the end of the road, you’ll see a loop that allows cars to turn back south or merge onto the Sheridan. You’ll see the canoe access point on the right side of the street, across from the turnaround. Enter at the gate opened in the chain link fence.

By Car:

From the South - Bruckner Boulevard (not expressway, but local lanes) to Bronx River Avenue. At light turn left onto Bronx River Avenue (under the expressway). Turn left at light onto Westchester Avenue. Cross the river and make an almost immediate right onto the Sheridan Expressway northbound access road (there is a stop sign and direction sign which says “North 895”). Find parking on the right side of this street, along the line of auto parts shops. (See details of this trip in subway directions above). This street ends in a loop, for cars to either turn around or merge onto the Sheridan Expressway North. The Sheridan Turnaround Canoe Access Point is at the north end of this street, on the right side of the street, across from the turn around. Enter at the gate opened in the chain link fence.

From the north - Bronx River Parkway to Sheridan. Take the Westchester Exit. Turn left at the light onto Westchester and an almost immediate left onto the Sheridan Expressway northbound access road. Sign on right says “North 895”; sign on left says “To 95 & Cross Bronx Expwy.” If you cross over the river, you've gone too far east. Follow directions above to reach Sheridan Turnaround Canoe Access Point.

From the west - Cross Bronx to Sheridan. Take Westchester Exit. Turn left at the light onto Westchester and an almost immediate left onto the Sheridan Expressway northbound access road. Sign on right says “North 895”; sign on left says “To 95 & Cross Bronx Expwy.” If you cross the river, you've gone too far east. Follow directions above to reach Sheridan Turnaround Canoe Access Point.

From the east - Cross Bronx to Sheridan. Take Westchester Exit. Turn left at light onto Westchester and an almost immediate left onto the Sheridan Expressway northbound access road. Sign on right says “North 895”; sign on left says “To 95 & Cross Bronx Expwy.” If you cross the river, you've gone too far east. Follow directions above to reach Sheridan Turnaround Canoe Access Point.

3.3. Directions to River Park – 180th St.Boston Road

By

Subway:

Take the #2 or the #5 train to the West Farms Square/E. Tremont Ave Station. Walk north on Boston Rd. to 180th St. Enter River Parkpark on the northeast corner of Boston Road and 180th.

By Car from Manhattan:

Take Bruckner Expwy to Sheridan Expwy,

exit at East Tremont Ave. Make a left at the light (Devoe Ave). Make another left on East Tremont Ave. Make a right onto Boston Rd. Park near 180th St.

By Car from the North:

Bronx River Parkway to the Fordham Rd. exit. Stay to right to light. Turn Lleft at the light onto Southern Blvd. Follow So. Blvd. for several blocks alongside Bronx Zoo on your left. Turn left at end of Zoo onto Bronx Park South. Continue on Bronx Park South. to the end with the Zoo still on your left. Turn right at the end onto Boston Road to 180th St. River Park will be on your left.

BronxRiver Canoeing Trips 1