The 2013 Great River Race!

Today’s Blogger is Shalen!

Shalen kayaking the 2013 Wampanoag Paddle.

What energy and excitement I experienced at the NSRWA’s Great River Race last Saturday! Organized by the North and South Rivers Watershed Association and authorized by the American Canoe Association (a national, nonprofit organization that sanctions programs and events to promote recreation of “paddlesport,” and influences stewardship issues that effect paddlers), this year’s race involved 81 participants and was truly a great success thanks to the over 20 volunteers at the event!

I volunteered at the race, which made it all the more exhilarating (not as much as if I was a participant, but I’m sure I’ll be paddling next year!) The 7-mile race on the North River began at the Union Street Bridge in Norwell, Massachusetts. I helped unload various boats from participant’s vehicles so they could park, mingle, and prepare before launching boats and gathering at the starting line. All the excitement from the preparation of those people racing and those helping on the sidelines was infectious. Despite the intense humidity of the morning, our spirits were high. Finally the racers gathered in the North River and I saw them blast right under where I stood on the Union Street Bridge. Seeing the various vibrantly colored boats as the racers dashed under the bridge and upstream was astonishing.

There were three stand-up paddle boarders this year, and each had incredible perseverance in the race! When Craig Prentiss, one of these paddlers, crossed the finish line on a racing board he had quite a crowd cheering him on, me included. I admired these paddlers, especially their determination despite the oppressive heat and their balance. I can’t imagine the practice it must take to master a paddle board.

The race ended at the Washington Street Bridge on the Hanover/Pembroke town line. I chatted with a few of the contestants’ relatives, a line of people eagerly waiting along the bridge for the racers to finish. Quite a crowd gathered and I finally saw clusters of canoes and kayaks paddling under the flagged finish line, resting and hydrating before heading farther upstream to the takeout point. Dorie and I visited the pickup point at the Hanover Canoe Launch to cheer, congratulate the racers, and assist them in loading up their boats.

The day’s schedule concluded with a well-deserved party and awards ceremony with prizes for each of the participant categories (i.e., single kayak, double kayak, single canoe, and stand-up paddle board). Events such as the Great River Race instill a sense of community for all those who are members of NSRWA, but also river recreation aficionados and those people who just love to have a great time! Whether young or old, racing or cheering, all those involved enjoyed themselves in this spectacular event.

To learn more about the NSRWA, please visit their site at http://www.nsrwa.org/. In addition to the Great River Race, the NSRWA has many other fantastic events, just in time for summer and outdoor recreation, which you can find by following this link: http://www.nsrwa.org/Page.145.html.

Find out more about the American Canoe Association, their commitment to stewardship, “paddlesport,” and healthy recreation by visiting http://www.americancanoe.org/?page=About_Us.

Want to learn more about Watershed Action Alliance, our mission, your local watershed and more? Check out http://watershedaction.org/.