If you love to canoe, kayak and paddle around Long Island, New York and New York City, you’ll be interested in this news just in from the Long Island City Community Boathouse:

Our 2009 paddling season opens this Sunday, May 17th when Sunday walk up paddles resume at Hallets Cove. As usual, no reservation is needed for this public program. Just show up at the Socrates Sculpture Park beach at Vernon Blvd. and 31st Ave. in Astoria, sign a waiver, put on a life jacket and paddle around the sheltered waters of Hallets Cove for free. You must be be able to swim. Children be accompanied buy a guardian.

Friday Chill paddles will commence June 17th. Instructions and information will be found at http://www.licboathouse.org by the end of May. In the coming weeks, check the web site often to learn of exciting trips and events as our calendar page shape up.

New volunteers are always welcome to help make this happen. Helpful volunteers earn priority seating on many of our adventures around the harbor. Just express your interest to one of us at Hallets Cove or send an email to LICBoathouse at Gmail.com

The Long Island City Community Boathouse is an awesome facility for anyone who wants to learn to paddle or just enjoys getting out in a kayak or canoe for some fun paddling, kayaking and canoeing with friends and new friends.

Most of the events happening at the boathouse, including Friday Night Chill Paddles, Saturday Adventures and Sunday Walk-Ups, are offered free of charge, with sponsorships and support coming from the parks department and area businesses.

The mission of the boathouse is to help citizens and visitors explore the beauty and take an interest in preserving the waters in and around New York Harbor, Newtown Creek and the East River. The estuary and harbor is the wilderness that reaches the inner city. It offers young people great opportunities for adventure, emotional growth, and learning, especially in the sciences.

Experience New York from the water and get a whole new perspective on this great city!

Do you have a kayak, canoe and paddling event you’d like us to feature on BornToPaddle.com? If so, Click here to send us the info using our handy contact form.

Click here to visit our kayak, canoe races and events page to find the link to this website and to find many other races and events that are going on all year all over the U.S.

Sean Patch commutes via kayak across the Hudson River

Sean Patch, a school teacher, kayaks across the Hudson River daily to his job.

WCBS TV News in New York recently reported on a man who kayaks across the Hudson River to get to work everyday. We thought that was a great idea! Here are the details:

Sean Patch, a math teacher, lives aboard a boat in Weehawkin, NJ and decided to paddle to work in light of rising ferry costs.

Once he gets across the river, he locks up his kayak and bikes the rest of the way. Patch must be in awesome shape!

Now, not everyone can kayak to work – oh, but what a world it would be if we all could! It’s great to see this sort of initiative. Patch is not only being very “green”, but he is also saving himself a good deal of money.

Patch reports that paddling to work saves him $15.50 per day and that by the end of the school year, he’ll have saved $4,175 in commuting fees.

He plans to continue paddling to work through the winter – more power to you Sean!

Kayaking to work must be a lot of fun, but Patch also wants to caution anyone thinking of following suit – the Hudson can be dangerous. There is a lot of marine traffic on the river and though it is smack dab in the middle of NYC, the waters often get rough. Patch – and your friends here at BornToPaddle.com – recommend only attempting this particular paddle if you’re an experienced kayaker.

Have you ever paddled to work? Or used your kayak to get somewhere you normally would drive to? Tell us about your experience!