Random Sampling of Upcoming Events

A few more fun things going on in the upcoming weeks - sort of random, sorry, just throwing this together quickly!

Empire Kayaks in Island Park, LI is hosting their 10th Annual "MayDay On The Bay Kayak Race" - that's MayDay as in May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii, not mayday in the VHF distress call sense, it's on Saturday, May 3rd! Sounds like fun, a 3-mile zip around the Great Marsh, and then food & I betcha maybe some hanging out & talking-story. I also see on their website that they have a VERY nifty Earth Day offer, that's on 4/27 - check both of those out at EmpireKayaks.com.

Also speaking of Earth Day - Erik from the Long Island City Boathouse posted a notice to NYC Kayaker that his group has a table this coming weekend at the annual Earth Fair in Grand Central Terminal, (lots of other Earth Day stuff there, too). You can meet some enthusiastic paddlers there, and they'll have various brochures & stuff available including copies of the new New York City Watertrail Guide.

Manhattan Kayak Company's season is underway now, they offer some "polar paddling" all winter but I noticed on their website that they started offering Paddle Basics classes this weekend, and regular tours - www.manhattankayak.com.

The 5th Annual Jamaica Bay Kayak Fishing Tournament is coming up on May 3rd, details on www.kayakfish4conservation.com for details (thanks Andy N. for the heads-up!).

Also on May 3rd, more Earth Day - this one on the boardwalk in Far Rockaway, Sebago's going to have a table for the Rockaways Earth Day. It is on May 3 on the boardwalk, in the Beach 29th area, description from our former membership chair in asking club members to work the table: "A great day of pitching Sebago while meeting up with other community minded people. Last year we laughed all day, and we had the table next to the free coffee and donuts, and the sun was glorious. There were activities from Parks Dept, Surfriders, free goodies for kids..." - sounds like fun! Rain date May 4th. The water will unfortunately still be a little too chilly for a public kayaking program, but you find out more about the sport & the club (celebrating 70 years this year!).

Saturday May 10th - Oh my gosh! The Amazing Bronx River Flotilla is FULL - but you can still sign up for the waiting list, and the festival at Hunts Point Riverside Park (Lafayette Ave & Edgewater Road) is worth a visit in and of itself. Full info at eventbrite site, but also check out bronxriver.org for other Bronx River events. What's so amazing? Well, the lovely waterfall & dogwood blossoms up there? I took that at the ABRF 2006! More pictures at never-finished Buzznet gallery. What a great day that was.

Closer to the end of May, Sebago starts getting people out on the water at our annual Spring Open House. Lots of fun, open to the public, that's on Saturday, May 24th from 10 - 5. See www.sebagocanoeclub.org for details - not up yet, but should be coming soon!

Plenty more going on, too, but that's all I have time for right now...but the season's definitely warming up! Spring has sprung!

Planted my garden yesterday!

AND - the first Sebago laser sailors of the season went out on Saturday! Given the forecast (20 knot wind, thunderstorms possible), I decided to stick with my original Saturday plan of paddling, rather than tag along in a Sunfish, much though I'm ready to sail again. We did actually delay our launch in deference to some really ominous-looking weather that was glowering & rumbling about in the early afternoon, but by 2:00 or so the weather had settled enough that 2 Lasers got out, and so did 2 kayaks, me & Stevie - nice 14 mile afternoon paddle, just out & about in Jamaica Bay, the ospreys ARE back, it turned out to be perfect paddling weather in the afternoon, it was great!