Delmarva Paddling Weekend Makes Debut, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2

Travel through the dark forests at Porter’s Crossing, learn about the Pocomoke River and admire the towering Bald Cypress trees.

The inaugural Delmarva Paddling Weekend will take place on Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 in Snow Hill, Md. The one-of-a-kind event is intended to uncover the extensive array of paddling opportunities on rivers, tidal creeks, bald cypress swamps, historic mill ponds, Atlantic coastal bays, the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, and the Atlantic Ocean.

According to Ed Lewandowski, who has been paddling around the Laurel, Del. waterways for years, there’s no better way to explore Delmarva’s beauty than on the water.

“Most of the trips are thematic in nature, they tell a story, share a story or some aspect of history, wether you want you learn about Harriet Tubman or shipbuilding on Broad Creek,” Lewandowski says.

Excursions and clinics over the weekend will be held by kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboard. According to Lewandowski, there is an a la carte menu of excursions, allowing paddlers to pick the trips they’re interested in based on skill level and desire. Outfitters will provide instruction while paddlers enjoy the landscape.

Paddlers, both novice and experienced, will be delivered to the dark forests at Porter’s Crossing north of Snow Hill where they will paddle the narrow, winding, Pocomoke River through towering Bald Cypress trees. During the journey, paddlers will have the chance to spot warblers, Wood Ducks and Barred Owls as well as basking turtles and beavers, before ending the trip at the Pocomoke River Canoe Company.

In addition to site seeing, paddlers will be helping local conservation efforts by promoting outdoor recreation on Delmarva’s waterways—an effort Snow Hill Outdoors and Reimagine Laurel have been working hand in hand to promote.

“It’s a unique partnership between two paddling towns and you don’t often see that partnership between state lines—it’s able to generate some income and interest,” Lewandowski says.

Lewandowski, who has spent the past four years working on water quality in Laurel, says Delmarva Paddling Weekend and the partnership between Snow Hill Outdoors and Reimagine Laurel, has been made possible through a grant given to the towns for nature and tourism development.

Before coming out, Lewandowski has one piece of advice…

“Paddlers should come with high energy and a spirit of exploration with no expectations other than they’ll have a great time, enjoy nature and enjoy history,” Lewandowski says.

To learn more about the weekend, visit www.DelmarvaPaddling.com.