Kankakee River Sandhill Crane Paddle set for October 26

Sandhill-Crane-2014Join Northwest Indiana Paddlers, family, and friends for this annual fall event.

A relaxing 8.6 mile paddle down the Kankakee River will be followed by a trip to Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area where we'll witness one of America's greatest wildlife spectacles: tens of thousands of sandhill cranes visiting the shallow marshes on their annual migration.

Date and time:
Sunday October 26th, 2014
10:00 am (CST) to Dusk

Schedule
10:00 am (cst) - Registration begins.
Paddlers with own equipment: Meet at Yellow River Public Access Site at English Lake, Indiana to drop off your boat and register, then proceed to Dunn's Bridge to park and catch the shuttle.

Renters: Contact Ryan Chew at (312)823-3384 or ryanwc@sbcglobal.net

11:00 Shuttles begin from Dunn's Bridge back to the English Lake launch site
12:30 Last shuttle leaves Dunn's Bridge
12:30–2:00 (cst) Launch boats from English Lake
2:30–4:30 (cst) Land at Dunn's Bridge
3:00–5:00 (cst) Riverside picnic at Dunn's Bridge
5:00 (cst) Depart for Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area
6:00 (cst) Sunset

Trip Route
Start: English Lake (Yellow River Public Access Site) boat ramp located at south of the bridge at County Road S 650 W in English Lake, Indiana

Map of the English Lake launch site

Finish: Dunn's Bridge Public Access Site at S 500 E near Wheatfield, IN. The Dunn's Bridge Boat Ramps are owned by the Porter Co. Parks Dept.

Map of the Dunn's Bridge site

Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area
5822 Fish and Wildlife Ln
Medaryville, IN 47957-8152
(219) 843-4841

Map of Jasper-Pulaski F&W site

Food
Please bring water and snacks for your paddle and plan to join us riverside at the take out for mezza provided by the Pickle and Turnip Restaurant, compliments of Christopher B. Burke Engineering

Rentals
Chicago River Canoe and Kayak will provide rental canoes and kayaks for those who reserve them ahead of time. The number of rental canoes & kayaks are limited so it is good idea to reserve them well in advance. Please contact Ryan Chew at (312)823-3384 or ryanwc@sbcglobal.net

Shuttles
Paddlers with their own equipment should drop off equipment at the the English lake launch site at 10:30 before proceeding to Dunn's Bridge to park. Bus shuttles will leave Dunn's Bridge for the return trip to English Lake starting at 11:00. Last shuttle departs at 12:30.

Participant Requirements
Paddlers should be prepared for and capable of paddling 8.6 miles, down river. The pace of the paddle will be around 4 mph.

Equipment & Other Considerations
The trip is appropriate for canoes or kayaks. River depths are extremely shallow this year, so please be aware. Wearing of personal floatation devices is mandatory for all participants throughout the event. Although cell converage is spotty, a cell phone or VHF radio is suggested for emergency use. Bring plenty of water. Hats, sunblock, and a change of clothes in a dry bag are a good idea. Cold water paddling gear may be appropriate. Absolutely no alcohol is allowed during the event. Don't forget your binoculars and a camera!

Paddle a Voyager Canoe
If you missed the opportunity earlier this summer, you have one more chance to paddle in a 24 foot wooden voyager canoe. Wilderness Inquiry is bringing their boats to the English Lake launch to join the Kankakee River Sandhill Crane Paddle.

If you wish to paddle like an original explorer, R.S.V.P to Wilderness Inquiry here...

Free T-Shirts for the first 120 paddlers to register, courtesy of the producers of the documentary Everglades of the North.

Reserve Your Space
Please rsvp here by 10/25 so we can make sure there's room for you on the shuttle. Due to parking constraints at Dunn's Bridge, participation is limited to 120 paddlers.

For more information contact:
Gayle MacBride at gaallyn@gmail.com
219-793-6967

or

Dan Plath at dplath@nwipa.org
(219) 871-9559

Partners & Organizers
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, the LaPorte Co. Commissioners, LaPorte Co. Tourism, Everglades of the North, LaPorte County Parks and Recreation, Porter County Parks and Recreation, Wilderness Inquiry, Friends of the Kankakee, Porter County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, the Kankakee River Basin Commission, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, NICHES Land Trust, LaPorte County Surveyer, NIPSCO, Chicago River Canoe & Kayak

For partnership, volunteer opportunity, & trip sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dan Plath at dplath@nwipa.org or 219-871-9559

Northwest Indiana Paddling Association is a 501c3 IRS non-profit organization dedicated to paddler safety education and Blueways Stewardship.