Paw Paw River Odyssey: Sequel 2011

As you will recall, I paddled the entire 66 mile stretch of the main stem of the Paw Paw River from the base of Maple Lake Dam in Paw Paw to the river's confluence with the St. Joseph River in Benton Harbor last year. It took me 11 weekends to do this starting in August and ending in November. I had a blast and really enjoyed the opportunity to blog about the beauty of the Paw Paw River, its importance as a local natural resource, etc. The response from the public was very good and I have actually given two slide shows this year to large groups of people interested in the Paw Paw River.

Two River Coalition has decided that I should not get to have all the paddling fun myself. Therefore, this summer we are going to try to get TRC members and friends out on the river. We have scheduled a series of paddle events to occur on both the Paw Paw River and Black River in July, August and September. The first paddle event will be on Saturday, July 23, 2011. We will have a morning paddle component starting at the Village of Paw Paw and then an afternoon paddle component starting at the Village of Lawrence. Most importantly, these paddle events will be aimed at getting people out on the river who might not have previously had the opportunity to fully appreciate the river. Therefore, TRC is going to make arrangements to have a limited number of kayaks and canoes available so that even people who do not have their own boat can still join us for a very easy and enjoyable one to two hour float down the river. To reserve a kayak or canoe, send an e-mail to: PawPawRiver@hotmail.com.  Check this website for additional information about the morning and afternoon paddle events on July 23, as well as the additional paddle events that are being scheduled throughout the rest of the year.

I look forward to seeing you on the river.

Regards,

Kevin Haight