From the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership:
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Susquehanna River Sojourns. This traditional sojourn started when a group of ecologically minded, self-professed “River Rats” were sitting around a campfire on one of their paddles and discussing how great it would be if more people could experience paddling and camping along one of the Commonwealth’s greatest rivers.
Cindy Dunn, one of those sojourn visionaries, was working for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (ACB) at the time and understood the importance of the Susquehanna to the whole Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. She is now Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The program that she helped to start 20 years ago has grown to include 12 different sojourns across the state and is a national model for connecting people to their natural environment in a fun and educational way.
The Susquehanna Sojourn will be held on the West Branch this year, beginning Sunday, June 13 in Renovo and ending the following Saturday ─ 97 miles away ─ at the Shikellamy State Park in Sunbury. Paddlers in canoes and kayaks will experience life on the river and have the opportunity to participate in service projects while learning about the heritage of the West Branch Susquehanna region.
The cost is $70 per day for adults, $35 per day for children, and includes lunch, dinner, entertainment, educational activities and shuttles. Interested individuals may register online at www.susquehannagreenway.org. The registration deadline is May 28.
The Sojourn is intended to raise awareness about the natural and cultural resources of the West Branch, promote public access to these resources, and encourage stewardship of the watershed. It is being hosted by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership (SGP) with the ACB and Trout Unlimited. The sojourn is partially funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, with assistance from DCNR.
Canoeists and kayakers will paddle an average of 16-miles a day, spending the night at various camping areas along the West Branch. The longest distance will be Friday, June 18 ─ twenty three miles from Montoursville to Milton State Park. Participants need little experience, as long as they are comfortable paddling a kayak or canoe. All boats must be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Paddlers must provide their own kayak or canoe. If you don’t own one, information on local outfitters for renting kayaks and canoes will available on www.susquehannagreenway.org. Participants must also provide their own camping equipment.
Programs are planned every evening including local musicians, discussions on river-related issues, hikes, fly fishing demonstrations, historic walking tours, and presentations about the Pennsylvania Wilds initiative and Clinton County’s lumber heritage. Plans are being finalized for additional programs and options.
Participants can take part in as many days of the Sojourn as they wish. Shuttles will be available each day. Paddlers will leave cars and trucks at the point where they will conclude the Sojourn. The complete schedule for the week and registration information is available at www.susquehannagreenway.org the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership’s website.
Daily participation is limited to 100 canoes and kayaks. River guides from Canoe Susquehanna, based in Lewisburg, will direct the Sojourn, provide safety instruction, and help participants keep up and navigate the river.
According to Trish Carothers of the SGP, “Like the Susquehanna Greenway itself, the Sojourn will help individuals achieve a better understanding and stronger connection with the river. We are especially interested in getting local youth groups involved. Whether they take part for six days, one day, or some number in between, participants will have an experience they’ll never forget.”
If your organization would like to get involved or be a sojourn sponsor please contact Sarah Koontz at skoontz@susquehannagreenway.org.
To learn more about the other sojourns that are happening on other rivers across the state please visit the POWR website at: www.pawatersheds.org
