Kayaking and paddle sports took off during the summer of social distancing, and with a lot of new interest in the sport, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is going all in with special group paddles this summer.
The museum in St. Michaels is offering a full moon paddle in April and again in July. On Monday, April 26, 6–8:30 p.m., participants can take a “relaxing evening paddle under the full moon”, launching from Oak Creek Landing in Newcomb, Md. The second paddle is planned for Friday, July 23, 6:30–9 p.m. and launches from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) campus. Each paddle is $45 if you rent a kayak from CBMM and $25 if you use your own.
Starting in May, CBMM holds Guided Paddle & Tasting programs, in which “intermediate paddlers are welcome to kayak around Talbot County waterways with CBMM staff members and enjoy a tasting from a local business.” The popular program starts Saturday, May 22, with a paddle of Skipton Creek and a tasting from Triple Creek Winery. Then on Saturday, Aug. 28, paddlers will explore the Tred Avon River followed by ice cream from Scottish Highland Creamery. These paddles are $65 including kayak rental or $45 if you bring your own craft.
If all of this sounds fun but you’re a kayak rookie, CBMM offers a New to Paddling Workshop on Saturday, June 12, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. The on-the-water training session at CBMM’s campus focuses on paddling fundamentals to help you learn your way around a kayak, safety measures, launch techniques, and basic strokes. Cost for the workshop is also $65 including kayak rental or $45 if you bring your own craft.
And finally, you can paddle with CBMM’s president, Kristen Greenaway on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Greenaway is an avid paddler and will take you along the Miles River and up Long Haul Creek as she teaches you how to paddle using the Greenland paddle (a long, slim-shaped wooden paddle that predates the blade shape we’ve come to know).
Registration is required for all paddles, with a list of upcoming programs available at cbmm.org/paddles. Participation is limited and anyone 16 and younger must have an adult with them. Museum members save 20 percent on the paddles.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
