Have two years of Covid restrictions changed our relationship with the outdoors in a meaningful way? If the pace of membership applications at the Peninsula Paddlers Kayaking Club, a Niagara club dedicated to local day paddles and extended kayak tripping is an indication, it may have.
The club was forced to pause their 2020 paddling season completely, and the 2021 season was delayed until Ontario regulations changed in June of last year, allowing larger groups to gather outdoors. Yet kayak sales boomed in those two years, as did everything outdoorsy. People paddled by themselves, or safely in groups of trusted friends and family.
Many acquired a taste for the fun and benefits of paddling and being outdoors on the water, quietly enjoying nature and social activities. If you are new to recreational kayak touring in Niagara, or are considering becoming involved, read on. Although Niagara has a long tradition of competitive rowing, and competitive flat water canoeing and kayaking are rapidly growing local sports, these are not the activities to be discussed in this column.
Where to kayak?
Niagara is blessed with numerous locations to paddle, including small creeks, rivers as varied as the Welland and Niagara, and wide open Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Recreational kayakers also have access to Martindale Pond in St. Catharines and the Welland Recreational Canal, as long as they stay clear of competitive events and practices.
Access to the Welland River from Pelham’s E.C. Brown Memorial Park is a great place to begin. The launch is safe and easy, parking is plentiful and free. A short paddle west brings one to Big Forks Creek, a hidden gem of quiet, near-pristine nature filled with wildlife and aquatic flowers.
Black Creek, situated along the Niagara Parkway between Chippawa and Fort Erie offers the opposite. Launch at the boat ramp 50 metres south of the creek’s mouth on the parkway ($10.00 boat ramp fee applies to most NPC locations), then paddle under the stone and concrete arch into the creek. Talk softly if you’re gossiping because you’ll be surrounded by cottages and homes on both banks. The owners on their pontoon boats and docks will be as eager to eavesdrop on you as you will be to snoop into their back yards.
Jordan Harbour is always a favourite place to paddle because of its diversity. Launch and park for free at the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority dock and ramp off Twenty-First Street. Head upstream into quiet waters, past the Owl Foundation. You’ll paddle past the historic stone abutments of the Great Western Railway trestle, built in 1867, then under the Canadian National eight-span, 356-metre-long steel trestle now in use. If the water is calm, glide under the QEW and into Lake Ontario.
Seasoned paddlers new to Niagara will enjoy launching into the lower Niagara River at Queenston, and paddling safely along the steep red-rock banks to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Venturing directly into the middle of the river from the launch is only for the brave. Eddies and fast water provide an exciting playground for skilled kayakers, but will intimidate most novice paddlers.
For variety, a small, free launch on Point Abino Rd. just south of Erie Rd. in Crystal Beach provides access to both usually calm Abino Bay and the waves of Lake Erie from one location. Point Abino shelters the bay from predominantly southwest winds, and the beautiful beach allows you to pick the depth of water you wish to learn in. Paddle out past the historic lighthouse though, and the rollers of Lake Erie will give you all the excitement you need.
This is but a sampling of the many, many launch sites in Niagara. On the Peninsula Paddlers Kayaking Club website, the events calendar lists some 40 paddles each season, with launch site locations included. It’s a great resource for finding lesser-known places to paddle. There is also contact information if you have more questions.
Where can I try a kayak?
Supply shortages have reduced dealer inventory everywhere, but Niagara is fortunate to a few businesses that still plan to rent kayaks in 2022.
The Niagara Rowing School, which operates out of the earlier-mentioned NPCA launch site on Jordan Harbour, is more diverse than its name implies. The school rents a variety of kayaks in many sizes, including tandems, and provides the necessary safety equipment. Smaller boats with large cockpit openings are an extremely safe way to begin, and if you’re interested in the next step, they can outfit you with a sea kayak up to 15 feet long. Check their website for details.
The City of Welland rents single and tandem kayaks with equipment from the Rotary Club of Welland Park, 129 Lincoln St., at the recreational canal. This is an urban environment which can be busy at times, but the water is calm and power boats are prohibited, making it a popular location for many paddlers.
Where can I get lessons and instruction in recreational kayaking?
The scope and variety of kayaking lessons available is very broad. If you’re wearing a quality PFD, and are beginning with a sit-on-top kayak or a boat with a huge cockpit opening, a few minutes with your rental agent before you push away from the dock may be enough instruction.
In my opinion, once you choose a sit-in kayak with a tight cockpit, a boat designed to be used with a skirt and capable of being paddled in big water, you need to take a serious lesson from a certified kayak instructor. Paddle Canada and Ontario Recreational Canoe and Kayak Association (ORCKA) are the two most-widely used organizations in Ontario that sanction and certify paddling instructors at all levels. Course offerings and locations can be found on their respective websites.
Understanding various paddle strokes and braces—a term used to describe how a skilled paddler can use the water surface itself as a stabilizer—is key to staying upright. Once upside down in the water, knowing how to “wet exit” and “self rescue” are handy skills to have.
Safe and well-run courses designed to help you develop these skills can be fun, and extremely confidence boosting. A basic course, usually a two-day affair conducted on flat water like Jordan Harbour or Dils Lake at the Chippawa Creek Conservation Area in Wellandport, can cost as little as $250. For those wanting to advance their skills even further, and try them in rough and wavy conditions, progressively higher-level courses are available throughout Ontario.
At this time, the only company scheduling such lessons within or close to Niagara is Kayak Ontario. They are presently solidifying their dates and locations with the various municipalities and associations in Niagara, and expect the information to be on their website by late March. Information about what is included in their various offerings is already posted, and provides an excellent orientation to what each level involves.
What boat should I get?
Refer to “Is there a kayak in your future?” in the Voice’s archives, April 28, 2021 issue.
If you’d like to learn more about kayak touring within Niagara and beyond, and speak to paddlers with years of experience, the Peninsula Paddler’s Open House will be Wednesday evening, March 30, at Outdoors Oriented, 420 Vansickle Rd, St. Catharines. Details are on the club’s website.
See you on the water. ◆
