NYCkayaker Delaware River Trip

[Lee Reiser/Leona Fontaine]

                        DELAWARE RIVER TRIP
 Dear fellow paddlers/adventure lovers,
    I’m planning a trip on New York’s other big river, the Delaware, on Saturday and Sunday May 5th & 6th. We will start from Narrowsburg , NY on Sat. morning at 9:00 am, immediately following a safety briefing at 8:30 am. We will travel downstream  to Lackawaxen PA (11 miles 2 hours). The higher the river, the faster it is, so it may take less time to finish than at normal river levels. We should leave Sat. morning at 9:00 am sharp immediately following the safety briefing.
    At this time of year the river is very swift and cold consisting of 8-10 sets of class 1& 2 rapids, so wet or dry suits are a must as well as extra paddles, PFDs and spray skirts. Throw ropes and tow ropes are also a good idea. For the safety of all, we will always take a line of descent out of the most severe rapids. In addition, there will be a safety meeting before launching as well as a brief before each set of the ten different rapids. There are rocks in the river, which we will do our best to avoid so, a plastic boat is preferable to wood or glass. I use a 17 foot sea kayak. The scenery beautiful! We have seen many bald eagles and other wildlife on the trips throughout the years. You may do Sat. or Sun. or both.

Drive time from the GWB is approximately 2 hours to northernmost point. 
                          SAT. DIRECTIONS
    Meet 8:00 am. We will be meeting in Lackawaxen, PA. Take the Palisades Parkway north to I-87 north to Rte. 17 west to I-84 west to the Port Jervis exit, follow Rte. 6 west through town, then take Rtes. 97/42 north. Routes 97 / 42 eventually split.
 
    Stay on 97. Proceed to the Roebling Bridge, turn left over bridge,
at the end, make a right turn and follow road around to the Zane Grey Museum. The launch is directly in front.

                           SUN. DIRECTIONS
    Follow paragraph one above. Just past the 97/42 split, look for a small wooden sign which reads-SPARROWBUSH, NY STATE FISHING ACCESS. Make a 45 degree left at that sign onto a street called Hook Rd. Follow down to the end. Here we will need to transfer kayaks and gear and leave some vehicles in order to retrieve those transport vehicles, which will be left 22 miles upriver. 
    For those who have longer travel times or hate awakening early in the morning, I suggest arriving Fri. evening and staying at the many bed and breakfasts or campsites in the area. For facilities and accommodations, check out the National Park Service web site at:
                           www.nps.gov/upde
    Bring your camp gear if you want to camp on Fri. and/or Sat. eve in Narrowsburg, at Landers Campgrounds. This will be our base of operations. They have a lean-to for around $15. Will rent wet suits too.  Contact them at 845-252-3925 from 9-5 or 24/7 at:
                      www.landersrivertrips.com
    This trip will be planned around your individual needs, within reason, so please RSVP - ASAP by phone (845) 352-0162 Cell: (914) 374-7954 or e-mail     
                       LEE060 at earthlink.net
YOU MUST CALL WITH YOUR PLANS BEFORE SAT. IN ORDER TO FACILITATE SHUTTLE TRANSPORT. 
There is no cell phone service north of Port Jervis. This is an individual, not a group event. I will not assume any liability for this trip. You must have proper gear and have advanced or intermediate experience to do this trip. Join at your own risk.
 Hope to see you there! 

Lee Reiser