Join the Housatonic River Adventure by April 8 Source-to-Sound Paddle Trip April 22 to May 1, 2016

A 10-day, 149-mile, river adventure will tax the stamina of three expert paddlers and a few other hardy souls who will navigate the Housatonic starting on Earth Day, April 22 and end at Long Island Sound on May 1. They will maneuver challenging rapids, paddle oxbows and calm lake waters and may even battle waist-deep currents to upright capsized canoes along the way.Why attempt this sometimes harrowing and physically challenging undertaking?

It’s to celebrate the magnificent Housatonic River, the many partners who protect the river, and the Housatonic Valley Association’s (HVA) 75th anniversary as well as the 46th anniversary of Earth Day.Anyone who wishes to join the trip for a day, or a weekend, or the entire 149 miles must register online at www.hvatoday.org no later than April 8.

Paddlers must provide their own kayaks or canoes, transportation, food and safety equipment. A paddle itinerary and other information are also available on the website.Trip leaders are David Sinish, an experienced kayak/canoe instructor, trip leader and former National Canoe Poling Champion; Dennis Regan, HVA’s Berkshire Director, an avid paddler and advocate for the Housatonic River overseeing programs and projects that better manage and protect the watershed in Berkshire County; and Schuyler Thomson, owner of Thomson Canoe Works in Norfolk and former two-time national whitewater downriver canoe champion.

Traveling down every navigable stretch of this 149-mile river, paddlers will maneuver the narrow channels at the source of the Housatonic at Muddy Pond in Washington Mass. high in the Berkshire Hills; meander through the fertile flood plains of Sheffield, Mass. and Canaan Conn.; negotiate rocky rapids in Cornwall; glide across lakes Lillinonah, Zoar and Housatonic; and test the tidal waters at Derby and Shelton to the journey’s end at Long Island Sound in Milford and Stratford.

Celebrations and educational programs along the journey will connect thousands to the beautiful river that runs through the Berkshire and Connecticut communities. Many partner organizations from the surrounding watershed will join HVA for this historic river adventure.

In the Northwest Connecticut area on Wednesday, April 27, day six of the event, on Lower River Road in West Cornwall from 3 to 6 p.m., HVA will celebrate the return of the bald eagle to the Housatonic River. This event will be in collaboration with area artists and students from both Sharon Center School and Cornwall Consolidated School. Creation of a life-size bald eagle nest will be part of the event with other science stations and art activities allowing a more in-depth discovery of the river flora and fauna.On day seven, Thursday, April 28 two events are scheduled in Kent.

The first one will be at The Kent School, 1 Macedonia Rd., between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Students will become the teacher and educate Kent Primary School students about the watershed, water quality, and the flora and fauna of the area.

The second event is HVA’s 75th Anniversary Gala, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bull’s Bridge Inn, 333 Kent Road, Route 7 and features dinner and fun with author Frank Delaney who will regale the audience with “River Words”. Other entertainment will be jazz by The Diana Herold Trio. The cost is $50 per person and registration is required by April 19 online at hvatoday.org, or by calling 860-672-6678 or emailing conn@hvatoday.org. For more area information www.visitwesternct.com