Nighttime Harvest Moon Paddle Set For Sunday

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The Coosa River Basin Initiative will celebrate the arrival of fall with a six-mile, nighttime, Harvest Moon canoe, kayak and paddleboard trip down the Coosa River.

The trip, which will take plce on Sunday, Sept. 27, launches from Heritage Park in downtown Rome at sunset and allows participants to view the moonrise over downtown Rome from the Coosa.

The trip ends at Lock and Dam Park.

And, this year’s Harvest Moon is expected to be a special one — it’s known as a “supermoon,” a term used to describe a full moon that is closer to the Earth in its orbit.

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Viewers may notice that the moon appears slightly larger than normal.

Additionally, this year’s Harvest Moon will include a lunar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes through the shadow of the earth created by the sun. When this occurs, the moon can take on a reddish cast, forcing some to refer to it as ”Blood Moon.”

The eclipse will begin at 9:07 p.m. as paddlers make their way down the Coosa and will be at its peak at 10:47 p.m.

The trip is free to CRBI members, and canoe and kayak rentals are available.

Non-members can join CRBI at the discounted rate of $30 per family and reserve rental boats at CRBI’s online registration site: www.coosa.org/events/paddle-trips. Pre-registration is required.

Paddlers should bring two light sources (flashlights or headlamps) for safety purposes.

“Being out on the river at twilight and at night is a special experience,” said Amos Tuck, riverkeeper and program coordinator at CRBI. “With the lunar eclipse coinciding with the Harvest Moon, we have a rare opportunity.”

The Harvest Moon earned its name because its light allowed farmers to continue harvesting crops into the evening during the fall harvest season. For more information, contact CRBI at 706-232-2724 or visit www.coosa.org.

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Photo credit: Coosa River Basin Initiative