Kayak-Canoe Parade Draws World Record-Setting Fleet To Barnegat Bay: See Photos, Video

PINE BEACH, NJ — When Sandy Rinderer first floated the idea of breaking the world record for kayaks and canoes in a parade, she anticipated she would get lots of support from friends and family.

The fleet that showed up on Saturday in Pine Beach for Paddle on the Bay blew away all expectations. More than 1,200 numbers were issued to participants —so many that the group was taping numbers onto the sides of kayaks and canoes with duct tape and they closed down on-site registration.

Cars and SUVs and pickup trucks lined Riverside Drive as the participants of all ages and backgrounds loaded up after finishing the mile-long course, while others, just starting their trip, launched to the sounds of Christopher Cross and Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet.

People came from as far away as Ohio to take part, and volunteers said there were people from California who extended their vacation just to take part in the event. Some simply paddled across the Toms River to Avon Beach in Pine Beach to participate.

"I'm so thrilled," Rinderer said Saturday morning as kayakers continued to make the trip from the Pine Beach start a half-mile down the Toms River and back. "My little idea of having some friends get together really turned into something."

A final number of participants was not available Saturday morning, but as of 10:30 a.m. more than 1,000 had rounded the buoy marking the turnaround.

The previous record of 329 was set in Poland in 2018. Rinderer had more than 400 people registered as of mid-July, and the number had reached about 800 a week before the event, volunteers said.

"I had ordered 1,000 numbers, but I had 200 more overnighted," she said. "I had people asking me last night (Friday night) 'Where can I get a boat?' "

"People really are emotionally connected to our waterways," said Britta Forsberg, executive director of Save Barnegat Bay, as she watched paddlers going up and down the river. Paddle on the Bay raised funds for the nonprofit organization, which is marking its 50th year in 2022.

"We are not a member-based organization, we're support-based," Forsberg said. Save Barnegat Bay partnered with Rinderer, an avid kayaker, to provide the insurance support for the event, and in turn, the $10 entry fee per boat is going to Save Barnegat Bay.

In addition to sharing information about the group's ongoing projects, including Rally for Barnegat Bay, an effort to address pollution that causes swimming beach closures, Forsberg said the group was taping interviews with participants about what Barnegat Bay means to them. A compilation of those interviews will be published in the coming days, she said.

"To see people get out and display how much the waterways mean to them is wonderful," Forsberg said.

Rinderer also had support from the Ocean Running Club and the Pine Beach Yacht Club, which provided volunteers to handle registration as well as document the world record effort at all points along the course. Beachwood Volunteer First Aid, Pine Beach police and New Jersey State Police marine units all provided support, as did the Ocean Gate Fire Company, which sent a fire boat to assist on the water.

Nancy Rogachenko from Island Heights sat under a tent documenting each boat that passed as part of the official count.

"They asked me because I'm a U.S. Sailing race official," she said, as she wrote down two more participants. By 11 a.m. 1,146 had passed the checkpoint at the start of the course.

Marcy Seymour, a volunteer from Ocean Running Club, said so many people supported Rinderer's efforts because of how she and her family are connected to the community.

"People came out because this is a family that's so supportive of the community," Seymour said. "They are so loved."

Rinderer, who said she would "take a day to chill" after the event, did get to paddle the course herself, as did her husband and daughter, who provided plenty of support for the effort.

The day had additional significance for Rinderer: It was her father's birthday; he would have been 100.

"He's watching over this," a volunteer said to Rinderer as she put her shoes back on after paddling.

Rinderer said a final determination on the official record will be made by Guinness officials after she submits all the documentation of Saturday's event, which includes unedited video of all of the participating kayaks and canoes, photos and notarized paperwork. She anticipates it will be three or four months before she gets the final decision.