The North Shore Kayak Club kicks off its second decade of existence with an organizational meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hagedorn Room on the top floor of the Port Washington Public Library.
In July 2004, a small group of local residents interested in starting a kayak club gathered at the Port Washington Community Chest Building. From that meeting, the Twin Pines Kayak Club was born; organized by the director of the Twin Pines Co-Op, Edna Turner.
The group eventually evolved into the North Shore Kayak Club, and 11 years later, it is still going and growing strong! With a mailing list in excess of 100 kayaking enthusiasts, and drawing members from numerous Nassau County communities, and Queens, the organization is out on the water every week from late May through early November.
Like professional sports teams, the club has home and away events. Home is Manhasset Bay, where the club paddles at least two weekends each month during kayaking season, as well as every Wednesday evening during the summer. Away paddles occur in a potpourri of locales, from Stony Brook Harbor, to the Hudson River in Westchester County, to Little Neck Bay in Queens.
Trip director, Phil Marchese, compiles a paddling schedule each year that caters to the varying interests and abilities of club members. The schedule most typically consists of a mix of bay and river paddles, short and long distances and a combination of Long Island north shore and south shore kayak launching sites.
In describing the membership, Club President Alan Bergman stated, “We are a group of recreational, flat-water (not white water) kayakers who thoroughly enjoy the social camaraderie of paddling together. We are men and women who appreciate the beauty and serenity of our local waterways. All of our members have paddling experience, and most own their own touring or recreational kayaks, as well. Club members range in age from their 30s to their 80s; and, all adhere to club water-safety guidelines.”
The club also makes a conscious effort to give back each year, by participating in numerous community events. From working at the Port Washington Third Grade Model Boat Regatta, to volunteering at the Community Chest Kayak Run, to participating in the annual, nationwide American Littoral Beach cleanup, the club feels that it is extremely important to be good citizens. The club runs a clinic each spring, providing an introduction and overview of flat-water, recreational kayaking.
Club officers for the 2015 paddling season are: President Alan Bergman; Vice President Jim Roman; Secretary/Treasurer Seth Ehrlich; Director of Trip Planning Phil Marchese; and Director of Non-Kayak Events David Cohen. For further information, call 917-400-7041 or visit the club on Facebook.
