Paddle the Navesink on Sept. 18

RED BANK — A community-wide celebration of the Navesink River and all the recreational opportunities it provides will be held Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On “Paddle the Navesink Day,” local boating organizations along Red Bank’s Navesink River will offer visitors the chance to experience kayaking, canoeing, sailing and rowing.

Participants will have the opportunity to tour or play tennis on Red Bank’s historic Clay Courts. Environmental groups will discuss river ecology and provide hands-on activities for children to experience the river, such as seining, fish printing and touch pools.

Local businesses along Front Street will offer menu samplings and event-related discounts.

“Paddle the Navesink Day” will begin at Maple Cove, located at the northern foot of Maple Avenue.

The Jersey Paddler of Brick, distributor of kayaks and canoes, will have on hand kayaks to demo, along with different types of paddles and life vests. Those interested can take a short-guided tour up the Navesink River or paddle around in Maple Cove. Lauren Bonilla, a certified kayak instructor, will be on-site to provide free lessons in basic kayaking.

Navesink River Rowing, adjacent to Maple Cove, will host a learn-to-row session and will provide information on the programs it offers for adults and for youth. The Navesink Maritime Heritage Association and its River Rangers program, a summer youth program, will showcase the wooden canoes made by local children, and children 10 years and up can paddle the boats on the river. Hands-on activities for children include Clean Ocean Action hosting fish printing and the American Littoral Society will host river seining and a river life touch pool.

At the foot of Boat Club Court, the historic Monmouth Boat Club will host an open house, offering sail boat rides and information about their adult and youth sailing programs. The North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club will also hold an open house and will be open for tour.

Just east of Monmouth Boat Club in the newly renovated Marine Park, the Clearwater’s garvey, the Adam Hyler, an oyster baymen’s boat, will be on display. Also at the park will be SEAS, a nonprofit group that offers sailing lessons at all levels to adults and that teaches the NJ Marine Police Boating Safety Class. They will have a 22-foot sailboat docked at Marine Park and will offer tours and rides.

For more information, call Cindy Burnham at 732-241-9532, (njcinnie@aol.com) or Linda Ensor at 732-693-3067, Linda.ensor@gmail.com. Public parking is available in the White Street lots in English Plaza and at Marine Park.