New (& Current) Members Trip on Fox River

Date(s):  Saturday, August 27, 2022
Leader: Bharat Meshwani

Location:  Voyager Landing FP. 50 Airport Rd., Elgin (GPS coordinates: 42.069280, - 88.272362)

Skill Level:  Beginner
Category:  Day Paddle trip
Details:  This is a special invitation to everyone who has joined PSC since our last paddling season in 2021. This trip is open to all members (new and current) of the club. We will meet at Voyageur Landing Forest Preserve in Elgin and paddle Fox River. Bring your canoe / kayak and join us for an easy Fox River paddle. No car shuttle is needed. We will paddle upstream against mild current to downtown Carpentersville, Main Street Bridge and then return downstream back to the launch site with a total length of approximately 7 miles. For those who haven’t paddled this section of Fox River, it is a beautiful stretch in an urban environment where you will see some wild life near the forest preserves and many islands on the river. There is a broken Carpentersville Historical Train Bridge also that you can see from the river. A newbie paddler will get a flavor of river paddling in mild current. Expect some small power boat traffic in wider sections of this stretch during mid-day. We can practice our paddling techniques (open to ideas), work on speed, get acquainted and eat lunch. You must have your own boat, paddle and a properly fitted PFD which must be worn at all times on the water. Bring lunch, drinking water or non-alcoholic beverages, bug spray and a change of clothes, which you can leave in your car if you wish. Expect about 3 to 3 1/2 hours on the river, depending on paddling speed and activities.There are two launch sites and corresponding parking lots in the forest preserve. Plug the GPS coordinates in your favorite navigation software and it will take you to the north parking of the forest preserve where we will launch from. The launch site is shared by power boaters, fishermen and others but there is plenty of parking available. We just have to take turns and accommodate other boaters while launching / landing. Please arrive at about 9:00 AM to allow enough time for everyone to offload boats, gear up and get ready to hit the water at about 10:00 AM. Bring a chair for the lunch break, if you like.