Though it may still be too cold to get in the water, this is a good time to start getting on the water to paddle area waterways. The Northwest Indiana Paddling Association offers many opportunities for paddlers of all ages and experience levels to do just that, including their Trail Creek Fun Float on Sunday.
This will be the 11th annual Fun Float, with paddlers going up to approximately six miles round trip on an interesting and historic stretch of Trail Creek in Michigan City.
“This is a real good option for novices and for more advanced paddlers,” according to Dan Plath, founder of the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association (NWIPA).
Canoes and kayaks will be launched from the Washington Park boat ramp where the calm waters behind a dune and break wall are not only inviting for paddlers, but also shelter the boats and yachts in the Michigan City Harbor.
Paddlers will row to the mouth of the harbor, then into Trail Creek alongside the NIPSCO power generating station. From there, Trail Creek takes paddlers past the old lighthouse, which was built in 1858 and now houses the Old Lighthouse Museum. Trail Creek continues under the draw bridge, past the armory and casino, through a former industrial area and tall-ship turning basin before reaching a quiet, undeveloped section of creek flanked by trees and singing birds, where the water is often crystal clear, and paddlers can see passing fish and the sandy bottom.
The current on Trail Creek is relatively gentle, making this a good waterway for families and novice paddlers and since the route is up and back, paddlers can easily turn around and shorten the distance.
For those without a boat, a limited number of free loaner one-person kayaks and 2-person canoes will be available through the NWIPA. Advance reservations are required and can be made through the event link on the organization’s website. A donation to help cover insurance and expenses is appreciated.
Registration for the Trail Creek Fun Float runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Boats will launch from 9:30 until 10:40 a.m. The event is free, but registration is required and a donation $5 to $10 is appreciated by NWIPA. There is a $7 daily parking fee in Washington Park.
“We’ll also have an after-party at Fire and Water in the new pavilion at Washington Park,” Plath added.
It was a volunteer stewardship effort on this stretch of Trail Creek that led to both the re-opening of this waterway for paddlers, and to the formation of the NWIPA in 2009. The organization currently has over 500 members and about 1000 followers on Facebook.
“There are three major things we focus on: education, we offer a variety of paddling classes; blueways stewardship, with clean-ups of streams, supporting conservation and restoration efforts, and establishing ADA (Americans With Disabilities) access; and the third is getting people out on the water to enjoy themselves and get an appreciation for the resources that we have here,” Plath said.
He said that other paddling highlights for the coming year include: paddling in Lake George at the Hobart Water Festival on June 17; the lakes of La Porte on September 30; and the weekly sunset paddles on Marquette Park lagoon starting on June 22 and continuing on Thursday evenings through the end of September.
Current NWIPA stewardship efforts include the continued work on opening the Little Calumet River in Chesterton, with hopes to open a stretch within the National Lakeshore in the future.
For more information on the Trail Creek Fun Float, the NWIPA and upcoming classes and events, go online to www.NWIPA.org.
Joan Dittmann is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.
