Source to Sound Paddle Trip

Our Paddle Trip Adventure celebrates the beauty and wonder of the Housatonic River and commemorates HVA’s 75th anniversary of protecting this incredible resource. People of all ages will gather together to paddle for a couple of hours or for the entire 10-day journey, led by three expert canoe guides. In addition, there will be numerous riverside celebrations along the journey, connecting thousands to the river that runs through our communities. Riverside events will take place in Pittsfield and Lee, Massachusetts and in W. Cornwall, Kent, New Milford, Naugatuck, and Stratford, Connecticut.

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On April 28th, HVA celebrated its 75th Anniversary. Frank Delaney was on hand to provide "River Words" to inspire and entertain.

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The man behind the camera - Joe Ruggiero.  Thank you Joe for agreeing to take photos while leading paddlers down river!  

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Saturday, April 30 - HVA hosted the Naugatuck River Festival at Linden Park, Naugatuck, Connecticut. It was a gorgeous day and families and paddlers joined in celebrating the Naugatuck River, the Housatonic's largest tributary.

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Day 3, Paddlers arrive at the evening take-out in South Lee, Massachusetts.

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From 1932 through 1977, General Electric manufactured and serviced electrical transformers containing PCBs. Years of PCB and industrial chemical use, and improper disposal, led to extensive contamination around Pittsfield, MA as well as down the entire length of the Housatonic River. With the ban of the production of PCB’s in 1979, the EPA began the process of remediating and cleaning up the contamination.  EPA's greatest concern is the possibility of coming into direct contact or ingesting PCB contamination. Since 1977, there has been a ban on the consumption of fish from areas of the Housatonic River. These restrictions will remain in place until PCB levels decrease.

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Day 2, Paddlers stopped for lunch at Fred Garner Park. This is the section of the river that has been remediated by the NRD Fund.

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Lead Paddlers from left: Joe Ruggiero, Dennis Regan, Schuyler Thomson, and David Sinish.

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Please support and thank our fantastic sponsors of the 2016 Housatonic River Adventure. Without their generous support, this event would not be possible! Thank you!!

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A wonderful video by The Kent School’s Julie Saxton who captured the paddlers as they left The Kent School heading to Bulls Bridge.  Students from Kent Center School cheered the paddlers on!

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The Kent School did a lovely write-up about the Housatonic River Adventure’s visit to their grounds on Wednesday, April 27th.

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The final group who braved the cold, rain, and wind to finish up the final day from Derby to Stratford Point and Long Island Sound.

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We have arrived at the end of the journey, Stratford Point. We are at the end of the 150 miles of the Housatonic River. Hurray! So ends the 2016 HVA Source-To-Sound adventure.

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We are getting close to the end. Stratford Point is straight ahead.

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View of river right near the end of Stratford, CT. Chase boat still with us. The wind is picking up a little.

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We had a chase boat for this stretch. It was manned by Charlie Lay and his friends. Charlie is the grandson of the founder of the HVA, Charles Downing Lay. We are glad he is watching out for us today.

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Here we are approaching the power plant in Milford, CT. River left. The I-95 bridge and railroad cross over just in the distance.

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A few miles down the river we encounter the Igor Sikorsky Bridge carrying the Merritt Parkway over the Housy. We are moving fast as it is raining and cold.