Sunday, Jan 19, 2020. Bending Ribs
Hosted by Al Bratton at his workshop in Gilbertsville. WCHA members learn how to steam, bend and attach ribs on a canoe currently under restoration.
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Sunday, Feb 9. Sharpening Stuff
Al Bratton will bring his sharpening tools and expertise while members can learn and try out different tools and techniques. Bring your own tools and items to be sharpened. Hosted by a member in an Ardmore, PA home.
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Sunday, Mar 8. Camp Cooking
Bring your favorite camp recipe and ingredients and cook it up to share with others. This is always a favorite gathering as it is not only fun, but delicious as we all gather inside to enjoy a variety of appetizers, main dishes and deserts. Hosted by a member in Bangor, PA.
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Click here to see a gallery of images from our fun, delicious, warm winter day!
Saturday, Apr 25. Pocono Lake – Cancelled
Spend the day at beautiful Pocono Lake Preserve in Pocono Lake, PA. Hosted by a member, we will enjoy a relaxing paddle during the early spring followed by a pot luck dinner.
Contact: Chuck Kindt at kindtinsuranceservice@comcast.net
Sat and Sun, May 16 and 17. Passaic and Walkill Rivers – Cancelled
Enjoy paddling either day or both days, and get the opportunity to experience two different rivers serenely tucked away in northern New Jersey. Hosted by a member, each excursion will depart in the morning with a stop for a picnic lunch and continue into the afternoon.
Contact: Barclay Foord at foord@optonline.net
Sat and Sun, Jun 6-7. Weekend in Cornwall, NY.- Postponed
This is a wonderful opportunity to explore some lakes in beautiful New York state. Each day will feature a different paddling destination. Members can camp on a local farm and gather Saturday night for a pot luck dinner and friendship.
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Thursday, June 18. Longest Day Paddle – Our first socially-distanced paddle!!
This traditional gathering celebrates the extended daylight of the longest day of the year. We shared greetings with friends at a socially-distanced picnic before launching canoes at Lake Nockamixon in Bucks County, PA. We enjoyed a leisurely paddle as the evening sun turned into dusk, and watched cormorants, a juvenile bald eagle, and lots of great blue herons on a beautiful, warm evening.
Click here to see a gallery of images from the evening.
Sat, July 11th. Delaware and Raritan Canal – Delaware River Trip – Cancelled due to weather
Since we are trying to stay safe and social distance during this pandemic, we will be doing a river trip with no shuttle! Plan to meet in Lambertville, NJ where we will drop off the canoes to be launched into the D&R Canal. We will move the cars to the river side of the canal where the Delaware River takeout is. After a short walk back to the canoes, we launch and then paddle up the canal to Stockton, NJ, carry our boats up and out of the canal and down into the river to paddle downstream to the take-out and the cars. Bring a lunch, and we can eat near the bridge in Stockton before heading downstream.
Click here to see a gallery of images from the fun day!
Sat, Sun, Aug 1-2. Pocono Weekend – Cancelled
Saturday features a day-long paddle on the Upper Delaware River, where we will stop for a picnic lunch on a rocky landing surrounded by wildflowers. We may even spot a bald eagle or two! The group will then gather at the nearby home of a member for a pot luck dinner. Members are invited to camp on the property and will have access to indoor plumbing facilities. Sunday morning will feature a nearby lake paddle.
Contact: Jim Wilson at PaddleJim48@gmail.com
Friday, Aug 28. Nockamixon Evening Paddle
After gathering at Nockamixon park for a picnic dinner, we will enjoy an evening paddle as the sun sets over Nockamixon Lake in Bucks County, PA.
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Saturday, Sep 19. Pine Barrens
The winding, narrow rivers of the Pine Barrens are always a favorite of our group. Our plan this year is to paddle on Oswego Lake and hopefully continue on up Oswego River. These rivers can be a bit challenging to navigate, and a few of our members have taken an unexpected swim on this one! But we always have a good time and then gather at the home of a local member for a socially-distant potluck picnic.
Click here to see a gallery of images from our beautiful September paddle and picnic.
Sat, Sun, Oct 10-11 Gifford Pinchot Mini-Assembly
For this annual event, we join up with our friends from other local chapters of WCHA from Maryland, Ohio and western Pennsylvania, for a gathering we call Mini-Assembly as it is a smaller version of the annual national Assembly. Gifford Pinchot State Park in Lewisberry, PA provides a large pavilion for us to practice and demonstrate canoe construction and some camp cooking. Weekenders can choose accomodation options such as tent camping, cabins, yerts, or even nearby hotels. Our chapter gathers at some of the cabins in the park for a pot luck dinner and campfire on Saturday night. And, the paddling on the lake is beautiful!
Contact: Al Bratton at CanoeAl@aol.com
Saturday, Nov 7. Split Rock Reservoir
Autumn colors are typically at their peak the first weekend in November. There is no better way to enjoy the changing season than with a paddle on the scenic Split Rock Reservoir in northern New Jersey. Within minutes of launch, all signs of civilization disappear, and paddlers are immersed in a peaceful sojourn along the boulder-lined shores. A stop for a special picnic in the woods is always a highlight!
Click here for a gallery of images from this autumn paddle and picnic.
Sunday, Dec 13. Holiday Party
Cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns
We wrap up another great year of gatherings with a holiday party hosted by members in Chester County, PA. We share lots of good food and many memories as we plan the events for the upcoming year. A slide show of images from the past year bring back memories as we celebrate good tidings of the season
Contact: Contact: Jim Wilson at PaddleJim48@gmail.com
Wooden Canoe Heritage Association, Delaware Valley Chapter 