fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Boat rentals give people a chance to experience the Wallkill River

by Mike Townshend
May 24, 2019
in Business
0
Craig Chapman of New Paltz Kayaking Tours. (photo by Lauren Thomas)

Since the spring, something new has come to the boat launch at Sojourner Truth Park in New Paltz — kayak and canoe rentals. Adventurous souls and those prepared to capsize and spill into the water have already taken notice — they’re down by the Wallkill River ready to make waves to Rosendale.

Craig Chapman, 28, is a native New Paltzian and the man behind the boat rental service. On Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., he’s near the shore and manning a tall rack of boats. Kayakers and canoers are outfitted with life jackets and paddles, and they’ll make a run from New Paltz to the boat launch off of Springtown Road in Rosendale.

Altogether it takes about two hours to complete the nearly 5-mile run. But it’s not the kind of thing that should turn off newbies.

“Two hours is like the perfect amount of time for a novice. You don’t have to paddle too hard. You just kind of float down the river,” Chapman explained. “I mean, 65-, 75-year-old women have done it and 12-year-old kids have done it — all right within that two-hour mark.”

Chapman himself is a sports fan. He helps coach and organize youth basketball locally, and he’s almost always outside biking or running. To him, it didn’t make sense that a town filled with climbers, athletes and cyclists wouldn’t want a chance to use the river for exercise.

“Cinco de Mayo was the first time I put boats out in the water,” he said. “It’s a great river, a great town — and an active town, or village — you would think this would go over really well. And so far, people have been loving it. They’re really, really excited about it.”

He added: “The more I thought about this, the more I realized this was just a necessity for New Paltz.”

Chapman’s company is known as New Paltz Kayaking Tours. So far, only self-guided tours of the river are available — you rent the kayak or canoe, and you meet your ride back in Rosendale. But Chapman said he’s working to make good on the name by getting his certification to conduct guided tours.

The history of the Wallkill River is a draw to Chapman, who is a former Historical Huguenot Street tour guide. It was part of what gave him the idea to start the rental and tour service.

“I thought, ‘Man, it’d be cool to have people go down the river and learn a little history on the river.’ Obviously, this is the reason that people settled here originally,” he said.

The river has a long tie with both Native Americans and European settlers. Floods along the banks of the Wallkill deposit silt, making nearby fields ripe as farm land — a feature that neither the tribesmen nor the Huguenots could resist.

But being a steward of Sojourner Truth Park and the river is also important to Chapman. He said he’ll advocate to keep the Wallkill clean and the bridge spanning it repaired. Since he’s at the park all day, he’s also trying to be a welcoming and friendly addition there by creating a sense of community. Chapman said he routinely assists other boaters by helping them lift their canoes to the car roof.

“I’m just trying to enhance this park and community by being down here,” he said. “Anybody needs help, they can just ask.”

As for the future, the kayak man is looking at expanding to open a route running from Gardiner to New Paltz — a more challenging, almost 7-mile span that would include some rapids.

People who’d like to paddle the Wallkill should plan on bringing drinking water, sun block and bug spray. Since there is a chance that the boat might tip, kayakers and canoers should dress in clothes that they don’t mind getting wet.

Rates for a kayak rental are $35. Canoe rentals are $55. And a trip in the special “tandem,” two-seater kayak costs $70. New Paltz Kayaking Tours plans to offer rides until September or October.

“I’m hoping to go as long as the weather is nice,” he said.

For more information, head to www.npkt.net or call Chapman at 594-6353.

Tags: New Paltz Kayaking ToursWallkill River
Before you click away... grab a free month of HV1. Get unlimited access. Get the news you've been missing. Get connected to your community. Keep local journalism alive at $5/mo., or cancel anytime. And enjoy summer!
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

Chasing it

Next Post

School considers surveillance cameras

Mike Townshend

Related Posts

Central Hudson construction project upends struggling businesses
Business

Central Hudson construction project upends struggling businesses

August 1, 2022
Phoenicia eatery is back with new owners and “Sue’s original recipes”
Business

Phoenicia eatery is back with new owners and “Sue’s original recipes”

July 21, 2022
Communities voice opinions about West Hurley plan
Business

Judge’s decision sends Dunkin’ back to Hurley planners

July 22, 2022
Glamping resort coming to Saugerties? Not so fast
Business

Glamping resort coming to Saugerties? Not so fast

July 20, 2022
New Paltz Village Planning Board members discuss an application for Lemon Squeeze
Business

Lemon Squeeze noise and lighting concerns revisited

July 14, 2022
“Fly-by-night” business raises concerns in New Paltz
Business

“Fly-by-night” business raises concerns in New Paltz

July 13, 2022
Next Post

School considers surveillance cameras

Trending News

  • Police: Gun pulled on Domino’s pizza deliverer in Saugerties 2.7k views
  • Voting on August 23, here’s what you need to know 1.9k views
  • Kingston declares Drought Emergency with watering restrictions, boil water near Stony Run 1.5k views
  • Developers pitch plan to turn former box factory into a three-story hotel 1.4k views
  • Adam Cerino-Jones succeeds Bill Strongin at Jewish Congregation of New Paltz 735 views







Latest HV1 Podcast

Weather

Kingston
◉
91°
Partly Cloudy
5:56 am8:07 pm EDT
Feels like: 99°F
Wind: 12mph SSW
Humidity: 51%
Pressure: 30.03"Hg
UV index: 5
MonTueWed
95/77°F
90/66°F
84/68°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Ulster County COVID-19 Active Cases

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing