Baltimore will soon have an official network of water trails to take in the city’s sights by canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard, stretching from the World War II submarine in the Inner Harbor to the wildlife along the Patapsco River’s Middle Branch.
Dubbed the Baltimore Blueway, the plan for an eight-trail network is a collaboration between the Waterfront Partnership, the city government and local nonprofits.
Ray Scurr, the president of the Canton Kayak Club and a member of the project’s planning committee, said the Blueway has the potential to be another form of ride share for those who want to enjoy the water and also avoid driving into the city and parking.
“People see the water and want to be next to it, but they don’t have a way to access the water,” Scurr said.
His club’s membership has rocketed since the pandemic and has over 700 members this season. It offers unlimited seasonal kayaking from May to October, with equipment and opportunities for group outings.
He said he’s full of excitement for the Blueway.
“When I paddle, I don’t want to always go aimlessly, I’d like to go to Fort McHenry and paddle back, or go to the aquarium and stop for a picnic and paddle back,” he said. “It’s about destinations and we’ve never had routes throughout Baltimore like this before.”
Plans for the Blueway were unveiled at a news conference at Rash Field on Thursday morning, where Mayor Brandon Scott made splashy entrance in a kayak.
“The views of the harbor and Baltimore are best from the water,” he said. “I saw fish and jellies, things that I never usually see.”
Adam Lindquist, the vice president of environmental initiatives at the Waterfront Partnership, said the goal of the Blueway is to encourage locals and tourists to explore the city by watercraft, and to make doing so more accessible and convenient. Plans for the Blueway map out access points for parking and rest stops, along with must-see attractions.
The story continues at the Baltimore Banner: Calling all paddlers: Baltimore is getting a water trail system
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