Photo by flickr user Ornoth

With Boston’s first official heat wave of the summer in full swing, the water may be one of the few places offering any respite. So think about renting a boat for a leisurely paddle down the Charles.

Charles River Canoe & Kayak has five locations in greater Boston, but rents kayaks and canoes locally for one-way trips heading toward Boston or Cambridge.

Boaters can begin their journey in either Allston/Brighton along Soldier’s Field Road or in Kendall Square, Cambridge. You then paddle five miles to the opposite location. Boaters don’t need to have much experience before heading out—life jackets and a quick tutorial are given before the start of each trip. And there’s no current on this stretch of the Charles, so rowing is fairly easy.

If you notify the company of the one-way trip when you begin the rental, the cost of a single kayak is $15 an hour, plus a $10 one-way fee. If you don’t notify them and you just go one way, the cost is still $15 an hour, plus a $15 one-way fee. (Round-trip is an option as well.) Canoes are $16 an hour. Reservations are not necessary, and rentals include life jackets and paddles for each person.

Even closer to home is BU’s Fitness & Recreation Center, which allows members of the University community to borrow kayaks from BU’s Sailing Pavilion. Boaters must have purchased a Sailing Card and passed the BU Boating Swim Test in order to participate. Sailing cards are $55 for students and $65 for faculty, staff, and alumni.

Regardless of the direction you take, the river is a great vantage point to see the Museum of Science, BU, the Hatch Shell, and the Boston skyline. Along the way, boaters are likely to spot birds, fish, and the occasional duck boat. Lunch and snack breaks can be taken along the way, at places like the Esplanade.

To get to or from the Kendall Square location, take the MBTA Red Line to the Kendall/MIT stop and then walk. To get to or from the Allston/Brighton location, take the MBTA Red Line to the Harvard Square stop and then the Route 86 bus.

BU’s Sailing Pavilion can be accessed by using the footbridge located off Back Street, which runs parallel to Storrow Drive. After crossing the footbridge, proceed westward along the bike path until you get to the BU Sailing Pavilion.

For more information about Charles River Canoe & Kayak, click here. For more information about FitRec, click here.

Amy Laskowski can be reached at amlaskow@bu.edu.