Video: Canoeing on the Charles
Video: Canoeing on the Charles
Video: Canoeing on the Charles
Not many universities can boast a major river adjacent to campus, but while BU’s front yard is a busy thoroughfare in a major urban hub, its backyard is a portion of a beautiful, iconic river: the 80-mile Charles River separating Allston and Boston from Cambridge.
Many students know the river only from the view out their dorm window, strolling the BU Beach, or walking or biking over the BU Bridge. But what many don’t know is that the river, which begins in Hopkinton and meanders through 23 towns and cities before emptying into the Atlantic, is a great place to explore by boat.
In the video above, two novice boaters—Genesis Velasco (Sargent’24) and Izzy Yap (Sargent’23)—decided to do just that on a recent afternoon. They headed over to Paddle Boston Charles River Canoe & Kayak’s Brighton/Allston location on Soldier’s Field Road (easily reachable by foot or a short cab ride) so they could select from a rowboat, a canoe, a kayak, or a paddleboard.
The two opted for a canoe ($45 for an hour and half rental), and after a short, free tutorial from Paddle Boston staff, they pushed off. After overcoming some initial trepidation (OK, Velasco admits to being initially terrified as she stepped into the canoe and it started rocking back and forth), they quickly figured out how to maneuver it.
So what did they think of their inaugural cruise down the river?
“It was such a great experience,” Yap says. “We saw dogs swimming in the water, and a seagull catch a fish! I loved it…we are definitely coming back.”
“Oh yeah,” adds Velasco.
Paddle Boston Charles River Canoe & Kayak is open from May to mid-October and has seven locations along the Charles River. Visitors can register online in advance, but Paddle Boston also accommodates walk-ins. Find a list of boat types and rental rates here.
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