Paddle to Work Thursday, June 19th - Save Money on Gas by Commuting on the Water

June 16, 2008
Sue Jones, (608-224-3764, cell 608-512-3355, jones.susan@co.dane.wi.us)
Land & Water Resources

(Madison, June 16. 2008) If high gas prices have affected your morning and evening commute, there is a great alternative that will save you money while raising awareness of the importance of preserving our waters. Join other Dane County residents on Paddle to Work Day, Thursday, June 19 and paddle to and from your job. You can take your own non-motorized boat, hop on a voyageur canoe, or rent. Historical Canoes for Modern Day Commuters This year’s event will include commuters in two 25-foot-long replicas of voyageur canoes used hundreds of years ago by fur traders. Today’s modern voyageurs will demonstrate how practical it can be to paddle to work on the more than 22,000 acres of surface waters in Dane County. The voyageur canoe replicas will be included in a flotilla leaving from Starkweather Creek at Olbrich Park on Lake Monona (3300 Atwood Avenue in Madison) at approximately 6:30 a.m., picking up fellow paddlers at Hudson Park, Yahara Place Park, Morrison Park, BB Clarke Beach, and arriving at Law Park boat launch near Monona Terrace Convention Center at approximately 7:30 a.m. UW Campus Paddlers People paddling from Lake Mendota to campus have several docking options. They may tie their boats to the plastic floating western-most dock at the UW Porter Boathouse (home of the UW Crew Team), or leave their boats on land, off to the side of the boathouse. Paddlers must avoid the other Crew Team dock and the concrete apron leading down to the water from the boathouse bay doors. Paddlers may also lock their boats to open spaces on the tethering cable on Willow Beach in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve on campus, near Goodnight Hall. To locate Willow Beach, explore the Preserve’s online interactive map at www.lakeshorepreserve.wisc.edu or check www.map.wisc.edu. Most of the spaces nearer the water are taken, so paddlers may need to take spaces further back. Paddlers should bring a cable and lock to use to secure their boats. People should NOT put their boats on the racks at the boat launch in University Bay or at Willows Beach. The rack spaces have all been rented, so none are available. Free access to the tether cable is good for Paddle to Work Day only. Contact Bob Wright at 263-5181 for seasonal boat storage rental information. Paddle to Work Schedules and Routes – Reserve a Boat Send your planned routes and schedules to lakes@co.dane.wi.us or call them in to 224-3764. This information will be shared with other paddlers to facilitate larger flotillas. After you’ve paddled, share your experiences via e-mail to the same address. You may also reserve a spot in a voyageur canoe, or request the loan of another boat by using the contact information listed above. Those who are unable to participate on June 19th should paddle to work any day between June 16 and 20. Paddlers should use their own good judgment regarding the weather, and not paddle in high winds or lightning. Boats may be left at Law, or any other City of Madison Park all day to accommodate paddlers wanting to paddle back home after work. Paddle to Work Day, celebrating its 10th year, is part of the 14th annual Take a Stake in the Lakes Days, and has been noted in Outside Magazine as one of the reasons Madison and Dane County are ideal locations for outdoor enthusiasts. Take a Stake in the Lakes Days (June 7-22), is a program of the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission, focuses public attention on the importance of protecting and improving the quality of our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands through fun and educational activities for all ages. For more information on this and other Take a Stake in the Lakes Days activities, visit www.takeastakeinthelakes.com.