Paddle to Work Thursday, June 11
June 05, 2009
Sue Jones, (608-224-3764, cell 608-469-9280
Want a Great Return? Take Stock in the Environment this June
(Madison, WI…June 5, 2009) Although the market has recently experienced record lows, an investment in the environment always yields high returns. Thursday, June 11, Dane County residents will trade shares of rush hour traffic and road construction for oars and fresh air during the 11th annual Paddle to Work Day. As a part of the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission’s 15th annual Take a Stake in the Lakes Days, Paddle to Work Day provides the community with a fun alternative to the morning commute; and, a great opportunity to help raise awareness of the importance of preserving our waters.
Historical Canoes for Modern Day Commuters
This year’s event will once again incorporate two 25-foot-long replicas of voyageur canoes used hundreds of years ago by fur traders. Today’s modern voyageurs will demonstrate how the more than 22,000 acres of surface waters in Dane County can provide for practical morning travels.
The voyageur canoe replicas will be included in a flotilla leaving from Olin-Turville Park on Lake Monona (1156 Olin-Turville Court in Madison) at approximately 6:30 a.m., arriving at Law Park boat launch near Monona Terrace Convention Center at approximately 7:30 a.m.
Paddling to Campus
Those paddling from Lake Mendota to the UW 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.
Please note: Paddlers should bring a cable and lock to secure their boats, and should not put their boats on the racks at the boat launch in University Bay or at Willows Beach, as all spaces have been rented. For free access to the tether cable, only available for Paddle to Work Day, or for seasonal boat storage information, contact Bob Wright at 263-5181.
Paddle to Work Schedules and Routes – Reserve a Boat
Paddlers are encouraged to register online, following the link from www.takeastakeinthelakes.com . Registration information will be shared with other paddlers to facilitate larger flotillas. Paddlers may also reserve a spot in a voyageur canoe for the June 11 departure from Olin-Turville Park by registering online.
Those who are unable to participate on June 11th should paddle to work any day between June 6 and 21. Paddlers should use their own good judgment regarding the weather, and should avoid paddling in high winds or lightning. Boats may be left at Law, or any other City of Madison Park all day on the 11th to accommodate paddlers wanting to paddle back home after work.
Paddle to Work Day, celebrating its 11th year, is part of the 15th 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 6-21), 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.