Free Kayaking and Rowing in Brooklyn Bridge Parkhttp://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/en-US2012-02-24T05:28:48ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Don't want to wait on line? Volunteer!http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2011/8/12/dont-want-to-wait-on-line-volunteer.html[Your Name Here]2011-08-13T03:23:56ZIf you've been to our Brooklyn Bridge Park kayaking program, you probably had a great time--except for the lines. People have been waiting for over an hour to get on the water with us as our popularity is soaring!
Want to know a way to beat the line? Volunteer!
Volunteers have been taking special trips and classes all summer, which we plan to expand after Labor Day when our regular kayaking program ends. We're a non-profit, so we need all the help we can get. If we see your face before Labor Day--helping boaters with lifejackets, patrolling, getting in and out, you'll be able to join us on trips and classes held in September. We think you'll get hooked--and next year we'll have even more opportunities to advance your paddling skills.
]]>Boating on 7/23 and 7/24 Cancelledhttp://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2011/7/22/boating-on-723-and-724-cancelled.html[Your Name Here]2011-07-22T05:21:41ZUnfortunately, due to a fire at the Riverside water treatment plant in the Hudson, the Coast Guard has issued a water quality advisory for this weekend, and we will be forced to cancel our boating programs on Saturday and Sunday.
This should serve as a reminder how precious and fragile our natural ecoystem is--and how important programs like ours that create awareness are for the future of our waterfront. We hope to be back up and running at Pier 1 on July 30th and look forward to seeing you there.]]>Come paddle on the Brooklyn waterfront this weekendhttp://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2011/6/17/come-paddle-on-the-brooklyn-waterfront-this-weekend.html[Your Name Here]2011-06-17T19:54:08ZLast weekend, the Brooklyn Bridge Boathouse opened for business at Pier 1 with its free, walk-up kayaking. We let everyone--regardless of skill or experience--kayak in our semi-enclosed embayment, for free. It's the most fun you can have in Brooklyn on a sunny day.
The weather didn't cooperate last week, but our new volunteers got some good practice in with the handful of brace souls that came out in the rain.
Well, the weather is going to be amazing and we'll be sure to have lots of kayakers. We're going to be at Pier 1 on Saturday from 11AM to 4PM and then in DUMBO (special extra day) on Sunday from 11AM to 3PM.
Two days means we need lots of volunteers--especially on Sunday. When we paddle in DUMBO, we need help in the morning paddling our boats the hop, skip, and jump from Pier 1 up under the bridge and into the cove.. and then back again at 3. The end is easier because we can just grab public paddlers, but if you can come by our blue containers by Pier 2 at 10:15AM Sunday morning, you'll be a big help. Contact us at bbpboathouse@gmail.com if you can help or signup to help/get on our mailing list here: http://www.bbpboathouse.org/volunteer/
]]>Free kayaking and rowing in Brooklyn Bridge Park starts on June 11th!http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2011/5/24/free-kayaking-and-rowing-in-brooklyn-bridge-park-starts-on-j.html[Your Name Here]2011-05-24T14:10:14ZThis past weekend, our volunteers started their training in preparation for our opening day on Saturday, June 11th. (Check out our whole calendar here.)
Our 2011 program will be expanded from last year--starting earlier, with longer hours (11AM-4PM most days) and more dates. What isn't changing is our program--safe, fun, free kayaking for adults and kids at all skill levels. There's no need to RSVP... just come by when we're open for free public kayaking. We'll get you in a life vest, explain the basics, and keep watch over you in our semi-enclosed space. (No, you can't go across to Manhattan!)
If you'd like to join our group of volunteers, sign up here.
]]>Thanks for a great season!http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/9/9/thanks-for-a-great-season.html[Your Name Here]2010-09-09T18:55:01ZOn behalf of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, we want to thank everyone who came down to our program this summer to volunteer, to paddle, or just to say hi and be supportive. We're still counting up the waivers, but we estimate that almost 2000 paddlers came down to our new program, and we had 60 different people pitch in to help.
We'll be back next year, probably in June, with a more consistent schedule, more opportunities to practice skills, and with varying types of volunteer excursions.
In the meantime, check out the great photos taken by Brooklyn photographer Etienne Frossard (c).
]]>Saturday Paddle Cancelledhttp://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/9/3/saturday-paddle-cancelled.html[Your Name Here]2010-09-03T20:07:02ZDue to the potential harsh water conditions caused by the storms in the Atlantic, we're going to cancel Saturday's free kayaking at Pier 1. However, we'll be back Sunday *and* Monday as things clear up. See you on the water!]]>Brooklyn Bridge Park Kayaking this Saturday!http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/8/19/brooklyn-bridge-park-kayaking-this-saturday.html[Your Name Here]2010-08-19T21:32:01ZWe just added another day of our public kayaking this weekend. We'll be over at Pier 1, just south of the Brooklyn Bridge, on Saturday from 11AM - 3PM. Stop by, say hello, come for a paddle!
Check out this neat photo from last Sunday on the Dumbo side. Family friendly, safety first!
]]>Brooklynites! Help us build a great public paddling program in your new park.http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/7/29/brooklynites-help-us-build-a-great-public-paddling-program-i.html[Your Name Here]2010-07-29T15:48:39ZAfter a successful opening, kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park is in full swing. We have a great core of volunteers and we've had a lot of inquiries from others on how they can help.
Helping is a function of showing up! Our program has a lot of moving pieces... getting people signed up with waivers, properly and safely fitting them with lifejackets, pointing out their boundries, and maintaining their safety on the water. It also gets pretty busy on the ramp at Pier 1 or the beach at Dumbo Cove playing kayak air traffic controller getting people out on the water as others are coming in. The best part is, everyone who gets put out on the water is enormously appreciative. Volunteering is extremely rewarding, and it's a fun and energetic way to spend a summer afternoon--and a cool one if you take the time to occasionally splash around by the water.
This weekend, we'll be running our Saturday program at Pier 1. If you'd like to help, even if you don't have prior experience, just let us know by RSVPing using this Eventbrite link. The program starts at 11am, but if you can show up at 10 as a volunteer, you can help us get boats out, set up our sign-in table, etc.
On Sunday, we'll be taking our program up to Dumbo Cove, which is just north of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a short, 20 minute paddle to get the boats up there, and then a similarly short paddle to get the boats back at the end of the session. We'll meet at 10:30AM to tie everything up and get our water caravan going, and close up to paddle back at 4PM. If you'd like to help us Sunday, click here.
]]>Hundreds turn out for free kayaking and rowing in Brooklyn Bridge Park's Dumbo Covehttp://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/7/20/hundreds-turn-out-for-free-kayaking-and-rowing-in-brooklyn-b.html[Your Name Here]2010-07-20T15:12:32ZWe had a great day out on the water this past Sunday over on the Dumbo side of Brooklyn Bridge Park. We haven't finished counting our stacks and stacks of waivers yet, but the dozen boats we brought over for the public were full for more than 4 hours. At ten minutes a pop, you don't have to do much math to figure out how busy we were!
We'll be even more busy when we open up our program south of the Brooklyn Bridge over by Pier 1 this Sunday at 11AM! See our calendar for all our dates. You can follow us on Twitter or Facebook as well.
Here are a couple of photos. You can find the rest of our albums on our new photo page.
]]>Public Kayaking and Rowing in Brooklyn Bridge Park Opens This Sunday July 18th!http://www.bbpboathouse.org/updates/2010/7/12/public-kayaking-and-rowing-in-brooklyn-bridge-park-opens-thi.html[Your Name Here]2010-07-12T19:10:06ZOur newly formed volunteer corps at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse has been hard at work testing out boats, labeling lifejackets and recruiting new paddlers. We're all ready for this Sunday's free public kayaking and rowing day in Dumbo Cove--the rock beach in between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Paddling starts at 1PM and ends at 5PM!
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