Getaway Guide To Small Craft Rentals
Paddle, peddle, power, row or sail. Small boats and boards get us closest to the water and provide some of the most relaxing or challenging experiences on a calm summer day. whether you go for a leisurely ride through the surf on a body board or test your balance on a stand-up-paddleboard or get your kick in a canoe, kayak, rowboat or sunfish, small craft let you carve a path through the region's waterways. You don't even have to own. Simply rent what whim and wind suggest. Here's where. -- Jay Lloyd
FITZWATER STATION
Port Providence, PA
www.canoeandkayak.biz/
Just outside Phoenixville on the Schuylkill canal, Port Providence Canoe and Kayak casts paddlers off on a variety of cruises in rented craft that range from a couple of hours to a more challenging day trip. All the tours combine navigating the canal and a short portage for a return on the Schuylkill River. Back at Fitzwater Station, drop off the boat and meander onto the deck of a welcoming historic pub. The view of the canal is soothing. The wings and crab balls are the best I've had. Kayak rates start at $39 a day, canoes at $45. Check all the trips and rates right here.
MARINA AT AVALON ANCHORAGE
Avalon, NJ
avalonanchorage.com/
If you're spending time at the shore this summer, Avalon puts you in the middle of a small craft playground on the back bays. Avalon Anchorage Marina gets you on the water in a kayak or on a paddle board through their partner, Harbor Outfitters. Go it solo on a kayak outing or join experienced guides for a fascinating look at the storied New Jersey wetlands. Check tours, rentals and pricing here.
STEGER BEACH SERVICES
Cape May, NJ
www.stegerbeachservice.com/
Steger's does more than just rent beach chairs, cabana tents and umbrellas in the heart of the Cape May beach. They'll get you in the wet on surfboards, body and paddle boards. You can even book a surfboard lesson in case you get an itch to challenge the waves. Navigate to their beach rental info here or find Stand-Up-Paddleboard info at their Cape May Harbor location.
EAST NECK WILDLIFE REFUGE
Rock Hall, MD
www.eastneckboatrental.com/rates.html
A favorite spot for getaways from our Metropolis is the Maryland eastern shore. Just a few miles south of the boating village of Rock Hall, MD. is the East Neck Wildlife Refuge and a small boat rental operation that sends day-trippers out in rowboats, some with engines for a day of fishing and crabbing on the Chester River. This place is so laid-back that when you look at their web site, you see the 2014 prices. Nothing's changed. All day rental is as low as 30 bucks. They'll even rent crab nets and baskets. They sell the chicken necks that are crab candy and Dockmaster Andy Tyrall tells me, the catches have been great. Last weekend day-fishermen were bringing back two bushels. That'll need a lot of beer.
ANNAPOLIS CANOE AND KAYAK
Annapolis, MD
www.annapoliscanoeandkayak.com/
If your summer getaway takes you to one of America's most popular and picturesque ports in Annapolis, Maryland, get on the water with a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard. You paddle past the fabled United States Naval Academy and see the last resting place of John Paul Jones. Glide past yachts flying the flags of many nations and representing states up and down the coast. Rent by the hour or day www.annapoliscanoeandkayak.com/rentals-demos/ . Look for Annapolis Canoe and Kayak right near the harbor behind the Chart House eatery at 3rd Street on the Eastport side of the creek.
MARSH CREEK STATE PARK
Near Eagle, PA
www.marshcreeklake.com/
Calm waters of the lake at Marsh Creek State Park are a magnet for small craft, everything from paddle boards to windsurfers. There's a well managed fleet of boards, rowboats, sailboats, canoes and kayaks - even peddle boats for rent at the dock. Rent for 1/2 hour to 8 hours. Navigate to the boats and rates right here: www.marshcreeklake.com/ Public heads and a snack bar round out the scenic Chester County setting. It's close enough to route 100 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike to be easily reached from anywhere in the region.
These are just a few of the fun spots I've visited recently where small craft are available for rent. But our region is rich in small boat rentals at popular getaway spots. Look up these.
Penn's Landing: Swan boats and kayaks will get you on the Delaware in Philadelphia.
Poconos: Try Kittatinny Canoes at Dinghman's Ferry or Milford for a small craft experience in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
New York City: Where else? Central Park Lake is the place to be. Rent a rowboat then snag lunch and a toddy at the Boathouse.
Enjoy!
