Flatwater & Coastal Places to Paddle Basic Resource List for Connecticut
Links to other canoe and sea kayak sites

Canoeing and Sea Kayak Clubs

ConnYak, a non-profit club in Connecticut open to all paddlers interested in sea kayaking http://www.connyak.org

American Canoe Association, dedicated to helping people enjoy the outdoors using kayaks, canoes and rafts since 1880 http://www.acanet.org

Sound Kayakers, an ACA Paddle America Club in western Connecticut and coastal Westchester, NY http://www.kayak-adventure.net

American Canoe Association, New England Division http://canoe-newengland.org

Safe Boating

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Boating Division. Connecticut Boater's Guide, 2006. Hartford, CT.: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 2006. (print edition and internet site) http://dep.state.ct.us/rec/boating/guide.htm

US Coast Guard Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Lifesavers, First Southern District Public Education Courseshttp://www.cgaux1sr.org/pecourses.htm

US Power Squadron, sail and power boating http://www.usps.org

American Red Cross - Health and Safety Services http://www.redcross.org/services/hss

Boating Safety and Education Connecticut DEP. http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2686&Q=322308&depNav_GID=1620&depNav=|

Places

Where to go boating, Connecticut DEP. http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2686&Q=322300

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Connecticut Coastal Access Guide. http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Boating Division. Connecticut Lakes and Ponds. http://dep.state.ct.us/cgnhs/lakes/lakepond.htm

ConnYak. Connecticut Sea Kayakers. Launch Site Directions. http://www.connyak.org/Public%20Affairs/Launch_Sites_HTML.htm
Housatonic Valley River Trail. Housatonic Valley Economic Development Partnership, Old Town Hall, Route 25, Brookfield, CT 06804, 203-775-6256. http://hvceo.org/rivertrail.php or e-mail them at lv2ski@earthlink.net

Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail. State Boat Launch, Smith's Neck Road, Old Lyme, CT. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Long Island Sound License Plate Program (CT. DEP), Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency. http://www.crerpa.org/riversound.php

Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail.Town Dock off Sheffield Street, North Cove Public Boat Launch, Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Long Island Sound License Plate Program (CT. DEP), Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency. http://www.crerpa.org/riversound.php

Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail.Town Landing off Kirtland Street. Essex Street Bridge at Pratt Cove. Brockway Ferry Landing, Deep River, CT. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Long Island Sound License Plate Program (CT. DEP), Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency. http://www.crerpa.org/riversound.php

Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail. Town Park off Middle Cove. Main Street, Essex Village, Essex, CT. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Long Island Sound License Plate Program (CT. DEP), Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency. http://essex.com/kayak.htm

Mattabesset River Canoe/Kayak Trail. Produced by Middlesex County Soil and Water Conservation District, Inc. with support from Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Long Island Sound License Plate Program (CT. DEP), Town of Cromwell, CT., and Sawmill Pub Restaurant & Bar. 2001. http://www.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal/publications.shtml

Norwalk Islands Canoe/Kayak Trail. Calf Pasture Beach, Norwalk, Connecticut. Prepared by the South Western Regional Planning Agency, 2001. http://www.swrpa.org/projects/trailguide.htm or http://www.crerpa.org/riversound.php

Paddling Down the Willimantic River: From Stafford to Windham, CT. Launching Sites for Canoes & Kayaks. Compiled by the Willimantic River Yacht Club, 1998. http://www.willimanticriver.org/recreation/paddling.html

Hypothermia and other medical emergencies

Outdoor Action Guide to Hypothermia and Cold Weather Injuries, Princeton University http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/hypocold.shtml

Prevention of hypothermia Atlantic Coast Tours in the Hudson River Valley http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/pages/expertcenter/main-expert-center.shtml

Coldwater ACA, Sailing Committee http://www.enter.net/~skimmer/coldwater.html

Coldwater ACA http://www.acanet.org/PDF/coldwater.pdf

Hypothermia Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothermia/DS00333/DSECTION=1

Dehydration and Heat Stroke University of Maryland http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/dehyrat.htm

Lightning NOAA LightningFactsSheet.pdf

Tides and Weather

Tide tables http://www.tidesonline.com

Marine weather http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/

Books and Pamphlets

Borton, Mark C. et. al.The Complete Boating Guide to the Connecticut River. 2nd edition. Easthampton, MA.: The Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. and Embassy Imprint, Inc., 1990.

Detels, Pamela and Janet Harris. Canoeing: Trips in Connecticut, the long and short of it…Chester, CT.: Pequot Press, 1977.

Dionne-Dickson, Jeff and Pat Dionne-Dickson. Local Places to Paddle. Avon, CT.: Healing Adventures, LLC and Collinsville, CT., 1999.

Farmington River Watershed Association, Inc. The Farmington River Guide. Simsbury, CT.: The Farmington River Watershed Association, Inc., 1970, rev. 1999.

Hodgins, Richard III and Erika Racz. Connecticut Kayaking. 1st ed. Even Keel Publishing. 2001. (or 2nd ed. 2002)

Jacobs, Robert P., et. Al. A Fisheries Guide to Lakes and Ponds of Connecticut, Including the Connecticut River and Its Coves. Hartford, CT.: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 2002.

Levere, Alan M. Paddler's Guide to Boating in Connecticut: A Car Topper's Guide to 41 East to Access Put-in Points. Hartford, CT.: Department of Environmental Protection, 2000.

Maloney, Thomas, et. al. Tidewaters of the Connecticut River, An Explorer's Guide to Hidden Coves and Marshes. Essex, CT.: River's End Press, 2001.

Tougias, Michael J. River Days: Exploring the Connecticut River from Source to Sea. Boston, Mass.: Appalachian Mountain Club, 2001.

Venn, Tamsin. Sea Kayaking Along the New England Coast. Boston, MA.: Appalachian Mountain Club, 2004.

Weber, Ken.Paddling Southern New England: 30 Canoe Trips in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. 2nd edition. Woodstock, Vermont: Backcountry Guides, 2001.

Wilson, Alex and John Hayes. Quiet Water: Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island: Canoe and Kayak Guide. Boston, Mass.: Appalachian Mountain Club, 2004.

DEP Property. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Owned and Managed Property. Compiled by James C. Bogar Jr. 1998.

Quick Waters, Smooth Waters: A Paddlers' Map of the Farmington River. Text by David Sinish. Drawn by Carrie Sinish. Sinishworks, 1996.

Magazines

AMC Outdoors. Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy Street, Boston, MA. 02108. http://www.outdoors.org/publications/index.cfm?CFID=414459&CFTOKEN=68044096

Atlantic Coastal Kayaker. P.O. Box 520, Ipswich, MA 01938.

Canoe & Kayak. 10526 NE 68th St., Suite 3, Kirkland, WA 98033. http://www.canoekayak.com/

Sea Kayaker. Sea Kayaker Inc., 7001 Seaview Ave., NW, Suite #135, Seattle, Washington. 98117. http://www.seakayakermag.com/

Atlantic Coastal Kayaker magazine http://www.atlanticcoastalkayaker.com/