SHELBURNE, VT – Canoeists, kayakers and rowers will gather in Shelburne Bay on Lake Champlain Tuesday, July 14, for a Quadricentennial Birch Bark Canoe Flotilla and paddling trip to Burlington.
Paddlers, including traditional birch bark canoe owners from throughout the northeast United States and Canada, will meet at the Shelburne Bay state boat launch off Route 7 at noon and depart at 1:00 p.m. for the five and a half mile trip to the Burlington waterfront. The event is part of the Burlington International Waterfront Festival, and has a cost $10 per person.
After a welcoming ceremony for flotilla paddlers at 5:00 p.m., the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington will host two presentations and a display of the region’s traditional birch bark canoes beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Craft representing the Abenaki, Algonquin, Penobscot and Maliseet Indian traditions will be exhibited. Birch bark canoe expert Ted Behne will give a talk about bark canoe styles and the evolution of the modern canoe. And Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Inc. Co-Founder Rob Center and Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail Founder Kevin Rose will talk about organizations that support canoe and kayak paddling in the region.
Prior to July 14, the registration form for the canoe flotilla can be accessed online at www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/media/Canoe%20Flotilla%20Registration%20Form.doc. Participants can also register in Shelburne on the morning of the event. For more information about the events contact Douglas Brooks at 802-877-3289.
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