Save this date for a Fall Club Paddle and Post Paddle Party ! We will launch fromWinter Island Park (50 Island Road, Salem, MA 01970), accommodating all paddler levels. There will be no parking fee at the time of this event. Paddling pods will be organized by paddling experience and interests. Arrival time set for 10:30 am, with a launch by 11:00 am. If the weather is too inclement for one's taste, or if you don't have a cold weather/cold water kit (for example a dry suit), please come by for the party portion of the event! It's always fun to talk about paddling, share stories about our adventures and generate ideas for future trips, both local and afar ! The Board of Directors have rented the Function Hall for the after-paddle party, which will likely start around 4-4:30 and end by 7:30 pm.
Food provided by the club as follows: lasagna, eggplant parmesan (these 2 main dishes are meatless to include the sauce), salad, artisan rolls, tea and sparkling water. Participants are requested to bring one of the following: a bag of chips, 6 ounce container of either blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, a small batch of grapes (all fruits pre-washed at home) or cookies and the like, (no cakes please). Participants are allowed to bring adult beverages of choice into the Function Hall.
Remember to have yoursettings indicate you are "following" this event in order to get automatic updatesdirectly to your email.
You must register by Thursday evening 10/12/23, as I need to place the food order the following morning.
Traffic considerations provided by Ricardo Caivano, Salem resident:
Downtown Salem can be difficult in October, in particular during the last two weeks. We get a lot of visitors. An email from the Salem Police says in part: " Visitors to Salem in October should not plan to drive into downtown Salem, especially on weekends...there is a high likelihood that some closures will be made on Saturday October 28 and/or Sunday October 29...For real-time traffic and road closure notices, visit www.twitter.com/SalemMAPolice (@SalemMAPolice on Twitter), and www.twitter.com/CityofSalemMA (@CityofSalemMA on Twitter)."
Well, that was the warning. The good news is that you don't need to drive through downtown Salem to get to Winter Island Park.
An easy way to get to Winter Island from all points north is via Beverly, taking the beautiful Beverly-Salem Bridge, continuing on Bridge Street, left on Web St., continuing on Fort Ave, left on Winter Island Road and on to the park.
If coming from the south, perhaps it is better to avoid taking Route 114E (or the prior Lowell Street exit). Instead follow I-95 N and MA-128 N to MA-62 E/Elliott St in Danvers. Take exit 43 from MA-128 N, head towards Salem via the Beverly-Salem bridge and follow the directions above to Winter Island.
If coming from Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynn, etc. you could just paddle over?, but if you insist on driving, take 114W, Lafayette Street, turn right on Leavitt St, left on Congress St, right on Derby St. and continue to Winter Island via Fort Ave. The corner of Congress and Derby will be busy.
"On October 21, the Devil’s Chase road race starts at 8 a.m. at the Salem Willows soccer field on Fort Avenue. No road closures are planned, however, expect traffic impacts until 10:30 a.m. along the route."
Attached is an2022+Devils+Chase+Athlete+Guide.pdfadditional wrinkle just learned about, add this info to your approach plan for our Winter Island Event.
