Cuyahoga River Paddling During the Pandemic

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On a balmy Monday afternoon in July we took a bike ride along the Scranton Flats Towpath Trail to see what the waterfront scene was looking like along the Cuyahoga River. Normally at this time of year one would see plenty of rowing shells from Western Reserve Rowing Association’s Summer Rowing League and Master’s programs plying the river. Sadly, COVID-19 has kept 8-person shell programs off the water, so from a recreational standpoint, the river has been the playground for an increasing number of Greater Cleveland’s paddleboard and kayak communities. Last years designation of the Cuyahoga River as a State of Ohio Water Trail has also boosted interest in the historic and uniquely scenic river.

Paddleboarding on the Cuyahoga River

Any outdoor recreation retailer will tell you the pandemic and related social distancing measures have led to a boom in paddlesports as people shut out of gyms, fitness centers and team sports have turned to their local waterways for exercise and relaxation. Out of town trips and vacations have been replaced by local staycations, while demand for kayaks and paddleboards have outstripped manufacturers ability to produce them.

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Mark Pecot, owner of 41 Degrees North Kayak Adventures in Lakewood says it has been a season like no other. “Part of that is great weather, it’s been very favorable for us. We’ve seen an increase in the desire to get out on the water. Tuesday is the new Saturday. We’re typically sold out every day of the week and folks have to book in advance. Reservation behavior is also evolving as traditional mid-week bookings are getting pushed into the following weekend. All sunset tours for this season are sold out, and there is a big demand for our used boats.” Pecot added “We’ve experienced a lot of families kayaking together. We used to have to offer incentives to get people to come down on a weekday. Now one of our busiest times is 10 a.m. on a weekday. We’re fully booked with 25 craft going out at 10 a.m. and then the cycle repeats.”

Moneen McBride, owner of Burning River Adventures is experiencing similar demand for their rentals. “All of us in Ohio are seeing people who wouldn’t have normally come out kayaking. We’re seeing more families bringing their kids. While our location in Cuyahoga Falls has always been racially diverse, recreation in the COVID-19 era has increased that audience. COVID-19 restrictions on certain recreation activities is also piquing interest in our rivers, lakes and reservoirs.” McBride added “When the pandemic subsides, we hope that folks will continue to be outdoor recreation users. We think a lot of people’s eyes have been opened to what they’ve been missing out locally. We tell any first-time users, “when you come back for your second trip, you’re going to catch the kayaking bug”. When folks return from a trip we often hear comments like “It’s so much easier than we thought it would be”. “The river did a lot of the work”. We can’t believe this is here!.””

The downside of the increased demand is pressure on Burning River Adventures’ limited rental inventory. “We are here to get people outdoors and enjoy the outdoors safely” says McBride. “We used to have steady weekday reservations but, due to COVOD-19 safety protocols, we are operating at 50% capacity, so we are at our limit almost daily with no opportunities for same day reservations. Bookings that used to occur 2 - 3 days out for a weekend trip are now pushing a week out. Renting a kayak has become an advanced planning activity as opposed to the spur-of-the-moment activity it used to be.”

After yesterday’s ride along the Cuyahoga River we caught up with two paddleboarders after their paddle. Kelly Chrzanowski and Jaime Zachar shared great perspectives on the value of recreation on northeast Ohio’s waterways and Greater Cleveland’s quality of life. Check out what they have to say in the video, and we’ll see you on the water!

Kelly & Jaime on Paddling Northeast Ohio’s Waterways