33rd annual Swatara Sojourn to be held May 6; rental kayaks will be available

The Swatara Watershed Association will host its 33rd annual Swatara Sojourn on Saturday, May 6, an all-day group outing consisting of paddling, education, and litter cleanup along the way.

The kayak journey begins at 9 a.m. from the Swopes Valley Road Trailhead in Pine Grove and ends at the Lickdale Trailhead in Lickdale.

Shuttles will be available so that participants can drop off their gear at the Swopes Valley Road Trailhead on Saturday morning, and then drive to the Lickdale Trailhead where they can park their vehicles before being shuttled back to the Swopes Valley Road Trailhead. There, a quick breakfast will be served before an introduction and safety briefing, followed by the launch itself.

Along the way, kayakers will enjoy the Swattie’s many natural wonders, while also hopefully extracting some of the manmade distractions they find littering the waterway. A pitstop will be made at Sand Siding Bridge, where kayakers can walk or shuttle to Bordner Cabin where lunch will be served while a representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will talk about the commonwealth’s state parks.

Then it’s back in the kayaks to finish the journey to Lickdale.

The cost to participate is $25 for adults and $10 for children. Kayaks are also available for rental at an extra cost through Cocoa Kayak.

More information and a registration form can be found on the Swatara Watershed Association website.