Paddles Up
Finding a place to put your boat in the water is a little easier this spring, thanks to the passionate paddlers who have mapped it out for you.
Friends of Anne Arundel County Water Trails — the citizen-precursor of the current Anne Arundel Water Access Commission — created water trail maps several years ago to highlight the places recreational paddlers can get on and off the Bay and its rivers. You can find more than a dozen such water trails and put-ins along the South, Severn, West/Rhode, Magothy and Patuxent Rivers on the original website (www.aacwt.org) or at the county’s Recreation & Parks site (www.aacounty.org).
The map covering the southern end of the county, Map 11, has been updated to include launch sites at Beverly Triton Beach Park, Mayo Beach Park, Discovery Village and Shadyside Park.
New at Discovery Village in Shady Side is a kayak launch on the west side along with a new trailered-boat ramp on the eastern side.
At Beverly Triton, launch info warns visitors away from 600 yards of “exclusive beach” leased to Beverly Beach residents for swimming. There is no swimming allowed in the rest of the park.
Mayo Beach now allows car-top launches except on the park’s 30 public swim days. On those days, launches are allowed at a second launch site. Access is by an online gate combination.
The maps include details on gate access, landmarks, parking, length of carry and GPS coordinates.
“Every child should grow up with the water,” says Lisa Arrasmith, a sea kayaker and Water Access Commission member. “Unfortunately, 80 percent of the people in our county do not live in waterfront homes or in water-privileged communities. Our public county parks let all of us reach and enjoy our Bay.”