Rockaway Waterfront Alliance is part of the NYC Blue Water Trail Organization; a group of paddle organizations and water enthusiasts throughout New York that have joined with the NYC Dept of Parks & Recreation to establish a map system of sites throughout NYC that both beginner and experienced paddlers can access the water. Some sites have amenities such as boat rentals and others are launches where people to bring their own equipment.
Water access sites help to open the water ways and all of its resources to not only the immediate community, but also the surrounding boroughs; raising awareness of these fragile ecosystems, and providing educational and recreational opportunities to all.
Rockaway Waterfront Alliance has currently been working with the Parks Dept to establish additional launch sites along the 11 miles of Jamaica Bay /Rockaway shoreline. Currently there is only one officially recognized canoe & kayak launch site that serves the entire Rockaway Peninsula at Michaelis-Bayswater Park (Bay 36th Street). As a result of our advocacy and water events, Dubos Point & Sommerville Basin will soon be added to the NYC Blue Water Trail to facilitate community access to the beautiful natural environment that surrounds Rockaway. Thank you to all those who signed our petition and helped to establish these additional sites.
Any experienced paddlers who would like to make recommendations for these or other sites along the Rockaway/Jamaica Bay shoreline are encouraged to go to nycwatertrailweb@gmail.com to submit a survey to the NYC Parks Dept.