The Norwalk Islands Kayaker Jamboree is SKG’s first attempt at planning an informal festival for all kayakers in the area. This is the only event in the area that is totally dedicated to kayakers. There will be nothing for sell. No charity fund raiser drive. Just hanging out with kayakers because they are kayakers.


We hope to draw kayakers form all around. To do this we need you to spread the word. Tell your other kayaking friends. Put up posters and pass out fliers. I hope those people that are doing Kayak For A Cause can spread the word to all those fellow kayakers. If you are a member of ConnYak, CT AMC, Sound Kayakers, the Hudson River Kayaking Meetup, the Wethersfield Kayaking Meetup, The Southington Sea Kayaking Meetup and any other group please spread the word among them and invite friends.

As a philanthropic effort we will do a Island clean up on Sunday. Not just our mess, but as much of the Island as we can.

Right now, the plan is for Cynthia, Randy, me, and a few others to Meetup at 4 PM at Calf Pasture Park boat ramp. If you do not have a beach pass for Calf Pasture see the post below (i.e. Parking at Calf Pasture Beach). If you already have a beach pass you can simply meet up at the boat ramp. We will paddle our gear over at 4:30 then Randy and I will do a second paddle to bring firewood. Others are welcome to help with the fire wood.

You do no have to paddle over on Friday. If you would like to come on Saturday or Sunday, there are two other meetup paddles on the calandar. Or you can paddle over on your own or with another group. Randy and I will paddle back to Calf Pasture Park on Saturday to bring firewood. We will meetup at Noon with others looking to come over for Saturday. If you are not staying the night and have an empty hatch, we could use help transporting more fire wood.

The Norwalk Islands Kayaker Jamboree Meetup is a BYO gear, food, beverages. However, some people may choose to group together to consolidate gear and food. If you do so remember that any contribution to that group is in addition to the $5 contribution to SKG for the camp sites.

This Jamboree is in the spirit of Woodstock: Peace, Love, and understanding. Please plan to be communal with your provisions. That is, bring something to share. Don’t be a Bogart! Be kind to your neighbor, and to mother nature. Respect each other and take it easy.

At noon on Sunday the SKG will sponsor an island clean up on Shea Island. Not just our mess, but as much of the Island as we can. Please bring a heavy duty garbage bags and a bag lunch for yourself.

Remember to bring fresh water, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Sorry for the short notice on this Jamboree. The town of Norwalk would not allow us to reserve the Island more then two weeks in advance.




more information to follow...please note the date this was last edited. Information has been added and edited. In responce to discussion and developing circumstances.

Hello SKG members
If you are considering coming to camp out with us, we are looking for a member that owns a boat that can assist us in carrying important supplies to the island (like oysters and beer). Members that want to come but do not want to kayak can also get together and arrange a boat to the island. You do not have to be a kayaker to come to the First Annual Kayaker Jamboree. We will make you an honorary one!
Cyn

Norwalk Islands (Sheffield, Shea, Chimon, and Grassy Islands)

Shea Island & Grassy Islands Camp site

General Rules and regulations (not limited to the following):
1. No alcohol is allowed in the parks
2. No glass containers.
3. No dogs allowed
4. No hunting above the high water mark.
5. Cutting or injuring live trees or shrubs, plants or wildlife is prohibited.
6. Absolutely no fireworks are allowed
7. No manufacturing, wholesale or retail business or commercial enterprise of any kind shall be permitted or allowed to be conducted on part property except with approval from the Common Council.
8. No open fires beyond the beach line. Fires will not be allowed in the Island interior areas supporting vegetation or foliage. Fires must be maintained in a pit environment to be properly filled in after use. No trash or garbage is to be buried or left in said pit.
9. Shea Islands is a designated carry in carry out recreation areas, no trash facilities are provided. All garbage and trash is to be taken off the Island by the user.
10. · Maximum number of campers per permit shall be 8.
11. Camping will be allowed in designated numbered campsites only.

Enforcement carried out by the Norwalk Marine Police Division

· Outhouse/Restroom facilities will be available on Shea Island during the season.
· No fresh water is available

Additional inforation:

Access to Chimon Island, is restricted from April 1 to August 15 because of the bird nesting season. A trail guide describes a number of safety precautions that paddlers must follow when touring the islands. The guide includes instructions for obtaining island camping permits. To obtain a copy, contact the South Western Regional Planning Agency at (203) 316-5190.

Sheffield Island, the largest in the group, is part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. It is closed most of the year to protect the many birds that nest along its rocky shore, and has become a regular wintering ground for harbor seals. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse is maintained and operatedseasonally as a museum by the Norwalk Seaport Association. Tours and use of the picnic area and grounds are available during the summer for a nominal charge.

Boats may be launched from Calf Pasture Beach Boat Launch. To get to Calf Pasture Beach, take Exit 16 off I-95 and follow East Avenue south to Calf Pasture Beach Road. There is a $20 entrance fee for non-residents during the beach season.

Here is a link for more information and a map http://www.swrpa.org/... .

Please refer to Tides on Line to plan your paddle over to the island. http://www.swrpa.org/...

High tide on the Saugatuck River on Aug. 2 is about 12:30 PM. If we meet at noon to paddle out, the tide will be flowing with us. I will be on Shea Island, and will try to paddle over to meet people and escort you to Shea Island. However, if I do not show up, you should paddle over without me.

any more info on parking, i have had several requests from members of the hudson river group asking about overnight parking
george

Parking: (skip to the next post if you want to park at Calf Pasture Beach)

There are three good options for paddling to the Norwalk Islands. You can put in at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, the Rowayton Community Beach on the Five Mile River, or State Boat Ramp on the Saugatuck River.

Calf Pasture Beach Boat Launch is the shortest paddle. To get to Calf Pasture Beach, take Exit 16 off I-95 and follow East Avenue south to Calf Pasture Beach Road. There is a $20 entrance fee for non-residents during the beach season. If you plan to paddle over Friday afternoon, then Randy might be able to help you avoid the fee at the beach. The paddle to Shea Island is about 2 miles

State Boat Ramp on the Saugatuck River offers free parking. The paddle to Shea Island is about 5 miles. Directions to the Connecticut State Boat Ramp on the Saugatuck River: You take I-95 north to exit 17. At the end of the ramp go straight down Park Street/Charles Street. Turn left onto Riverside Ave. Drive under the bridge (I 95) then turn right onto Bridge Street. Drive over the historic truss bridge. You will see signs for the public assess boat ramp. Turn right onto Compo Rd. S and the right before you go under the train tracks on to Elaine Rd. Follow this road to launch area under bridge (I-95).

The Rowayton Community Beach on the Five Mile River is about 2.5 miles from Shea Island. Parking is limited. You might have to park on the street, but it is a good neighborhood. There is a Condominium building right next to the beach which is vacant. I believe it is scheduled for demolition or renovation. Anyway, for now the parking lot of this building is available for parking. I have never had any problems parking there. The Rowayton Community Beach launch is on Rowayton Ave, coming from I-95 Exit 12, turn south on Tokeneke Road. Tokeneke Road becomes Cudlipp when you cross the river, then it becomes Rowayton Ave when you enter town. Drive through town, past Rt 136 (which turns left), past the Rowayton Seafood Rest. The road will fork, keep to right into the street marked 'no outlet.' The Rowayton Community Beach is on your right. It is a town beach area with limited parking ? you may need to park on the street or in a business parking lot up the road after you unload your kayak ? best early or late in day, as is the kayaking! There's about 3/4 mile of river, leads out to Long Island Sound and the Norwalk Islands. Depending on your ability you can paddle the local islands and creeks or go further afield.


There might be other options, but these are the ones I know. Unfortunately, parking is at your own risk. I recommend that you leave a paddle plan in you car (just in case).

Parking at Calf Pasture Beach

I have contacted Michael Mocciae, the Director of Norwalk Parks and Recreation Division. It looks like I might be able to get free weekend passes into Calf Pasture Beach Park for those that will participate in the Island Clean Up. I will need a list of names to give him. After you RSVP for the Jamboree, please e-mail me your full name and which day you plan to paddle over to the Jamboree. I will pass the list to him. Hopefully he will be able to get us free access to parking in Calf Pasture Beach Park

Michael Mocciae was enthusiastic about our plan to do an Island clean up on Sunday. He wrote:

All garbage collected should be left by the sign near middle of beach up from high tide line. Thanks! Any thing else you need give us a call. Mike

Check back for more details.

Michele Sorensen wrote:

Sound Kayakers club will show for the day on Saturday, launching from Second St, Norwalk at 10 am. Contact me if you want to join us - must wear PFD & sprayskirt, have sea kayak with two bulkheads or SOT>13' & re-entry skills.

Norma wrote:

Hi Peter
I've passed the Norwalk Jamboree info along to others in hope's they will also make it. I did have a few responses as to what the menu is as they do not know what to bring and for how many.
I've also had feed back that some do not know the area and will anyone be at the launches to assist to the Islands.
I have told Vince and Vina that IF they told me when they were going to arrive and where I would meet them IF they are sure they are coming. Seeing as they are in my neck of the woods so to speak I have offered them to come along with me and if not they have to inform me prior to the event as to what time they would need assist and from where. I would be willing to paddle back to a launch to assist others on Saturday. If anyone is interested from the Plantsville, Southington area I have 2 Hullivators on my car and also have a kayak trailer that can accommodate 4 other kayaks, including myself I can carry 5 other kayaks and have actually safely carried 6 on the trailer. I am going to launch from Calf Pasture on Friday and will not change my plans for that, so if anyone from this area is interested they will have to be attending when I plan on doing so. I would gladly pick up anyone in between my area and the launch at Calf Pasture on Friday with a return on Sunday.
Have you had any feed back from anyone else besides the group attendance post?
I've also mentioned to others the need to use the Pay Pal as you have flipped the bill so far but also hope and know they will pay you in person on arrival.
This can be such a wonderful thing you started and I pray all goes well for the 2nd Annual Event and so on.
If I can be of any help please feel free to let me know.
If there is anything your planning for a certain night, please let me know. Your Hot Dog idea and Chile is great but what night are you planning that for? Do you need buns, condiments, etc ???
Krazy Robin is planning on attending Sat, she has said she plans on Chicken for dinner, it's who's doing what and really for how many and on what night??
Michelle from Kayak Adventure is showing a Sat day time attend, is she going to stay for dinner and the night or just a few hours??
Your going to get a lot of Bogarting if people don't know what to bring and for how many each night.
Some kind of planned menu and activity is needed.
Best regards,

Norma, thanks for the e-mail. I posted the e-mail because you brought up some good points, and it is very similar to others, so I want to be able to answer them all with just one response:

Since I do not know how many people are coming, I think it is best that we all bring our own supplies. It is nice to bring stuff to share, and maybe next year we can be more organized, but then again, if next year the event grows even bigger, we might need to be even more self-sufficient. It is just too difficult to plan for some many people, and not know how many are actually coming. Besides, what ever we bring we must be able to bring it my kayak (unless someone knows of a person that can bring supplies by boat).

Bring what ever you want to bring with regard to food. I am going to try to bring a big pot of Chili to share with people. It would be nice if others bring something to share, but I know first, you do not have much room to bring much more then your own stuff, and second, none of us know how many people will show.

I have to leave you to your own devices with regard to shat you bring, how you will prepare your food, and how to serve it up.

In addition to food, every one should plan on bringing 1 gallon of water per person per day. Remember to bring sunscreen, and bug spray. Expect rain. We have no rain date. This will be a rain or shine event. I am hoping for the best. People should bring first aid supplies. Remember there are jelly fish in the sound this time of year.

Please send me the full name of any friends that you want to bring so I can put them on the parking pass list.

Randy, Cynthia, and I are paddling out at 4 PM at Friday for Calf Pasture Ramp. You and your fiends can meet us on Friday, or at noon on Saturday at Calf Pasture.

If anyone is interested in meeting up Norma you can e-mail her at http://kayaking.meetu...

I have had a number of people contact me regarding the Jamboree, and am having trouble e-mailing everyone back, so I apologize to anyone I missed, but look forward to meeting everyone this weekend.

Robin wrote:

hi peter,
Is it ok that i pay you on saturday when i arrive to the island. i am still waiting to see if others from the naugatuck valley will be joining us.i f they do i will collect the money from them and pay you and i will let you know before fri if any others are planning on coming.

Also, what is it that we should bring besides our own personal stuff? i can bring some wood but not sure how much i can bring on one kayak.

What is it that we do when we get to the beach as far as getting in? do we just give our name?
let me know your thoughts.
thank you

Yes you can share your voluntary contribution when you get to the Island. I provided Paypal as an option, but any other method is fine. I am asking $5 per person for anyone who wants to stay the night and $2 for day visitors. Just see me on Shea some time. Mainly, I want to cover the cost of renting the campsites. No voluntary contribution for anyone that comes on Sunday only, ass long as they help with the Island Clean up.

Yes, When you get to the gate house at Calf Pasture tell them you are participating in the Kayaker Island Cleanup and that you are on the list.

Once you get to the Island, just find a place to camp in the camping area and then have fun.

Check back on this message board for more updated information before you paddle.