If you were wondering when your favorite AMC paddling trips would resume the answer is … soon!
Changes for Leaders
The Boston Chapter Paddlers Committee has been working with the AMC at both the Chapter and Club level to start to re-open for volunteer-led trips. We have some more work to do, but we expect to start posting trips again beginning in July.
Our trip leaders will need additional training before we can restart activities. There are both state and local guidelines as well as guidance from the AMC on the requirements for re-opening. Leaders will not be able to post trips until they have gone through training.
Changes for Paddlers
For you, the paddler, there will be a few changes. AMC has implemented a new registration system on outdoors.org. The registration form will be a substitute for the paper waiver that you would typically sign and it includes an acknowledgment that you recognize the risks of contracting COVID-19 and agree to AMC requirements to participate in an activity.
- You must have an account on outdoors.org to register and sign the waiver!
- You must sign the waiver before the date of the trip in order to participate.
You don’t have to be an AMC member to create an account, but we would encourage you to join and support the AMC’s missing if you aren’t already a member.
All activities will now require that participants carry and wear a face mask when you are close to other participants, carry and use hand sanitizer (or soap & water washing) particularly if using shared/group equipment.
Group sizes will be limited to 10 participants – including the leader and co-leader.
In the event that social distancing becomes impossible – for example, the group arrives at a crowded public venue – the trip may need to be altered or abandoned altogether. As much as that may disappoint, the health and safety of our members must be our first priority!
Travel Restrictions
Our activities must adhere to state guidelines and travel restrictions for both Massachusetts and for the state where the activity takes place.
This complicates out-of-state trips and overnight trips. Maine, for example, is maintaining quarantine or testing requirements for all Massachusetts residents visiting the state.
For the near term, we expect most of our trips will be within Massachusetts and held close to home.
Stay Tuned …
We’re just as anxious as you are to resume paddling activities!
We’re starting the work of training our leaders and creating paddling-specific guidance for our activities. As soon as we can we’ll be scheduling and posting events for flat water, white water, and sea kayak paddlers.
Watch our website or the AMC Calendar for new events and activities and join our mailing list to receive announcements and updates from the AMC Boston Paddlers.
See you on the water … soon!!
