Kayakers, canoers and other paddlers will set course for the Inner Harbor this June on a pirate-themed scavenger hunt to raise funds for the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore’s Healthy Harbor initiative.
The 5th annual Baltimore Floatilla will take place on Saturday, June 4, from 8 a.m. to noon.
“We’re seeing more and more interest in recreation at the Inner Harbor,” said Adam Lindquist, vice president of programs and environmental initiatives at the Waterfront Partnership. “With the Inner Harbor Kayak Tours growing in popularity and B’more Sup adding a location to the Inner Harbor last year, we’re delighted to see the Inner Harbor increasingly be recognized for the recreational resource that it is and can be,” continued Lindquist.
Starting and ending at the Canton Waterfront Park, participants will follow a map along a 5-mile voyage to “treasure spots” around the Inner Harbor. Each spot will highlight an important environmental or historical feature of Baltimore’s waterfront, and participants will be able to collect coins that they can redeem for an event t-shirt.
Participants have until May 31 – or once 250 spots are filled – to register online at BaltimoreFlotilla.com.
People who register by May 4 will pay $35. Anyone who registers from May 5-31 will pay $40.
Registration will include a supervised paddle experience by Ultimate Watersports, a commemorative t-shirt, breakfast from THB Bagelry & Deli, coffee from Orinoco Coffee & Tea, and a pre-paddle warm-up led by Hands on HIIT.
Participants who already have paddling experience can also reserve kayaks and stand-up paddle boards with Ultimate Watersports for an additional fee.
Ultimate Watersports will manage water safety at the event and two safety support teams, BQVD Marine Emergency Team 21 and Chesapeake Marine, will be on-site.
The latest Harbor Heartbeat report, published in September 2021 and based on water quality data from 2020, showed levels of harmful bacteria in the Inner Harbor are declining. However, the report’s authors also cautioned against swimming in the harbor within 48 hours of heavy rainfall, which can carry harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff into the waterway.
Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore said it is examining how the Inner Harbor can be a “recreational resource” for the Baltimore region and for Maryland.
“Events like the Baltimore Floatilla and plans for the Baltimore Blueway, a network of water-based trails for paddlers dotted with public access points and connected, by the water, to historical, cultural and environmental sites, are examples of what is to come for the Inner Harbor,” the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore said in a release.
Since the first Baltimore Floatilla in 2016, the event has raised more than $10,000 per year for the Healthy Harbor initiative through sponsorships and registration.
The initiative oversees the four trash wheels across Baltimore’s waterways, assists oyster restoration efforts in the Harbor, runs a community beautification grants program, provides environmental education, and more.
The Waterfront Partnership hopes to exceed its $10,000 goal this year with a peer-to-eer fundraising campaign on the Baltimore Floatilla registration page.
