Kayak Regatta on the Niantic River on Sunday

Is there anything better than a quiet kayak trip down the Niantic River? There is is you like a little music and want to do it with lot a of friends!

The 9th annual Niantic River Appreciation Day Kayak Regatta sponsored by Save the River-Save the Hills, Inc., offers all that and more on Sunday, August 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday but was washed out by the weather.

The event schedule remains the same for Sunday, though, so here's what's happening:

• It starts off with a launch at 10:00 a.m. from Three Belles Marina (or another spot of your choice).
• At 10:15 a.m. a kayak parade begins in front of Oswegatchie Hills and stops at the end of the river in front of 47 Oswegatchie Road, Waterford.
• At 11:00 a.m. there'll be a demonstration from the Waterford/Goshen Fire Boat. 
• At 11:30 a.m. local politicians will talk about the beauty of the River and the Hills.
• At 1:00 p.m. the “braggin’ rights” kayak races begin.
• At 1:45 p.m. there will be a drawing for winning tickets for a Kayak with paddles and gift certificates donated from local businesses. All STR-STH members and volunteers will be eligible for the free drawing. 

Throughout the afternoon, there will be kayak safety clinics and STR-STH membership and Niantic River Watershed information booths. There'll be music by Denise and Tony Band who will play from an overlooking balcony for participants as they eat their FREE HOTDOGS in their kayaks.

T-shirts, beach bags and other items will be for sale at the event. All participants will receive a free laminated Kayak Trail Map of the Niantic River.  

Visit the organization's Facebook page or www.savetheriver-savethehills.org for public launch sites and more information, or call Deb Moshier-Dunn at 860-444-9247 to register for a close-to-event launch site.

Save the River-Save the Hills, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) grassroots environmental organization based on the Niantic River Estuary in Waterford and East Lyme dedicated to abating and preventing pollution of the river, its Watershed and advocating the preservation of Oswegatchie Hills.