The #WEOUTSIDE crew’s next adventure involved hitting the water for a day of paddling on the Royal River. Thanks to the Town of Yarmouth, we were able to secure the boats and head out from the launch up the river.

One of the great things about the Royal River is that you can paddle either upstream or downstream and it’s relatively flat. The current has been subsumed by the dam in Royal River Park, altering the ecosystem and making it almost like a long lake. This was perfect for this group of teenagers who might have limited paddling experience but made up for it with plenty of enthusiasm for getting ahead of each other.

Heading upriver, there was plenty of excitement (“whose boat will tip over”) but everybody stayed dry. We found a suitable spot on the bank for lunch before tired arms forced us to head back. We were treated to some guys climbing the tree with the rope swing and then jumping off from a height of about 25 feet, and we rewarded them with cheers which caused them to jump from even higher.