Delaware River sojourners revel in nature and camaraderie

“Eagle, right!”

The 30 paddlers within hearing distance of the shout take their eyes off the river and look up and to the right. A bald eagle flies from its nest in a pine tree and soars above us.

That happens at least five more times throughout the day as a flotilla of 89 paddlers in their colorful kayaks or canoes covers 11 miles on the Delaware River on the first official day of the Delaware River Sojourn.

Between the wildlife announcements, kayakers toss a football, blow bubbles, sing their favorite songs and shout cheers after tackling a series of rapids.

We’re all here, floating down the river together, as a part of the sojourn.

“We’ve transformed this into the ultimate staycation,” said Dejay Branch, co-director of the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition and registrar for the Delaware River Sojourn. “It’s like summer camp for adults. A week-long fun trip with great food.”

How did I get here? Let’s rewind.

It’s the 29th anniversary of the sojourn, but my first year. I joined the fun for the first two days, but the rest of the group had six more left when I departed. I had no idea what to expect on my voyage but the dedicated planners helped.

An eight-day trip of one of the region’s greatest treasures

The Delaware River Sojourn is an annual guided paddling trip on the Wild and Scenic Delaware River that combines kayaking, camping, educational programs and historical interpretation.

Its purpose is to heighten awareness and appreciation for the river and its watershed, which flows for 330 miles through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

This year’s theme was “River of Inspiration,” a nod to how people are inspired by their experiences on or along the Delaware River.

“It’s times like this where we bring people together, hopefully end up with a perfect paddle day and an incredible experience, and it’s going to send you home and make you a champion of protecting all land,” said Lindsey Kurnath, the superintendent of the National Park Service’s Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, during the morning announcement on day one. “These experiences are the foundation of what we hope is a lifelong stewardship.”

We kicked off the trip at the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen, Pa., where we pitched our tents. We were gearing up for an 11-mile day where we would pass through Cedar Rapids and Shohola Rapids and end at Pond Eddy.

Starting up and on the river

I’ll be the first to admit it, I was nervous about this trip.

I have kayaked before, but never over 10 miles in a day, and never through rapids. Those nerves disappeared almost instantly upon arrival.

From registration and morning announcements to being on the river and setting up camp, someone was there providing directions and sharing their expertise. That someone might have been a volunteer helping run a show, a veteran of the trip who has been coming for five, 10, or 15 years, or another newbie to find solace with.

No matter what part of the trip I was on, I felt like I was taken care of. And the same sentiment could be felt throughout the entire trip. People shared words of encouragement ahead of a rapid, cheers when we all got through successfully and helping hands when someone fell into the river.

At the helm of the trip was Jacqui Wagner. She kayaked all of the sections two weeks before the sojourn for a practice run. She’s been on the safety team since 2015.

“It’s like being a mother duck, watching out for all of your little ducklings,” Wagner said. “I took over my mentor’s spot four years ago who had done it for 25 years. I have a great team behind me so that makes it a lot less stressful.”

After day one was done, I felt even more comfortable to tackle day two, which was a 13-mile trek from Pond Eddy to Port Jervis, which included the Stairway Rapids, Butlers Rift and Mongaup Rapids.

Off the river

In many ways, it was like summer camp.

“We run the sojourn on what we call ‘sojourn time,’” Branch said. “You see people you haven’t seen in a year, you want to catch up, but you also just want to go out and enjoy nature and the beauty of the Delaware.”

We ate every meal together, spent all day under the hot sun (75 degrees and sunny for days one and two, but the group went on to bear the first heat wave of the season the rest of the week), learned about the river, and enjoyed music with one another.

The Upper and Middle Delaware sections of the trip are catered by Yulan Country Store, which closes the doors of its brick-and-mortar store to ensure the success of catering the sojourn. We ate like kings and queens and needed it after burning hundreds of calories kayaking all day.

“Even if you’re paddling all day, this is the one trip where you are still gaining weight,” said Troy Bystron, co-director of the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition.

We had coffee, eggs, bacon and sausage to power us in the morning. Lunches consisted of pulled pork sandwiches, beef and chicken tacos, and salads like macaroni, potato and garden. By the end of the day, we were scarfing down chicken parm, cod, stuffed shells and vegetable lasagna. Every meal had dessert, from pastries and homemade cookies, to strawberry and lemon cake.

How it’s all made possible

The Delaware River Sojourn takes months of planning and organizing, including securing grants and fundraising, promoting it, doing a run-through of the river ahead of time and so much more.

“This week, we hopefully don’t have to do too much,” said Kerry Engelhardt of the Upper Delaware Council and a day coordinator for the sojourn. “Throughout the year, we do the day planning, which includes logistics of where we are going to paddle, have lunch and programming.”

It’s all to ensure a smooth, successful eight-day sojourn that attracts people from around the region and beyond.

I spoke with sojourners who traveled as far away as Michigan and Illinois, and others who traveled from Washington, D.C. Branch told me that in years past, they had international travelers.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” said Tracy Barrientos of Chicago. “I did dump into the river. I was nervous, but everyone here is so helpful.”

Barrientos traveled with Michelle Mormul, who lives in Detroit and has been attending the sojourn since 2014 when she lived in Delaware. “The river calls me back,” Mormul said.

Those who have paddled over 1,000 miles with the sojourn were recognized. Additionally, at the start of each day, someone was honored with a high admiral award, selected to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to protect the health of the Delaware River.

“I’ve enjoyed more than half of my 80 years on the river,” said Andy Boyer, president of the Upper Delaware chapter of Trout Unlimited, an avid kayak racer and instrumental riverkeeper, as he accepted the award. “This river is a national treasure. That’s the only way to say it. It’s an amazing and remarkable river. Savor the vistas, enjoy the sounds of the river, and let the river speak to you.”