Are You Getting The Most Out of Your ACA Membership?

When you join the nation's oldest paddlesports organization, you're joining a community of people who love what you love! You're also directly supporting safe paddling programs, stewardship initiatives to clean up our nation's waterways, top notch paddlesports education, and so much more. 

As a nonprofit, member-based organization, the ACA relies on support from members like you to fulfill our mission. 

Here are some other great benefits to ACA membership:

Subaru VIP Program

Public Policy Representation

Gold Standard in Educational Resources

Choice of one of 4 magazine titles from Rapid Media:
-Canoeroots, Adventure Kayak,
Rapid, Kayak Angler

Additional Rapid Media Subscriptions at a Discount

Exclusive Access to:
-Sugar Island on the St. Lawrence River
-Camp Sebago in New York

Support of Amateur Paddlesports Competition

Member Rewards Program
-Discounts on car rentals, hotels, restaurants, phone plans, even Disney World

Reduced admission to thousands of ACA sanctioned events and races each year

Discount on ACA merchandise

ACA Paddle eMagazine delivered to your inbox every other month, covering local, regional and national paddlesport issues

Pro Deals for certified Instructors

Members Only Discounts

Thanks for your support! If you have any questions about any of the membership benefits above, please contact the ACA Membership Department at 540-907-4460 ext 109 and we will be glad to help you. 

Not a member yet? Join today!

Paddle safe, paddle often. 

ACA Instructor Trainer Conference - Registration Opens Soon

As part of our leadership role in the paddlesports community, the ACA has initiated this Instructor Trainer Conference to provide a resource for currently certified Instructor Trainers, and those aspiring to become ACA Instructor Trainers and Instructor Trainer Educators. 

Online registration will open on August 11, 2015. 

Visit www.americancanoe.org/ITConference for more information. 

Swiftwater Rescue Lesson: Unpinning a Canoe or Kayak

Take a look at this video featuring ACA Instructor Trainer Educator, Walter Felton, as he explains proper techniques for unpinning a canoe or kayak. 


Want to learn more? Don't miss the 2nd ACA Swiftwater Rescue Conference happening in North Carolina this October.

Online registration will be available in August. Find more information here: www.americancanoe.org/SWR_Conference

Nominate Your Favorite ACA Instructor

The ACA is proud to partner with Kokatat for the ACA Instructor of the Month recognition program. 

Do you know someone who deserves props? Nominate them today!

Check out the Instructor of the Month winners for June and July in the latest issue of Paddle. 

Virginia Makes Moves to Increase Water Access

State officials hope to establish 300 new locations for public access to Virginia's waterways over the next decade, according to Governor Terry McAuliffe.

McAuliffe joined three other state agencies, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and the Virginia Department of Transportation, on Thursday at Gloucester Point Beach Park to sign a memorandum of understanding.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe greets ACA Stewardship Coordinator Zane Havens after he arrived at Gloucester Point Beach park on Thursday to sign a memorandum of understanding in support of recreational water access. (Frances Hubbard/Daily Press)

The document asks the three agencies to work together to identify new potential public access projects, particularly at bridge crossings and roads across the state.

"Where ever we have VDOT next to one of our state parks and [there is] a bridge or an opportunity for us to build at that waterway and allow people to access the water I want that done," McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe said he hopes to see many of the new locations identified before his term as governor is up in two years. He said the concept should increase money spent in the state through tourism and create jobs.

"We want to give our Virginia residents the ability to get on the water and enjoy the water and encourage them to take advantage of our state park system," McAuliffe said.

Carol Steele, Gloucester's director of parks and recreation, said Thursday that Gloucester Point Beach Park was a good example of how the agencies had worked together in the past to increase water access by building the boat landing there on the York River. That's why the location was chosen to sign the memorandum.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe signs the memorandum of understanding in support of recreational water access. Next to him is DCR Director Clyde Cristman and VDOT Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick, who also signed the memorandum along with Gaming Commissioner Larry Hart (not pictured). (Frances Hubbard/Daily Press)

"We need more access for recreational boating," Steele said. "It is tremendous that everyone is trying to work together to utilize existing resources and look at additional resources to meet that need. We our proud of our facility. It is extremely popular."

The agreement between the agencies could also bode well for state parks. McAuliffe has set a goal of visiting all 36 of Virginia's state parks during his tenure.

He said in addition to hiking and camping, park visitors want to get on the water.

After the signing Thursday he said he planned to stop by the site of a potential state park that has been in development in Gloucester County for several years.

"The Middle Peninsula does not have a state park and I don't think that is right," he said.

Funding for a state park on the York River and Aberdeen Creek that's been nearly nine years in the making has been a hurdle. The park is expected to include trails, campsites and cabins, and water access.

A 2010 park master plan, renewed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, estimated the total cost of the park to be around $28.2 million.

McAuliffe said Thursday he is hopeful they can get the park moving forward.

This story was written by Frances Hubbard and originally published on Daily Press.

It's Stewardship Saturday!

For this week’s Stewardship Saturday, we will take a look at Paddle Without Pollution (PWP), a group that uses volunteers in kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards to restore and protect the waterways of Western Pennsylvania.

PWP’s mission is to restore and protect the health of the rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands of Pennsylvania through hands-on stewardship and education, thereby benefiting the region's communities, economy, and quality of life. Over the past three years, the PWP Water Warriors have removed more than 42 tons of illegally dumped debris and litter from waterways in Western Pennsylvania. Approximately 300 volunteers participate in their organized watershed stewardship events annually.

This year, PWP will be using their Club Fostered Stewardship grant funds to support their 2015 Watershed Stewardship Campaign, which will include at least 12 cleanups of local creeks, rivers, and lakes through October 2015. If you're in the area and you would like to help out, please fill out their Water Warrior volunteer form. 

Through funds provided by L.L. Bean, the ACA's Club Fostered Stewardship program has provided nearly $130,000 to over 135 different stewardship initiatives since its inception thirteen years ago. 

To learn more about the great work Paddle Without Pollution is doing, visit their website:
www.paddlewithoutpollution.com

Are you inspired to start your own local stewardship project? Apply for some CFS grant funds of your own--you can get more information on that here. 
In the meantine, order yourself a Paddle Green Bag and join the ACA's Stream to Sea Initiative today. 

Stewardship Saturday is an ongoing theme of the ACA Water Blog where we we shine a spotlight on organizations and individuals who are working hard to make the world a better place to paddle. Want to be featured? Email ACA Communications Coordinator Catharine Lloyd at clloyd@americancanoe.org to tell her about the stewardship work you are doing in your local community.

Paddle often, #PaddleGreen!

Paddle Ready Updates!

We are thrilled to announce two new updates to the ACA's Paddle Ready app. Introducing Tide Forecasting and a revamped Float Plan feature!

If you haven't downloaded the Paddle Ready app yet, what are you waiting for? You can get it for free on the App Store and on Google Play.

Please let us know what you think of the recent updates (we love hearing your feedback), and stay tuned for more updates coming in the next few weeks! 

Paddle safe out there.