Considering that the name Connecticut comes from the Algonquin/Mohican Indian word quonehtacut, meaning long tidal river, it's no wonder the state is a great place to kayak. River enthusiasts who want to kayak its rivers may wish to join the CWTA--the Connecticut Water Trails Association. It has no dues or fees, but only requires your willingness to volunteer at one event each year to help preserve and protect Connecticut's water trails.
Finding where to kayak in Connecticut is as simple as joining one or more of its meetup groups.
Connecticut's Kayak Meetup Programs
Connecticut's kayak meetup programs have regular gatherings, based either on where you live or the river you would most like to kayak. With the ease afforded by the Internet, you can sign up for one or two or all three, depending on how widely you want to go kayaking on the rivers of Connecticut. They post events on each other's websites, too, so joining one is almost like joining them all, but you'll probably want to find the one closest to where you live. They welcome transient kayakers, too, so don't be shy about attending their meetings, even if you don't live in Connecticut.
Branford Sea Kayaking Meetup Group
Founded in 2008, this group's members keeps in frequent contact with each other through Facebook and the group's own blog about the best kayaking in the Branford-Guilford area but also ventures to inland rivers and the sound. Other meetup groups such as the one in Stamford also posts announcements and invitations to its weekend events on the Branford group's website.
The Branford group has a reputation for being especially friendly to beginning kayakers, so it would be a great environment in which to learn about kayaking safety and techniques.
Hartford County Rivers & CT Shore Area Kayakers
This group has been going since 2006 and takes fitness and safety seriously, stressing the necessity for top-notch quality in kayaking equipment, the need to kick the Kentucky Fried Chicken habit and the importance of learning self-rescue in order to avoid drowning while solo-kayaking.
They kayak mostly the Flat Rivers area of Hartford County and also explore some of the coves and estuaries of the Connecticut shore. Their website has extensive links to sites giving weather conditions, kayaking instructions and safety measures, tips on how to outfit for an excursion so as not to put yourself or others in danger and updates on fishing tournaments to avoid.
Stamford Kayaking Meetup Group
Founded in 2007, this group has almost 500 members and meets weekly for kayaking in the Stamford-Greenwich-Rowayton area, also doing excursions sometimes out into the sound. They extend a big welcome to beginners, encouraging those who don't even own a kayak to come and benefit from their experience and advice before purchasing any gear.
Willimantic River Alliance
This group provides information on the Willimantic, which starts in the northeastern part of the state and flows between Stafford Springs and Willimantic, both historic mill towns that would be fun to explore during a kayaking excursion. Since 2003, the Willimatic River has been a designated "Greenway," as part of a conservation and development program involving nine towns along the river. The towns are Columbia, Coventry, Ellington, Lebanon, Mansfield, Stafford, Tolland, Willington and Windham--all accessible to the river for kayakers.
The Willimantic River Alliance has plans for linking all the towns in the watershed to the Greenway.
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