It takes about two hours to drive from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia, and give-or-take eight hours to bike there, according to Google Maps.
But to travel there by boat is another story.
On Saturday morning, 118 kayakers and canoers commenced a seven-day journey traversing the Schuylkill River. This year’s 28th annual Schuylkill River Sojourn departed from Schuylkill Haven Island and will arrive 112 miles later in Philadelphia’s picturesque Boathouse Row on June 19.
Of those sojourners, 58 will remain on the water for the entire journey, while some will participate for just a few days. Others will join in at stops along the way, bringing the sojourn’s participation to 275 total paddlers.
Energies were high around 8 a.m., as the 118 sojourners filled water bottles, velcroed their Chacos and donned wide-brimmed hats as the scent of sunscreen and river water wafted through the air. While many were returning participants, for 33 people it was their first time joining the expedition.
Paddlers carry their kayaks toward the Schuylkill River as the Sojourn prepares to launch. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
County Commissioner Gary Hess delivers opening remarks Saturday morning at the Schuylkill River Sojourn. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Kayakers step into the shallows and launch their boats during the opening of the Schuylkill River Sojourn. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
A safety presentation demonstrates how to navigate river hazards such as strainers and sweepers. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Canoes and kayaks gather at the starting area as paddlers prepare for the Schuylkill River Sojourn. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Schuylkill Haven Mayor John Williams welcomes paddlers during the Schuylkill River Sojourn. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Paddlers set off along the Schuylkill River as the Sojourn begins its opening stretch.(AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
A paddler moves steadily down the Schuylkill River as the Sojourn begins.(AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
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Paddlers carry their kayaks toward the Schuylkill River as the Sojourn prepares to launch. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
That includes Michelle Podolak, a Spanish teacher at Downingtown East High School in Chester County.
Each year, Schuylkill River Greenways, the sojourn’s organizer, awards a scholarship to an educator to join in on the adventure and work on an educational project along the way. Podolak was this year’s awardee.
An outdoorsy type, Podolak enjoys biking and camping, but has never done a seven-day sojourn like the one she embarked upon on Saturday.
As a language teacher, Podolak has the flexibility to educate about a wide range of subject matter, from family to geography to nature, in the Spanish language. So, she is most eager to meet the dozens of fellow adventurers who she otherwise would have never met and bring their perspectives and experiences back to her classroom. Podolak envisions incorporating the concept of making stops along a river journey into her curriculum this coming year.
“I’m really excited to bring all of your knowledge that you’re going to give me and all of your passion to my students for the years to come,” Podolak told her fellow sojourners.
On the flipside, this will be Brian Swisher’s 21st sojourn on the Schuylkill River. For the past few years, he has served as the lead boat, the one who sets the pace for the group, tracks their progress and evaluates the terrain ahead.
“I like the idea of doing an entire river, because every day is very different,” Swisher said. “I’ve done a lot of sojourns in Susquehanna and all over the place, and this one is so neat because every day it’s a whole different personality.”
Swisher’s favorite leg of the trip is the passage through Reading, which offers exciting rapids and compelling views.
The kayakers and canoers paddled 17.5 total miles on Saturday, stopping for lunch at Auburn Dam and setting up camp for the night in Port Clinton, where a year-after-year tradition of dining on spaghetti awaited them.
In the coming days, the group will stop and camp in Reading, Birdsboro, Pottstown, Mont Clare and West Conshohocken before reaching Philadelphia. At each destination, they’ll take part in community dinners, activities and programming centered around this year’s sojourn theme: the nation’s 250th birthday.
The Schuylkill River, or “River of Revolutions,” as it is nicknamed, has been a massive contributor to development, growth and industry over the past 250 years. From the Industrial Revolution to the environmental revolution, and now, as sojourners say, to “the recreational revolution,” paddlers will learn about the river’s impact each day of their travels.
Schuylkill Haven Mayor John Williams shared that just earlier this month, the Schuylkill River added a new designation to its roster. In addition to being a state and national heritage area, the river is now recognized as a national water trail, making it the only one in Pennsylvania and one of 41 across the nation.
Mykal McCulloch, with the Schuylkill Haven Parks Department, was eager to join the sojourn again this year, as well as to see Island Park serving as the homebase for fantastic outdoors programs.
“Last night I was like a kid before Christmas,” McCulloch said. “I couldn’t wait, and all week for the last 10 days I’ve been watching the weather, counting down every day. And we got a fantastic day.”