A Big River Moonlight Paddle Into the Night
A Grand River moonlight paddle offers the chance to experience a river at night. There is something mystical about drifting through the mist of silence on a moonlit water road. People are surprised at how well they can see. And your sense of sound increases sharply. There is something different about looking at and experiencing the dark.
With night on a river comes an amazing world of activity. There are fish splashing around as they feed in the dark. There are the wavy lines of swimming beavers and the banging of their tails… the snorting of alarmed deer… the gaping dinosaur of great blue herons hunting on the shorelines. Then there is the endless chorus of crickets, frogs and toads creating a symphony in the night. But the highlight is the howling of the coyotes or the hooting of the owls resounding through the corridors of the valley.
This is a world of silhouettes where a lapping river during the day becomes a totally different place at night… where the daytime silence is replaced by sound. The paddling experience is relaxing yet eerie…and does something to the soul.
The best way for the novice paddler to experience a moonlight paddle is in the safety of a raft. These guided rafts are stable and dry…allowing anyone of any size, age, or agility to participate safely. For those experienced in canoeing or kayaking…a guided moonlight paddle with local guides is an exhilarating experience in a wilderness of beauty.
These trips are offered in Paris, Ontario, about an hour west of Toronto, just off Highway 403. Moonlight paddles often start around 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and go on into the night. The trips last 2-3 hours and cover a distance of about 10 kilometers. The cost of the rafting is $40 per person and includes a guide, all the rafting equipment and transportation. For those wishing to do a guided moonlight kayak or canoe paddle…prices range from $30 per person with their own equipment to $70 per person for those who require equipment.
For those wishing to spend the night on the Grand River, there is the beautifully restored Arlington Hotel in Paris. For those wanting a backcountry experience, there is the River Ridge Bed & Breakfast with an excellent gourmet breakfast and an outdoor Jacuzzi overlooking the valley. For camping nearby, there are secluded private campgrounds available right on the river or there are the Pinehurst Grand River Conservation Campgrounds as well as the Brant Park campgrounds. For more information or to make moonlight paddle boarding, lodging or dining reservations, contact the Grand River Rafting Company near Paris, Ontario.
If you are looking for a unique paddling experience…one to be remembered…a moonlight paddle on the Grand River will definitely fit your needs.