A Canoe to You: Much More than Watercraft Rentals

Matawan's Dan Carroll, an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified instructor, established A Canoe to You in 2015 to "get people off their cell phones, and learn to enjoy nature."

Since then, A Canoe to You has evolved into a mobile paddle-sport rental company based out of the Matawan-Aberdeen area that offers rentals, deliveries, pickups and take-a-ways of all watercraft rentals. Past customers have referred to Carroll as "professional," and his rental equipment as "top notch."

The company also provides rental services out of the Keyport Municipal Boat Ramp located at 1 Broad St, Keyport, NJ 07735.

A Canoe to You has a number of programs aimed at promoting water safety, exploration of local waterways and environmental cleanup efforts.

The Go Green Keep Our Waters Clean Club utilizes the company's watercraft to travel local waterways in order to remove as much light debris (i.e. plastics, bottles, cans and paper products) as possible. Club members receive a 50% discount on all watercraft rentals as a "thank you" for their support in keeping the community's waterways clean and void of debris. To date, the club has removed over 50 large trash bags full of debris from our community's waterways, including around Lake Lefferts and Cliffwood Beach. The club meets weekly on Wednesdays from 10 AM to 12 PM.

Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Carroll is also in the process of starting a Summer Kids Camp for children between the ages of 11 and 17 that focuses on water safety and learning the skills necessary to operate three types of watercraft - canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards. Campers who participate in this program will be under the guidance and supervision of Carroll, a watercraft safety expert.

Carroll's focus on acts of community service and charity goes beyond environmental cleanup efforts. Every Saturday from 8 AM to 10 AM, Dan rents out canoes to disabled children and their parents free of charge. He was inspired to create this program after seeing a post on the Matawan Borough website about a Halloween party for disabled children from Parents of Special People, Inc., an organization "dedicated to ensuring each child in the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District, Township of Aberdeen & Borough of Matawan is afforded the opportunity to attain his or her potential to become a contributing citizen."

Upon seeing the happiness in the children's faces at the party, Carroll asked himself, "What can I do to help bring joy to these children and their families?"

Carroll, deeply moved by the Halloween party photos, reached out to the president of Parents of Special People, Inc., Melaina Conroy, and the partnership was born.

Conroy told Patch, "A Canoe to You has made a tremendous impact on our membership. Dan and his company have given the gift of adventure to our kids! They are able to try canoeing in a safe and calm environment with their families and friends. So many of our members love it! We can't say enough and are thankful to Dan."

If you are looking for a fun outdoor experience this summer or fall, check out A Canoe to You. For additional information on watercraft rental services and programs, please visit their website at http://acanoetoyou.com/, or call Dan Carroll at 732-765-9342.