World Record Kayak Parade Attempt Aims To Boost Barnegat Bay Awareness

ON THE TOMS RIVER, NJ ? On many mornings you can find Sandy Rinderer out paddling along the Toms River and the edges of Barnegat Bay, enjoying the serenity and beauty of the natural surroundings.

But the Bayville resident who grew up in Toms River doesn't just idly paddle to pass the time. Rinderer, 70, also competes in triathlons that involve kayaking instead of biking; it was a triathlon that sparked her current adventure.

Rinderer is organizing Paddle on the Bay, what she hopes will be a Guinness World Record-breaking canoe and kayak parade on the Toms River in August.

"At one point there was a triathlon around Treasure Island," Rinderer said, referring to one of the islands in the Manasquan River. "There was a photo of my daughter with a bunch of kayakers behind her, and it was very colorful. That's what gave me the idea."

Since Rinderer began her quest in June to arrange the record-breaking parade, more than 400 people have signed up to participate in the event, which is set for Aug. 20 in Pine Beach. The world record of 329 boats in a canoe and kayak parade was set in Poland in 2018.

But it's not just about breaking a record. Rinderer is using the event to help raise funds for Save Barnegat Bay, a local nonprofit that has been advocating for the bay and the surrounding waters for more than 50 years.

The Toms River and Barnegat Bay have been part of her life since Rinderer was little. Her family lived in Money Island when she was growing up, and as an adult she's stayed nearby.

"My back yard is right on the beach," she said. "All summer long we?re out on the river."

Sometimes it's her and her husband, other days they have their kids and grandchildren with them.

"It just opens up a whole other world being out there," Rinderer said.

Protecting that world is the passion of Save Barnegat Bay, and because Rinderer needed a way to keep an accurate tally of how many boats participate in the parade, she reached out to them about partnering on the world record attempt.

Registration for the event is $10, with the proceeds going to Save Barnegat Bay.

"It?s a great idea to raise awareness about the river and our communities and how linked we are to the river," said Britta Forsberg, executive director of Save Barnegat Bay. She said the group was thrilled when Rinderer contacted them with the desire to donate the money raised from the event. Save Barnegat Bay was able to help with the insurance coverage needed.

Forsberg said Paddle for the Bay will not only help to showcase the beauty of the Toms River and Barnegat Bay, it also will be an opportunity for Save Barnegat Bay to highlight a project it is working on called "Rally for Barnegat Bay."

The three-year project is being funded through the state Department of Environmental Protection and is focusing on pathogen pollution in the river and the bay, she said. Pathogen pollution is what leads to the shutdown of swimming beaches due to fecal coliform counts, and comes from fecal material from dogs, birds, wildlife and humans, Forsberg said.

Six towns along the river are participating in the study: South Toms River, Toms River, Island Heights, Pine Beach, Beachwood and Ocean Gate. The project includes a roundtable of town officials, professionals, and representatives of the various public works departments.

One part of the project has involved using pollution-sniffing dogs that are trained to know the difference between animal feces and human feces, Forsberg said, which helps to identify issues with leaking sewerage systems, for example. None of the results are being released at this time, she said, because the goal is to fix it.

"The effort is to open up communications and have honest conversations and investigations," she said. Through honest conversations they can find solutions, and Forsberg said there is grant money available to do whatever repairs need to be made.

"The whole goal is to fix it and engage authentically" without the finger-pointing and politics that can bog down the process of addressing issues, she said.

Rally for the Bay is about 18 months into its work, Forsberg said. Among the other parts of Save Barnegat Bay's efforts is engaging the public in the process, including training volunteers to help with the water sampling.

Water samples are taken at 27 sites around the river, and sent to different labs to test for pollutants. Forsberg said people who are interested in learning how to sample the water for testing can take part in the group's Community Science training. The next training session is July 27 at 3 p.m. You can sign up here.

Forsberg said Save Barnegat Bay will be handing out materials about Rally for the Bay during the kayak and canoe parade, which is set for 8 a.m. on Aug. 20.

Rinderer said everyone who wants to participate must sign up online, including the day of the event, so they can get an accurate count. The check-ins will be held in the parking lot at Avon Beach in Pine Beach, and every boat will be issued a boat number.

Kayaks and canoes ? the event is not open to paddleboarders ? can launch along the beach in Beachwood, Ocean Gate and nearby spots and paddle over to the Avon Beach starting point, because parking will be challenging for the event.

Rinderer said it's a staggered start, not a race, so participants do not all need to arrive by 8 a.m. Check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m. and remain open until 11 a.m.

To qualify as a world record, Rinderer said, she has to take video of the entire parade, start to finish, to show all the canoes and kayaks.

Participants are still being welcomed and people can sign up for the Paddle for the Bay online. The cost is $10 per boat. If you decide the day of the event that you want to participate, you will still need to sign up online, so be sure to bring a smart phone and a credit card.

Be sure to list your group or organization name when registering, as the largest group to complete the 1-mile paddle will be able to print a "Bragging Rights" certificate. All participants must be physically able to paddle the distance unassisted and must wear an approved life jacket.

Here are places where you can park and then launch your boat, in addition to Avon Beach:

• At the Pine Beach boat ramp, at the end of Monument Road. Park at Pine Beach Elementary School on Pennsylvania Avenue and the boat ramp is a two-block walk.
• Park at Beachwood Beach and launch from there. Check in at Avon Beach and complete the paddle event.
• Park at Vista Park on Midland Avenue, and walk to the start at Avon Beach, about 2 blocks.
• Park in Toms River in the lot at Huddy Park or the parking garage across the street. There is a kayak and canoe launch at Huddy Park.
• Launch your boat from anywhere on the river that you are familiar with and paddle to start.