Canoers And Kayakers Will Race Down The Toxic Gowanus Canal This Weekend

GOWANUS, BROOKLYN — The super-toxic Gowanus Canal will be the venue for two races this weekend, one in canoes and another in kayaks.

The nonprofit Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club is hosting the races, which start at second street and run out toward the bay, around a buoy and back.

Brad Vogel, a member of the Dredgers, told Patch the race was going to be more than just fun — "It will be super fun-d."

The canal is one of the most polluted waterways in the country and one of the Environmental Protection Agency's superfund sites. And dredging of toxic sludge at the bottom of the canal is expected to begin soon.

"In a waterway that has been abandoned but for a few commercial and industrial barges or a long time, we’ve been very adamant about showing people that this is still an asset and an asset worth cleaning up," Vogel said.

"One way of doing that is to get out on the water and help people imagine how the water may be used int he future."

The Gowanus Dredgers is a nonprofit "dedicated to increasing public access to waterways," Vogel said. They have a dedicated boathouse as part of the new 365 Bond Street development, where the group provides free public programming, including trips out onto the toxic canal.

Saturday's race will pit teams of kayakers and canoers against each other on the water.

The race starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. The kayaks and canoes will race in seperate heats. Spectators can watch from the Third Street bridge as racers take off and cross the finish line.

The first place team gets a "mystery prize," while second place kayakers will receive a $150 Brooklyn Crab gift certificate and second place canoers will get a $150 Pig Beach certificate.

There will also be a live tiki band on site, beer from local breweries and a sampling of pizza from joints along the canal. Visitors can also tour the boathouse and learn more about what the Dredgers do in the community.

Teams competing have been raising money for the race, and all proceeds will help the Dredgers maintain the boathouse — and revamp their old website.

"The whole hope" of the race, Vogel says, "is for people to have fun out on the water but also draw attention to the fact that the canal does need to be cleaned up."

Lead photo by Marc Torrence, Patch Staff; Second photo courtesy Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club