Coastal pursuits, sans Atlantic
Who needs the Atlantic for boating when the inland water’s so fine?
Summer is here, and even in the landlocked suburbs, you can dip an oar or catch the wind.
While the region tends to be overlooked in favor of the coast when it comes to water sports, communities west of Boston offer plenty of freshwater alternatives for would-be seafarers.
“You spend more time paddling and less time driving’’ when you boat locally, advertises Mark Jacobson, manager at Charles River Canoe & Kayak in Newton.
The shop, like several others in the area, rents out a range of vessels, including canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and pedal boats.
Jacobson said people don’t expect to find outdoor recreation on the water with beautiful views at the intersection of Interstates 90 and 95.
Jen Armstrong, who lives in Cambridge and works in Waltham, came out on a recent sunny Monday afternoon to rent a kayak for the first time this summer. “All day I’ve been like, ‘Woo hoo!’ ’’ she said. “It’s just so exhilarating.’’
Armstrong took kayaking lessons last year and got hooked.
“I wanted to quit being the lazy city bum who sits by the river and looks at it but never gets out on it,’’ she said.
Jacobson said kayaking and canoeing are the most popular options in Newton.
Still, some prefer the relative stability of a pedal boat, which allows riders to step on directly from the dock but lacks the speed of a kayak, Jacobson said.
“They don’t get very far, but people always come back happy,’’ he said. “It’s just what they’re looking for.’’
At Hopkinton State Park, Blackstone resident John Januszewski brought his son Ethan, 11, kayaking for the first time last week. Januszewski owns his own kayak but rented one for Ethan to see if he would like it.
The verdict? “It was really fun,’’ Ethan said.
Januszewski said the lake’s placid waters are better for learning than ocean swells.
Milford residents Jim and Diane Shockley used to bring their own canoe to the reservoir, but this year they opted to buy a season pass that allows them unlimited rentals of canoes, kayaks, and sailboats.
“We didn’t go to Orlando this year,’’ Diane Shockley said, “so we spent our money here. It’s close to home, and we love the water.’’
“It’s hassle-free,’’ said Jim Shockley. “There’s nothing like saying, ‘I want that boat,’ and they put it in the water for you.’’
Jim Schockley prefers sailing, while his wife’s favorite is kayaking. Diane usually gets her way, Jim Shockley said.
“I took her sailing on a stormy day,’’ he explained. “She won’t go with me anymore.’’
Michael Aghajanian, who owns the boat rental business in Hopkinton, said people are sometimes surprised that they can learn to sail in the western suburbs.
“Most people don’t think they can just go and learn to sail somewhere,’’ Aghajanian said. “They think they have to be by the ocean. It doesn’t dawn on them, ‘I can go sailing in Hopkinton;it’s only 5 miles away.’ ’’
Aghajanian only rents out the sailboats as part of season passes or lessons. The most popular rental choice by far, he says, are kayaks. Rowboats don’t find many takers, he said.
“They’re harder than people think,’’ Aghajanian said. “It’s easier to take out a canoe and kayak.’’
It seems to be that combination of ease - the area’s calm waters and vessels with a not-so-steep learning curve - that draw people out.
“They come here because it’s a nice little weekend thing, not too rough,’’ said Alex Terajewicz, a worker at Concord Canoe Rentals. “You go out to the ocean, it takes a lot of energy.’’
“It’s fun to learn how to do it,’’ said Shai Shimko, 10, who often kayaks on the Charles with her father. “Then when you learn how to do it, it’s fun to do it alone, without your parents.’’
Armstrong, the former “city bum,’’ said she’s not ready to test the waters of the Atlantic just yet.
“I would, when I’m more comfortable,’’ she said, strapped into a life vest and about to slip into a kayak waiting for her on the tranquil Charles River. “For now, this is more my speed.’’ 