My personal paddling story is twofold and takes place at separate times in my life. I first discovered paddling as a teenager off the shores of Long Beach Island in New Jersey, while working a summer job in a beachfront town. A random one-off kayaking experience with an uncle of mine quickly turned into a daily pre-workday ritual.
Paddling along the coastlines and riding waves became my go-to summer activity, and something I tried to introduce to friends, family, and co-workers alike. Having primarily only paddled at the beaches of New Jersey at that point in my life, at the end of every summer season my boat would get stored away and an annual warm-weather countdown would begin.
I rediscovered kayaking in a whole new way in my thirties, upon joining a local paddling club near my home in the Bronx, not too far from the Hudson River. Having had to leave the summertime kayaking life behind me, I was looking for a new place to paddle and figured there must be people who kayak in the Hudson on a regular basis. I came to discover that the members of the Yonkers Paddling & Rowing Club are those people.
Upon joining the club, I entered a community of like-minded people with years of experience and wisdom under their belts, and passions that matched and superseded my own. Being a member of the club has allowed me to take my own paddling interests to new heights, allowing me to gain new skills and new information about kayaking and the greater paddling world. It has also helped me foster invaluable relationships with people from different backgrounds who not only share similar interests, but who are willing to share of themselves, their experiences, and their time. Paddling is no longer just a seasonal activity for me, but something that I can be immersed on a regular basis, by way of membership in an active and engaged community club.
These days my boats do get stored away from time to time, but only because they can use the rest.
Thank you to Michael McHugh for contributing his story “Keep Your Boat Out of Storage” to the ACA Story Project! Michael’s reflection captures the joy of discovering paddling—and rediscovering it through community. His journey is a reminder that the water is always there waiting for us, and that paddling is even more meaningful when shared with others.
About the Author
Michael McHugh is a dedicated paddler based in Yonkers, NY. He has been a member of the American Canoe Association since 2021 and is an active member of ACA Paddle America Club (PAC) Yonkers Paddling & Rowing Club.
