New water trails cut paths to city's harbor

BALTIMORE — Kayaks and paddleboards, along with row boats and canoes.

The Baltimore Blueway will have eight water trails connecting the various forms of recreation with the varous branches of the city’s harbor.

“The city skyline viewed from the water, paddling alongside historic ships, floating wetlands, getting a selfie with Mr. Trash Wheel, and all that by paddling less than one mile from this spot,” said Adam Lindquist, vice president of the Healthy Harbor initiative of the Waterfront Partnership.

Leading a convoy of non-motorized watercraft through the Inner Harbor to unveil plans for the new Blueway, Mayor Brandon Scott, a Baltimore native, who grew up knowing better than to test waters tainted by pollution.

“I remember, and you remember, sir, what it used to be like, right?” said Scott, “We would come down here and there would be nothing, but floating trash.”

But in the last five years, the mayor says the city has reduced sewage overflows that reach the harbor by 97 percent pumping new life into recreational opportunities there.

“I saw jellies. I saw fish,” added Scott, “We saw things that we want to see continuously coming back, and one day, we’ll all be able to swim in the harbor. Not most days, but every day of the year.”

Right now, there are no launch sites within five miles of the Inner Harbor, but that will change this spring when they plan on opening one here at Rash Field Park and another in Canton.

A dozen such access points in both the Inner Harbor and Middle Branch are envisioned with the goal of adding more places to load and unload, along with creating much-needed parking.

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