Inaugural Manson Paddle event set to make waves on Lake Chelan

MANSON – Grab your paddles for the first-ever Manson Paddle on Saturday, September 14. 

"It's open to anybody with a paddle," event organizer Richard Springer said. "It could be a canoe, a rowboat, a kayak, a paddle board, if somebody wants to paddle an air mattress or a floaty, we don't care, just go out and have a good time."

Springer, of Manson, was inspired to start the community paddle by the Lake Chelan Swim event. The event is a fundraiser to pay for free swim lessons in the valley. The swim goes from Willow Point Park down to Manson. 

Springer is the director of the Lake Chelan Food Bank and has been a safety support person at the swim event for many years in his kayak or his boat. 

After years of kayaking on Lake Chelan, the idea of organizing a communal paddle came to life. Springer coordinated a kayaking day with fellow kayakers from his church. And then the group decided to open it up to the public. 

They chose a date after Labor Day to avoid the heavy tourist traffic on the lake.

The paddle will start at 8 a.m. at the Manson Bay Park boat launch. Participants will paddle to Willow Point Park and back for a total of three miles. More adventurous kayakers may continue on to the state park if they wish, Springer said.

"So we're just going to have a fun time on the water," he said. "And we decided to call it the Manson Paddle."

If the event is successful, Springer would like to turn it into a fundraiser for the Lake Chelan Food Bank next year.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media