BOAT BUDDIES. The Pure Water Paddlers have a boatload of fun events slated for this summer. (Submitted photos)

The Pure Water Paddlers group started in 2004 as a place for kayaking and canoeing enthusiasts to get together and paddle around beautiful rivers and lakes in the Chippewa Valley and beyond. 

The group is not only a fun place to paddle but also a very informational and safety focused way to get started if you’re new to the canoe (or kayak). On May 15, they will be hosting a Basics Session for anyone just starting out. There will be a discussion of what to wear and what kayaks and canoes to get as well as safety demonstrations. For example, there will be in-water demonstrations of rescues in Lake Superior at the end of July as part of the Rookie Rendezvous. Locally, they will offering instruction on how to navigate the Eau Claire River on May 21. 

On April 23, the Pure Water Paddlers will be hopping into their boats with grabbers to clean up the Eau Claire River as a part of the Amazing EC Cleanup. 

Starting May 4, the club will host 25 social paddles every Wednesday evening for those who want to get together and socialize while exploring different local bodies of water. The first will take place on Little Elk Creek Lake. 

The Pure Water Paddlers also have events in the winter such as snowshoeing because, as Club President Mary Lynn Skutley says, it is a social club before anything else. Any person of any age and any experience level is welcome to join.

To see the full summer schedule and to become a member, you can go to pwp.clubexpress.com.