News

The second of three kayak launches being built to increase access to the Tar-Pamlico Water Trail is now open for launching.

Located at Mason’s Landing on Tranters Creek, the launch was installed just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

In March, the first of the three launches officially opened on Runyon Creek at Havens Garden in Washington; the third will be located on the Tar River at Port Terminal in Greenville.

The two completed kayak launches are the product of a partnership with the City of Washington, and a $100,000 Recreational Trails Program grant to Sound Rivers from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, supplemented by a $20,000 grant from the Division of Water Resources for the Mason’s Landing launch.

“We thought it would be a great addition to our existing facility and thought it would be a great tie-in with what Sound Rivers was doing as part of their mission,” said Jonathan Russell, Washington’s city manager.

According to Clay Barber, Sound Rivers’ environmental projects coordinator, the new construction provides a better kayaking experience and creates a separate space for launching, away from motorists launching their powerboats at the adjacent boat ramp.

The structure features an ADA accessible kayak launch, further increasing access to local waterways.

The Port Terminal launch is expected to be completed in September, as an annual moratorium on in-water work from February to September is currently in place. The Port Terminal project is a Sound Rivers’ partnership with the City of Greenville, which will be renovating and expanding the current facility — the kayak launch will be attached to the courtesy dock of the new construction, Barber said.