city to establish canoe and kayak trail

The Peirce Island boat launch is only a short walk from downtown Portsmouth, and as you make your way there, the buzz of Market Square and surrounding streets seems to dissipate. Shoving off from the boat launch, the noise of commerce and culture gives way to the sound of paddles slicing the water and the occasional shriek of a seagull. 

In March 2005, the city adopted a master plan to guide the functions and development of Portsmouth in coming years. Much of its content was based on suggestions gathered during several public forums. Requests for increased public access to the city’s waterways resonated with many residents. A new canoe and kayak trail starting at Peirce Island and ending at the Sagamore headlands will bring the city one step closer to realizing that goal.

According to David Burdick, associate research professor for the Department of Natural Resources at the University of New Hampshire, the one-mile trail carves its way through rocky shores, small pockets of sandy beach, extensive mud flats, salt marshes and small islands. Underneath the water are vast meadows of eelgrass, which offers an inviting respite for several species of fish during high tide. Low tide attracts species of wading birds, such as snowy egrets, great blue herons and white herons. Observant visitors might also glimpse ospreys flying overheard or seals and harbor porpoises gliding below. “It’s quiet and pretty and out of the way of the wind,” Burdick said.    

City officials hope to complete construction of a docking structure on Sagamore Creek by the end of August, marking the terminus of the trail. They also plan to install several interpretive signs explaining the historical and cultural resources and natural highlights of the one-mile trail. The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, Creek Farm and several acres of city owned property along Little Harbor Road and the Sagamore Headlands will offer places for paddlers to take a break, get out of their boats and learn about the area, said David Moore, program manager for the Portsmouth Community Development Department.

Moore, who has already paddled the route, said his favorite part is the section of water west of New Castle and north of Little Harbor, which is known as the back channel. “From the back channel into the creek is really serene,” he said.
Bob Downey, owner of Portsmouth Kayak Adventures on Wentworth Road, is very familiar with this section of water. “I like coming down Sagamore Creek on a sunny afternoon, when the sun penetrates the water and you can see down below the surface. It’s really peaceful,” Downey said.

Downey is pleased with city’s response to the public requests. “It’s admirable for the city to respond in the fashion they have. That’s what you want with local government—responding to the people,” he said. He believes kayaking has become popular in recent decades because of its simplicity and the way that it brings people back to nature. Also, kayaks have become less expensive, more widely available and less complicated to operate. “It’s great exercise for the mind and body,” Downey said.  

The dock on Sagamore Creek will be designed so that people can float up and disembark their vessels without stepping in the water. The landing will also provide water-based access to a parcel of conservation land located off Sagamore Avenue, just beyond the Sagamore Road bridge. “We’re hoping everyone will take the opportunity to access the conservation parcel and use the canoe/kayak dock in particular,” Moore said. This 10-acre parcel of land, which juts into Sagamore Creek Estuary at Tucker’s Cove, was purchased by the city of Portsmouth and the Trust for Public Land in 2003. Its natural setting and proximity to Portsmouth make it a convenient sanctuary for hikers, kayakers and birdwatchers.     

The trail and docking structure are funded jointly by the city and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is a National Park Service program. The N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation applied for the federal grant money on behalf of the Canoe-Kayak Trail project. Work on the trail began with the Peirce Island boat launch improvements in May 2006.
After assessing potential impacts the structure might have on the surrounding environment, the state permitted the city to install a dock at the Sagamore headlands. “The state permitting process is very robust, but they have given us, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, permission to do the project,” Moore said.

According to Moore, the safety of individual boaters is in their own hands. “As with any water activity, the trail will be for users who know their limits. People should participate at their own risk,” he said. But Downey said the trail is located along a safe and gentle section of water. “It’s a pretty calm, controlled place. The only concern is that there is a lot of traffic during peak boating season,” he said. “Kayakers should stay to the edge, especially during low tide. They should also take time to learn the rules of the road, but for the most part it’s really safe and quiet.”

Once completed, the city will hold an opening ceremony with city officials and representatives from the parks service. Signs with information about the trail, a map and recognition of project funders will be situated at the trailhead on Peirce Island.

According to Downey, some other beautiful and accessible places to kayak or canoe include Little Harbor, Witch Creek, Great Bay and Chauncey Creek.