There is no more dramatic way to see the Gowanus Canal than to get in a canoe and start paddling. You get to see the canal from sea level and (hopefully) emerge (unscathed) known that you have challenged all of the damage done to our favorite canal by man. If you want to get out on the Gowanus, then you definitely need to check out the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club. You can join the group–which does wonderful work to promote a cleaner canal–for as little as $25, but you don’t have to be a member to participate in their activities or to go out in a canoe. The full calendar of days you can take out a canoe (Thursday evenings sound especially nice to us) is here.

Here’s a little bit about the Dredgers in their own words:

The Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club is a volunteer organization dedicated to providing waterfront access and education related to the estuary and bordering shoreline neighborhoods. The organization was founded in 1999 and is based on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY. Activities are conducted on the canal as well as in neighboring waterfront communities of Red Hook, Sunset Park and Brooklyn Heights.

The Dredgers encourage an understanding of the NY-NJ harbor as a resource for recreation and education as well as a waterway for commuters, tourists and goods. During the 2003 season, over 1,000 individuals, including more than 200 youths, participated in our programs. We logged over 2,000 trips on the Gowanus Canal! As people experience and enjoy the waterfront they become advocates for its revitalization. These efforts are proving to be fruitful as recent legislation has provided funding primarily due to the rise in popularity of paddling on the Gowanus Canal.

All of the Gowanus Dredgers facilities, equipment and funding are used to provide safe access to the waterfront and to educate the community about the estuary. The organization runs an array of events throughout the year including paddling on the waterway, leading tours, conducting lectures at schools and public forums and participating in waterfront festivals. Volunteers in our programs monitor the health of oysters and sea grass that naturally clean the water. the Dredgers have adopted an apple tree that is growing on the shoreline. All Dredgers’ activities and workshops are free and membership in the organization is not required to participate in any activity. In addition, our facilities and services are available to the public to launch canoes, rowboats and kayaks.

Check them out.