PIJINUISKAQ PADDLE FESTIVAL 2025
Following the phenomenal success of the Bridgewater 125 Parade of Paddlers on the LaHave River/Pijinuiskaq, CKNS, Cape LaHave Adventures & the Town of Bridgewater are pleased to launch the 2025 Pijinuiskaq Paddle Festival.
The Pijinuiskaq Paddle Festival will run Saturday & Sunday, September 20 – 21, 2025 coinciding with the Bridgewater Harvest Moon Festival. A full day of clinics will be offered at Cape LaHave Adventures in Dublin Shore followed on Sunday by the 2nd annual Pijinuiskaq Mass Paddle. Registration is required for all clinics and events. Clinics are $20 per session and the mass paddle is free!
Saturday clinics will include basic skills, skills development and training in facilitating adaptive paddling. The Sunday mass paddle will depart from and return to Shipyards Landing in Bridgewater. All are welcome! The paddle will follow the river into the downtown core, passing Pijinuiskaq Park, continuing under the Old Bridge and the ‘new’ Bridge, before returning to Shipyards Landing. Food trucks and concessions will be available at Shipyards Landing.
The 2 km route will offer picturesque views for paddlers and spectators expected to line the park edges and bridges.
This paddling event is the finale for Bridgewater’s Harvest Moon Festival running Sept 19-20. Each evening there will be free concerts in Pijinuiskaq Park, with Saturday night featuring a fireworks display at sunset. For more information on other Harvest Moon Events click here.
Paddle leaders are needed to support the safety of the Sunday mass paddle. Interested in becoming a leader or assistant leader? Please contact admin@ckns.ca for more information.
PIJINUISKAQ PADDLE FESTIVAL ITINERARY
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2025
Cape LaHave Adventures
Dublin Shore
Clinics require pre-registration and are $20 per session.
08:30 – 09:00 Check-in
09:00 – 16:00 Full Day Route Planning & Navigation Workshop for Sea Kayakers
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Spaces available: 12
Come learn about route planning and coastal navigation, while spending the day sea kayaking in the beautiful LaHave Islands. Together we will plan our route and practice navigation along the way. Bring a picnic and snacks!
09:00 – 10:30 Introduction to Big Canoe
Level: Beginner
Spaces available: 10
This 1.5 hr session will introduce you to the basics of paddling a Big Canoe. No experience necessary – open to all ages!
09:00 – 12:00 Introduction to Sea Kayaking
Level: Beginner
Spaces available: 6
This 3hr session will introduce you to basic sea kayak safety features, strokes & safety skills. Just beginning your adventures in sea kayaking? Begin here! This is also a great morning session if you’d like to join an afternoon rescue clinic, but are new to kayaking.
09:00 – 11:00 Introduction to Greenland Style Rolling
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Spaces available: 4
Learn about kayak heritage & traditional Greenland rolls and their applications
12:00 – 13:30 Break for Lunch
Pack a picnic to enjoy on the beach at Cape LaHave Adventures, or plan to visit one of our excellent nearby local bakeries: The LaHave Bakery or Ploughman’s Lunch
13:30 – 15:00 Introduction to Big Canoe
Level: Beginner
Spaces available: 10
This 1.5 hr session will introduce you to the basics of paddling a Big Canoe. No experience necessary – open to all ages!
13:30 – 16:30 Introduction to Sea Kayaking
Level: Beginner
Spaces available: 6
This 3hr session will introduce you to basic sea kayak safety features, strokes & safety skills. Just beginning your adventures in sea kayaking? Begin here! This is also a great morning session if you’d like to join an afternoon rescue clinic, but are new to kayaking.
13:30 – 16:30 Women’s Kayak Rescue Skills Clinic
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Spaces available: 6
Join us for a 3hr Kayak Skills Clinic taught by women for women and non-binary folks. We’ll work on some paddling techniques and re-entry & rescue tips and tricks. A great opportunity to get on the water with like minded people and improve your skills in a welcoming, safe environment.
13:30 – 16:30 Sea Kayak Rescues
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Spaces available: 6
Join us for a 3hr workshop to practice and refine our sea kayak rescues and self-rescues. This is a great opportunity to brush up on your skills and learn some new techniques!
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap up & farewells
—
Pijinuiskaq Park
Bridgewater
19:00 Joel Plaskett
20:30 Harvest Moon Festival Fireworks
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2025
2nd Annual Pijinuiskaq Mass Paddle
Shipyards Landing
Bridgewater
10:00 – 11:00 Registration/Check in
11:00 – 11:30 Welcoming remarks/Boat Launch
11:30 ~ 13:00 Paddle
The paddle begins from Shipyards and heads up river through Bridgewater, passing Pijinuiskaq Park, under the ‘Old Bridge’ and ‘New Bridge’ and returning to Shipyards Landing.
Length of Paddle: 2kms return
Expected duration: 90 minutes
Food Truck and BBQ Onsite
For your convenience we will have a Food Truck onsite for 10am – 2pm(ish) AND there will be a Hot Dog BBQ fundraiser after the paddle in support of Souls Harbour hosted by South Shore Bulletin.
Boat Wash:
Representatives from Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council will be onsite offering complimentary boat bottom washes to help prevent cross contamination from bodies of water that your boat may have been in. It’s a proactive measure! https://nsinvasives.ca/
Want to participate but need to rent a kayak/paddleboard?
Contact our event partners, Cape LaHave Adventures!
SATURDAY RENTALS
Discounted Full Day Single Kayak & SUP Rentals available through Cape LaHave Adventures. Use the following discount code at the check out: ZAXNJ698CJN4
SUNDAY RENTALS
A limited supply of single and tandem kayaks, or SUP’s, can be pre-booked, to be picked up onsite at Shipyard’s Landing on September 22. Pre-book your watercraft for 10am – 2pm with discount code PIJINUISKAQ2025 before September 19th, online through Cape LaHave Adventures.
Safety plan under development. Draft can be viewed here.
CKNS will maintain a 1:6 ratio of leaders to participants. The addition of assistant leaders may increase this ratio to 2:8 or 3:10. Join the waitlist if registration is unavailable. Spots will open up as leaders are confirmed!
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:
- All participants are required to wear a PFD at all times when on the water. Transport Canada safety equipment is required.
- Personal watercraft
- PFD or lifejacket for each participant (TO BE WORN AT ALL TIMES WHEN ON WATER)
- 1 – 15m buoyant heaving line
- 1 – sound-signalling device
- 1 – bailer or bilge pump (not required for SUP or sealed-hull sit-on kayak)
LOCATIONS:
SATURDAY:
CAPE LAHAVE ADVENTURES
SUNDAY:
SHIPYARDS LANDING
CKNS gratefully acknowledges the support of our partners!
