D&R Greenway Land Trust invites the public to join a guided kayak trip on Saturday, July 5 at 11:00 a.m., launching from Bordentown Beach on Blacks Creek. The special guest for this event is Rick Van Noy, author of Borne by the River (2024), a reflective and adventurous account of his solo paddle down the Delaware River.
Part of D&R Greenway’s 2025 Kayak Naturalist Series, the two-hour excursion is designed for beginners and includes all necessary equipment, safety guides, and on-water commentary by the author. Following the paddle, participants will tour the nearby Discovery Center at Point Breeze, where Van Noy will be available for book signings and sales. The fee is $50 per person and supports programming at the Discovery Center. Pre-registration is required at www.drgreenway.org; for questions, call 609.578.7470.
Van Noy is a professor at Radford University and a noted author whose work explores the intersection of literature, personal narrative, and the natural world. His earlier books include A Natural Sense of Wonder and Sudden Spring, a finalist in the 2022 Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment book awards.
His newest release, Borne by the River, traces a 200-mile journey down the Delaware with his dog Sully, ending in his childhood hometown of Titusville, NJ. Along the way, Van Noy reflects on the river’s historical, cultural, and ecological significance, weaving in encounters with fellow paddlers, including members of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania.
“Borne by the River is an inspiring story of self-discovery and healing along the Delaware River, where our nation was born,” said Linda Mead, President and CEO of D&R Greenway. “This is the perfect experience for the Fourth of July weekend. Activities like this reconnect us with the world around us through shared lands and waterways.”
In the book’s opening chapter, Van Noy describes the thread connecting his writing: “All three projects relate to the sense of place—the specific conditions of topography, climate, and culture that make places unique, worthy of attention. And for the way they reach deep inside us.” He recounts a medical emergency that led him to the water, seeking healing and reconnection. “Places and rivers remain,” he writes, “and even if changed or altered, are what is immortal.”
After the kayak tour, participants are welcome to explore the Discovery Center at Point Breeze, located at 101 East Park Street, Bordentown, NJ. The center is housed in the historic home of Joseph Bonaparte’s gardener and sits at the confluence of the Delaware River and Crosswicks Creek. It features exhibitions on Bonaparte, the Lenape Nation, natural history, and archaeology—including the Crown Jewels Gallery. The air-conditioned museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m., and offers regular talks on history, culture, and ecology.
Proceeds from the kayak event benefit the Discovery Center’s programs and exhibits. For more information or to register, visit www.drgreenway.org or call 609.578.7470.
