Please note: This post was written in 2018, and while it should still give you a good idea of the overall experience, it may also contain some outdated information. For the most up-to-date information, please visit their website.
Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.
Thank you to Black Hall Outfitters for providing a complimentary experience for my family for the purpose of writing this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
One of the things I love most about writing for Out and About Mom is a good excuse to be a little bit crazy about the kinds of outings I’m willing to attempt with my children. Even if I’m feeling apprehensive I can tell myself, “This is for the good of the other moms out there that have anxiety about striking out into the unknown. Do it for THEM!” So when I had the opportunity to go on a kayak Eco Tour through Black Hall Outfitters (which will henceforth be referred to as “BHO”) I excitedly embraced the idea. My family LOVES the outdoors and my husband and I have driven by BHO many times and longed for a chance to check it out. I’m sure it would be good fun with our 4.5-year-old along for the ride! What could possibly go wrong having a preschooler in an enclosed space, in which he can’t even really move around all that much for fear of capsizing, for up to 2.5 hours straight?
Bug displaying the emergency whistle each life vest comes equipped with.
Everything, you say? My thoughts precisely. But I have to tell you, as we organized and planned for our outing, the pros at BHO quickly put my mind at ease. For a tightly wound person like me, their laid back approach was so refreshing and wonderful. They didn’t treat a single question I had as dumb nor did I feel like I was bothering them. From the very first exchange I knew I was dealing with people that simply loved sharing the outdoors with others and were willing to accommodate my family however necessary for us to have a good time. Concerned about the length of the Eco Tour? No problem. The guide will tailor the trip to the group’s needs. Worried about whether or not a small child will be safe in a kayak? Got it covered. There are child-sized life jackets available and you can paddle with your kiddo in the configuration you feel suits them best – in their own seat in a tandem (two-person) kayak, towed behind you in their own kayak, or seated between your legs in a single kayak. Regardless of your choice, there will be a staff-person at the dock helping you make the right selection and assisting you while you load in, ensuring you don’t wind up immediately falling into the water.
Bug and Daddy waiting to climb into a kayak while our guide made some adjustments.
I did still feel more comfortable having Bean sit this one out though, in case you’re wondering where on earth the baby is while checking out the pictures below from our trip. He had a nice long afternoon nap at his great-auntie’s house not far from BHO. I won’t entirely deprive you all of his summer-time cuteness though. <3
Star-spangled baby Bean. I seriously underestimated his head size when I purchased that hat. >.<
In the interest of full disclosure, I do feel like BHO provided us with some extra special VIP treatment (more on that later), but at the same time I have every confidence that if any parent called up and spoke with one of the store managers about the options available to your family, you would have just as pleasant an experience as I did. In fact, if you plan on booking an Eco Tour for your family or even simply renting some equipment, I would strongly recommend calling the store (860-434-9680) as opposed to booking online, though it is an option. They can advise you on the best time of day to plan your trip (since Black Hall is a tidal river, going within an hour before and after high tide is recommended) and answer any questions you might have.
But enough about the planning phase already and on to the adventure! Black Hall Outfitters has two locations: one in Westbrook and one in Old Lyme. The Westbrook location just opened this past May but the flagship store in Old Lyme is where our excursion originated from.
Source: Google Maps
Located on the Black Hall River at the Great Island salt water estuary in a spot that is nothing short of ideal for paddle sports, it is immediately evident why BHO has been featured in publications like Yankee Magazine and the CT Tourism Guide. On a clear summer day like the one we had, it’s breathtaking.
The Black Hall River as viewed from the BHO parking lot. Not bad at all for a PARKING LOT view, right?
My photos don’t even really do it justice, but BHO is very active on social media so you can get a much clearer picture (literally) through either their Facebook page or on Instagram @BLACKHALLOUTFITTERS.
Though the address is on Shore Road (also known as Route 156), the entrance to said parking lot is on Homestead Circle.
Source: Google Maps
It was a hot July weekend when we visited, ideal for water sports, and there was still plenty of parking.
Facing out toward the lot entrance on Homestead Circle while standing near the boat launch in the parking lot.
Turned to face the rest of the gravel parking lot. The docks are past the cars on the left and the BHO store is just out of frame on the right.
Upon arriving, our first order of business was to report to the store to check in and, as is par for the course for any remotely physical activity these days, sign a waiver.
Heading up the crushed shell walkway from the parking lot to the store.
Roadside view of the store.
My family was fortunate enough to be treated to a private guided Eco Tour, but if you plan on going with a straight rental (all of the necessary equipment, but no guide) you will also be required to leave a valid driver’s license at the desk, which you can (and should) pick up upon returning your rented gear.
The BHO store is packed full, floor to ceiling, of everything you could possibly need to enjoy the paddlesport of your choice including stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing.
There’s even a tank full of LIVE freshwater eels that can be purchased and used as bait. The kids might really enjoy paying them a visit while you check out these bad boys:
In case you can’t tell, it’s a locking plastic baggie for your phone and, if you plan on having your device on you during your trip either for emergencies or to take pictures, I’d highly recommend getting one. I would have purchased one myself if I didn’t already have one.
I don’t recall whether or not the one for sale at BHO had a lanyard or not, but I really liked that about mine. It allowed me to have my camera at the ready to capture the details of the experience, for the purpose of relaying to all of you lovely folk, while also enabling me to focus primarily on keeping a tight grip on other important things…like maybe a bottle of water…or the kayak paddle.
There are also some snacks, ice cream, and bottled beverages for sale.
If you do buy or bring snacks with disposable wrappers, however, make sure you also bring a bag to put them in. Litter is a huge issue out on the shoreline and it would be a shame to contribute to the problem while out enjoying all the beauty nature has to offer. And just a little unofficial Out and About insider info between you and me, BHO will award a FREE sticker to anyone that brings back any litter he or she happens to find while out on the water! They even provide interested parties with reused plastic bags for the purpose of collecting litter at the rental building. It’s certainly not a requirement, but if your child would benefit from having a “job” during your trip you can make it a game and, if they find any litter, they earn a sticker. Even if their job is simply making sure the snack wrappers you brought don’t wind up in the water, which is truly equally important. You could call them “EnviroBoy” or “EnviroGirl” and play it up like they are a super hero who protects our environment. It’s possible I’ve done this before.
Also at the BHO shop, you’ll find a satellite view of the area that is helpful to look at before heading out, especially if you’ll be embarking on your voyage sans guide.
Make particular note of the area to the right labeled “Nature Conservancy, Griswold Point; no landing during bird nesting season.” If it’s helpful, have one of the staff members even point it out to you; you can see the area if you exit the store, look toward the sound, and then look for a sandy area to the left that juts out a bit into the water. This area is a nesting ground for piping plovers, which are an endangered species. They’re small and cute and look like this:
Adult breeding piping plover. Source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Summer is, indeed, their breeding season in this area so make sure you don’t stop for a rest at Griswold Point. These birds lay tiny, sand-colored eggs right in the sand so it’s super easy to stomp on a nest and not notice, even if you were being careful. This camouflage is an amazing adaptation when it comes to alluding predators; not so great when it comes to not getting squished.
Two teeny tiny piping plover chicks nestled next to two teeny tiny eggs in a nest cup. Source: Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership
The area is roped off and there are signs up, but we did actually see some folks stopped there regardless. Eek. I’d like to believe it’s just because they didn’t realize why the area was roped off or exactly how easy it could be to destroy one of these endangered birds’ nests, so I wanted to make a point of mentioning it. Nobody needs that kind of thing on their conscience and when you know better, you do better, right?
Of importance second only to protecting our environment in my book, of course, is the location of restrooms. You will definitely want to hit the port-o-potties on premises before taking to the water because, while I don’t think anyone would judge you too harshly for dangling your child in the water to relieve themselves in the case of a “potty emergency”, do you really want to be in that position? Neither did I.
“The facilities” are located in the parking lot. When I took this photo I had my back to the marina and small rental building. You can see the main store building in the background to the right.
It’s hard to tell from the picture, but these port-o-potties are actually rather generously sized. You could easily use one as a changing room in a pinch.
Once we checked in, received a brief rundown on the nearby waterways, visited the bathroom, got situated with life jackets and paddles, and met up with our wonderful guide, Sharon, it was time to shove off! Literally!
The view from my kayak as I drifted out into the marina. That’s Bug and Daddy waiting patiently on the dock to the left.
Kayak selfie! Bug and Daddy are now in their kayak, over my shoulder to the left.
As I hinted at before, I was more than a little apprehensive about our trip, though I was looking forward to it, because I wasn’t sure how Bug would fare. He likes nature and being outdoors (as his blog nickname would suggest), but this was completely different than anything we’d attempted with him before.
The bow of my kayak, with Sharon to the left and Daddy and Bug to the right.
We had opted for the “single kayak with child seated between the adult’s legs” configuration, which wound up working out great for us. My husband is pretty tall so BHO outfitted him with a 12′ kayak which had a fairly large opening, allowing plenty of space for both him and Bug. They also supplied Bug with a flotation device (in addition to the life jacket he was wearing) that served as a cushion to sit on, so he was more comfortable than he would have been if he was just sitting on the hard bottom of the kayak. He even had his own cup holder for his water bottle! And because he was close to his dad, they could easily talk and look for wildlife together – which we saw a good deal of. I did attempt to take some pictures, but most of them didn’t come out well. Even though cell phone cameras have come a very long way, they aren’t so great for capturing photos of fairly well-camouflaged wild animals in their natural habitat. We saw deer nibbling from bushes along the shore (apparently sometimes you can even see them swimming across the river!), egrets, and LOADS of osprey, among other things. The osprey were particularly exciting because, in at least a couple of cases, we saw a pair of birds tending to their babies in a nest. You may catch glimpses of these nest stands in wetland areas from time to time, but I bet you’ve never had a vantage point quite like this:
A female osprey with her babies in a nest with the male perched close by. While there in-person, you could even see the babies’ heads peeking just above the nest edge.
The birds were surprisingly unperturbed by our presence too. They were obviously keeping a close eye on us, but they seemed fairly accustomed to people passing by. Pretty cool to see these birds that, not all that long ago, were also on the endangered species list! They’re a fairly common site to behold now, but impressive nonetheless.
The time wound up passing quickly and, before we knew it, we’d made it to a good stopping point to get out and stretch our legs on Great Island! Sharon helped us pull the kayaks onto the shore and get out.
As we gazed out over the beautiful salt marsh grasses, Sharon pointed out BHO in the distance. See that tiny white speck on the horizon in the picture above? No? Allow me to point it out:
At this point I did have a teeny tiny moment of panic upon realizing exactly how far we’d traveled…and therefore how long we would have to travel BACK…
This is the map from the store. The yellow line shows the route we took to where we got out on Great Island.
…but then I remembered we were in incredibly capable hands. Sharon is a seasoned professional and a retired teacher that comfortably chatted with my child throughout our entire excursion. She never would have brought us out this far if she thought we couldn’t make it back, and she said as much. Confident in her experience, we loaded back into our kayaks and I safely stowed my phone for the remainder of the trip. It was a wonderful opportunity to unplug for a bit and be with my family, taking in the beauty of our home state. Unforgettable.
And truly, it turned out to be a downright shockingly relaxing outing! I chock up our success that afternoon to three very important things:
- Physical comfort: We dressed for water play (in swimsuits, in other words) so that we didn’t worry about getting wet, planned for intense sun (sunscreen AND hats AND sunglasses for everyone), and had plenty of water and snacks on hand (there is enough room in the kayak to bring a small bag along; I brought one of those drawstring backpacks).
- Decent weather: It was a hot day. I thought this would be a potential recipe for disaster (everyone knows overheated children are a nightmare) but being on the water made the heat downright bearable!
- Trusting the experts at BHO: They are happy to give advice, including where to go and when. Listen to them. They’ve done this a lot.
All of that being said, I would not recommend attempting the trip all the way out to our stopping point on Great Island if you aren’t with a guide. It is a fair distance and parts of it are somewhat challenging, paddling-wise. Depending on weather conditions and time of day, the current in some of the areas farther out can get pretty strong.
However, there is still a great deal to explore without covering a lot of distance paddling. I imagine that, even if we were just putzing around Black Hall River on our own, my family could have easily whittled away an entire lazy summer afternoon and it would have been just as wonderful.
Here’s to taking a deep breath, checking the ol’ mom-anxiety, and embracing outdoor adventure this summer! I’m so glad I did and I hope you will too. 🙂
Black Hall Outfitters
132 Shore Road, Old Lyme, Connecticut
(Second location: Wetmore’s Marina, 362 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, CT)
Phone: 860-434-9680
To contact them online, use the form on the “Contact Us” page at blackhalloutfitters.com.
Find Black Hall Outfitters on Facebook!
You can also check them out on Instagram!
Hours (2018):
Old Lyme: Monday-Thursday, 8am-5pm; Friday, 8am-7pm; Saturday, 7am-7pm; Sunday, 7am-6pm
Westbrook: Monday-Thursday, 6am-6pm; Friday, 5am-7pm; Saturday, 5am-7pm; Sunday, 5am-6pm
Pricing (2018):
Rental rates vary based on type of equipment and amount of time. Find the rental rates for 2018 here. Eco Tours are $75 per person and include kayak, life jacket, and guide. Tours are approximately 2-2.5 hours long, but are customized to meet the needs of the group. Rentals or tours can be booked through the BHO website or by calling them at 860-434-9680.
Details:
Stroller Friendly: NO, but it gave me a chuckle imagining trying to haul a big ol’ double stroller into a kayak. Ha!
Coffee Mug Friendly: YES; but water is more highly recommended 😉
Restroom: YES, there are port-o-potties at the docks
Baby Changing Station: NO
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: YES, there are some snacks (including some ice cream treats) and drinks for sale in the Black Hall Outfitters store
Outside Food Allowed: YES; snacks and water are recommended. There are picnic tables at the docks as well.
Cash Required: NO
Age Recommendations: There is no official age recommendation, and it really depends on the child, but my 4-year-old did just fine. Depending on how long you plan on being out on the water, I would think even a child as young as 3 could feasibly have a good time. Perhaps more importantly, as long as your child understands that they need to (and is physically able to) remain seated in the kayak, I personally think you should be fine.
Dress Code: Dress for comfort! Leave the resort-wear at home and opt for clothing that you can move easily in and will both keep you cool and protect you from the sun. Shoes are a good idea; either water shoes or water-resistant sandals would be ideal, though I was fine with flip-flops.
Evening/Weekend Hours: YES
Discounts: N/A
Birthday Party Venue: YES. Why not? Eco Tours can be booked for groups of up to 10 people. Sounds like a great way to celebrate a birthday to me!
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