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The Blue Ridge Voyageurs

- A Club for Whitewater Paddlers -

(updated Nov. 26, 2017)

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Friends of the Blue Ridge Voyageurs Facebook Page

BRV Facebook Page Launched  
Club Finally Engages in “Social Media” Revolution

(Jan. 2017) BRV newsletter editor emeritus Frank Fico has created a “user-friendly social media presence for those BRV members so inclined and other interested paddlers,” he reports.

The new Facebook page, “Friends of the Blue Ridge Voyageurs,” is a closed group, with Frank as the moderator. He will admit members and other paddlers to join the group, post photos, trip reports and other content.
[Read more]


About BRV


Join Us!

The Blue Ridge Voyageurs Canoe Club began as an offshoot of the Canoe Cruisers Association by members who were more interested in exploring creeks and rivers in VA, MD, WV and PA than in racing and organizing trips on the Lower Potomac River near Washington DC. Initially led Lou Matacia and Roger Corbett, legendary whitewater canoeing pioneers  and authors of early guidebooks for the region, the BRV spin off as its own club in mid 1960s.

Over the years BRV attracted a wide range of folks known to keep a canoe or kayak on their cars and be ready to head for the hinterlands whenever the creeks were running. Today, most of our members have decades of experience running hundreds of mid Atlantic Area rivers, and many have ventured far beyond.  Our trips range from novice to advanced, and we welcome paddlers of all skill levels on our trips. [See trip guidelines].

Besides paddling trips, BRV offers a newsletter, regular membership meetings that offer a chance to socialize and see paddling presentations, and annual picnics and holiday parties. We also encourage members to support watershed conservation and restoration efforts. Our web site offers a trip schedule and lot of information about river levels and difficulty, as well as additional resources for paddlers. We have an email list that members can use to announce late-breaking trips, and in 2017 we launched a Facebook page.

The BRV does not offer equipment rentals sponsor races, formal paddling instruction, or river safety training. While our members happy to offer tips and guidance, we encourage new paddlers to take advantage of the ACA training offered by the Canoe Cruisers Association.

Our trips typically consist of 5 or 6 paddlers. When trip groups are larger, we may split into groups, to probe adhead and preserve eddy space, if called for.

Safety: Whitewater paddling is a risky sport. In the BRV, each individual is ultimately responsible for his or her own safety. Each individual is responsible for having appropriate equipment, for having knowledge of and the requisite skills for paddling a given run, and for his or her decision to run any river or rapid. Although ultimate responsibility rests with each individual, important safety benefits are gained from paddling with a group of other prepared and competent paddlers. We try to look out for each other.

Join Us!

To become a member of the Blue Ridge Voyageurs, print the BRV Membership Form [PDF] , fill it out, and send it in with your check payable to BRV to the address specified in the form. Annual dues are $10 for the entire family. Membership is for a calendar year and you must renew each spring to be listed in the club roster and continue receiving The Voyageur newsletter. If you have a question, please join us at a meeting or e-mail us.