Buck Hands Off ‘444 Club’ Mantle at River Day

EMHR water trail manager Dana Rockwell of Susquehanna Depot (top, left) tells of the trip he and a friend made down the entire length of the river last year that led to his membership in the 444 Club. Looking on are fellow 444 Club members (from left) Emily Rinaldi, David Buck, Tom Babcock, Ed McLaughlin, Rick Shumaker, and Gordon Southard.

Photos and Story by Rick Hiduk

Local kayak and canoe outfitters put dozens of people on the Susquehanna River for paddles and floats of various lengths on July 21 as Tunkhannock celebrated its annual River Day. Some of the participants are already members of the 444 Club, and elite group of self-proclaimed “river rats” who have paddled all 444 miles of the North Branch and main stem of the river.

Between musical performances at the main stage, Endless Mountains Heritage Region water trail managers Emily Rinaldi and Dana Rockwell introduced newer and long-time 444 Club members and spoke of the importance of getting out on the water.

A lot of people are familiar with their stretch of the river,” said 444 Club member and retired EMHR water trail manager David Buck, who effectively “passed the torch” to Rockwell and Rinaldi in the course of their presentation. “We’d like to see people get out and experience the rest of the river,” Buck added.

As the official manager of the North Branch Susquehanna River, the EMHR adopted the 444 Club about eight years ago when several paddling enthusiasts told Buck, former owner of Endless Mountains Outfitters, that they had “joined the club.” The EMHR sought to give credence to their accomplishments and encourage others to seek the same recognition.

It’s a fantastic natural waterway, especially here in Wyoming County where it dissects the county from the northwest to the southeast,” said Richard Fitzsimmons of Falls, who has paddled the entire length of the river from Cooperstown, NY to Havre de Grace, MD several times since 1983. “It’s something that should be embraced end enjoyed by everyone.”

This River Day, people of all ages were able to learn more about the river and our natural world with displays and presentations by the PA Game Commission, the Endless Mountains Heritage Region and 444 Club, the Endless Mountains Nature Center and Penn State Extension’s watershed steward program,” said Erica Rogler, director of the Wyoming County Cultural Center, which coordinates River Day.

Throughout the event, people could be seen on the water and traveling to and from the boat landing. In 2016, the EMHR and Susquehanna Greenway Partnership recognized Tunkhannock as an official RiverTown for both its enhanced public access and River Day, which will mark its 15th year in 2019.

The EMHR shared space with the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and provided information for River Day guests about the 444 Club, the county-by-county Heritage Attractions map series, and the Explore Wyoming County Parks & Trails project recently completed with the Wyoming County Cultural Center. For more information about the 444 Club, including an application form, interested readers may send an email to vbillings-seiler@emheritage.org.

Members of the 444 Club of paddlers who have covered the entire length of the North Branch Susquehanna River and main stem to Maryland in attendance on Saturday included (from left) Gordon Southard, Tom Babcock, Dana Rockwell, Ed McLaughlin, Rick Shumaker, David Buck, Jim Wellington, Emily Rinaldi and Rich Fitzsimmons.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *