Mark Hoover with his gear on the Susquehanna. He and David Cantella spent many days and nights traveling the river and are now a part of the Susquehanna River 444 Club. Photo credit: Mark Hoover.
After days confined to their kayaks and paddling for what seem like countless miles, brothers-in-law Mark Hoover and David Cantella have earned their place in the Susquehanna River 444 Club for paddling the entirety of the Susquehanna.
Done in multiple sections, the two made their way from Cooperstown, N.Y. to Havre de Grace, Md. For the two of them, traveling the whole river took about 20 days spread across some day trips and three-day weekends, and the final 138-mile push was a six-day excursion.
After going on their church’s annual father-son canoe trips as well as enjoying the river’s fishing spots, the two have already had some lighter experience with the river. Hoover being from Candor, and Cantella from Apalachin, the two decided to fully appreciate their hometown body of water by trekking its full length.
“There haven’t been many days I haven’t seen the river; it’s part of our community,” Hoover said. The Susquehanna carves the landscape through Binghamton to Owego to Waverly down to Towanda, navigating its way back and forth eastern and central Pennsylvania and eventually connecting to the ocean in Maryland
On the trip, the two bring items similar to what is brought on hiking trips. As they put it, long-distance kayaking is really just hiking on water, except they were able to pack more because of the weight capacity of the kayaks.
Some of the challenges the two had to endure were portages. These are stretches where the paddler must get out of their kayak and carry it to another port in the water. This also means that they would have to carry the extra weight that the buoyancy of the kayak afforded them. The portage at the end of Goodyear Lake came to mind as one of the challenges. Here, Hoover and Cantella had to carry their kayaks and supplies up and down a hill in order to make it back in the water.
Paddling 20 to 30 miles in a day puts a strain on the body and the mind as well, especially when the sun is beating down and the wind is blowing in the opposite direction.
Brothers-in-law David Cantella, left, and Mark Hoover, right, stand at Havre de Grace in Maryland where the river ends and the bay begins. Photo credit: Mark Hoover.
Through all of the challenges there are still sights to behold while on the water. One notable site off of the main river was the Starrucca Viaduct in Lanesboro, Pa., one of the longest stone bridges in the world. There are other paths to hike along the way as well. One piece of advice Hoover shared was to stop and smell the roses on the way.
Paddling alone brings safety concerns as well. That was part of the reason Hoover and Cantella decided to buddy up for the trip. Another was a sense of adventure with the brothers-in-law.
Cantella described the trip as more of an adventure rather than a goal to make it into the club. Through the quest, the two were able to strengthen their relationship.
“You don’t spend that many days on the river with someone without loving or hating them,” Hoover said.
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