DRBC staff on the 2023 Delaware River Sojourn. Photo by the DRBC.

Sojourners paddling the Delaware River. Photo courtesy of Explore Warren County.

One of the best ways to learn about a river is to get on it. Interested, but not sure how? Participate in a river sojourn!

What is a Sojourn?

Sojourns are guided paddling and camping trips, combining on-water experiences and educational learning opportunities. They are suited for paddlers of all skill levels; equipment is provided, and river guides teach basic instruction and help keep paddlers safe while on the water.

Delaware River Sojourn 2023

Typically held the third full week in June, the 2023 Delaware River Sojourn took place June 17-23. This year, ~65 miles of the non-tidal Delaware River were paddled; a one-day volunteer river cleanup was held on June 16.

Sojourners paddled three days on the upper Delaware River, two days on the middle Delaware and two days on the lower Delaware.

  • Learn more about the Delaware Sojourn

2023 Sojourn Programming

Our 2023 theme, Running Free, celebrated the free-flowing nature of the Delaware River while highlighting important partner organizations, stewardship efforts throughout the watershed and the ongoing work being done to improve the Delaware River and preserve its environment and rich history.

Program highlights included:

  •  Presentations on the invasive plant knotweed, which was seen along the river's shorelines, and on various critters you may see while paddling, from amphibians to mammals

  •  Talks about the history of the Tocks Island Dam and the positive impacts of dam removals on Basin tributaries

  •  Remarks from the Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure, Jr., Warren County Commissioner James R. Kern III and the Mayor of Phillipsburg Todd M. Tersigni

The Sojourn was also pleased to have Gary Letcher, author of Paddler's Guide to the Delaware River, join us for two days. Letcher just published the 4th edition of his book; visit https://delawareriverguide.com/ to learn more.

2023 High Admiral Honorees

Each year, the Sojourn honors people and organizations who are doing important work for the river and its watershed as High Admirals. The name is taken from the story of Daniel Skinner, a timber rafter from the late 1800s who was known as the Lord High Admiral of the Delaware River.

2023 honorees included:

  •  U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, Mid-Atlantic Region (Region 3); his remarks focused on the ability of the Delaware River to connect people across different geographies, backgrounds and sectors and how we all must work together to protect and improve our environment for today and tomorrow.

  •  National Park Service Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River's Don Hamilton, who is retiring this year after 30+ years of public service

  •  Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort owners Charlie and Ginny Kirkwood, for their commitment to stewardship and sustainability

  •  Kristie Fach/Wildlands Conservancy for their work in the Lehigh Valley and specifically on several dam removals on the Bushkill Creek

The DRBC & the Delaware Sojourn

The DRBC has been involved with the Delaware River Sojourn since the late 1990s. Currently, the DRBC's Kate Schmidt serves on the Delaware River Sojourn Steering Committee, which plans the annual event. The committee is comprised of government agency representatives, non-profit organizations, local businesses and individual volunteers, all of whom share the same goals of introducing people to paddling and helping teach about our waterways in a safe, guided and fun environment.

Over the years, DRBC staff has also participated in this paddling adventure. Getting out on the river, meeting other paddlers and talking about what we do to manage, protect and improve the Basin's water resources helps connect us with our publics and stakeholders.

Other Sojourns in the DRB

Several other sojourns take place annually in the DRB: the Schuylkill River and Lehigh River both have multi-day sojourns, and there is also the one-day Perkiomen Creek Sojourn.

  • Schuylkill River Sojourn

  • Lehigh River Sojourn

  • Perkiomen Creek Sojourn

The Sojourn Mission

Sojourns enable people to get real-life exposure to our region's waterways and are a great way to learn about our rivers and connect with other paddlers. The goal is that these experiences will create new stewards of our waters, making people more aware of the impacts their actions and daily habits have on the environment and of what they can do to help protect our shared water resources.

The DRBC thanks everyone who helps make a river sojourn possible! Planning these events is a lot of hard work, but seeing the smiles on paddlers' faces at the end of the day makes it all worth it.

We hope to see you on a DRB river sojourn next year!

Paddlers enjoy the wilderness of the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners approach Kittatinny Point. The Delaware Water Gap is in the background. Photo by the DRBC.	The Lower Delaware River offers gorgeous scenery even in its suburban geography. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC staff pose with Sojourn Committee Chair Mark Zakutansky (3rd from L) & US EPA staff (4th & 5th from L) at Kittatinny Point after the morning paddle. Photo by the DRBC.	U.S. EPA's Adam Ortiz (standing, center), Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator (Region 3), gives remarks to sojourners. Photo by the DRBC.	(From L to R) US EPA Region 3's Terri Dean, US EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz, DRBC's Kate Schmidt and DRBC's Steve Tambini. Photo by the DRBC.
The Shawnee Inn's Charlie & Ginny Kirkwood (1st & 2nd from L), pose for a photo after receiving the Sojourn's High Admiral Award. Photo by the DRBC.	Warren County Commissioner James R. Kern III (L) poses for a photo with the Sojourn's Alan Hunt after receiving the Sojourn's High Admiral Award. Photo by the DRBC.	People salute Sojourn High Admiral Kristie Fach (2nd from L), Wildlands Conservancy. The tradition is to hold the salute until the honoree lowers their hand. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC's Steve Tambini (L) and author Gary Letcher (R). Letcher joined the Sojourn for two days & shared stories from his experiences paddling the river. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners are safe on the water thanks to our safety team made up of volunteers from the National Canoe Safety Patrol. Photo courtesy of the Delaware River Sojourn.	The Sojourn is ever appreciative of our livery Northeast Wilderness Experience (NEWE). Thank you for all you do! Photo courtesy of the Delaware River Sojourn.
DRBC's Kate Schmidt (L) and Kristen Bowman Kavanagh enjoy paddling the river. Photo by the DRBC.	The Delaware River Sojourn's Dejay Branch (L) presents 1,000 mi paddles to two people. Photo by the DRBC.	Phillipsburg Mayor Todd M. Tersigni (3rd from L) met us at our final takeout. Photo by the DRBC.