Safety considerations (orange text indicates consideration applicable to kayaker only)

In addition to standard safety information, consider the following safety concerns:

Immediately upon entering the River, just south of the rail bridge is a large structure that juts out into the river. You will need to navigate around this to the west (towards the middle of the River).

This stretch of the Delaware River has no designated rest stops. Infrequent natural shorelines may provide rest areas though paddlers should be mindful of private property along the river.

The area around the Ben Franklin Bridge is particularly busy with ships and anchorage areas. The shipping lane is not marked by buoys in this area.

Currents around bridges may be swift. Exercise caution

Bridges, while amazing to view from the water, are also national security areas. Marine police and other authorities frequently monitor and patrol these areas and may approach your boat – especially if you are taking photographs. Please exercise courtesy with any authorities you may encounter.

For one-way trip to National Park or to Pennsauken, paddlers who do not reach the boat ramp before the tide changes will need to paddle against the tide for a portion of their trip.

Given its proximity to the Philadelphia International Airport, paddlers approaching National Park will experience high volume air traffic and its noise.