You can book a free one-hour boat tour of the Anacostia River.
Since 2015, the Anacostia Riverkeeper has offered tours starting at various locations along the river. Tours are free courtesy of the Department of Energy & Environment and can accommodate up to 10 people (Covid protocol).
Spokeswoman Quinn Molner told the Hyattsville Wire they have given over a thousand tours to more than 14,000 people, including diplomats, government officials and school groups.
Landmarks on the tour include Navy Yard, Anacostia Park, Kingman Island and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.
“Our guides will be able to point out and identify wildlife that you pass,” Molner said. “During our tours, we also talk about the environmental progress and challenges that the Anacostia River faces.”
The tours also help demonstrate that, as boat captains say they have seen plastic bottles, the No. 1 type of litter in the watershed, and even grocery carts on the shoreline.
When the tours were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, the Anacostia Riverkeeper created a virtual boat tour that you can watch from your computer.
The tours, which currently leave from Anacostia Park and Yards Marina, are free thanks to a grant from the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund that comes from a five-cent bag fee in D.C.
Molner said the goal was to show residents the area in a new light.
“We love being able to show people the Anacostia River in a way they have never seen it before,” she said. “We hope that people can leave our tours interested in learning more and becoming a steward and advocate for the Anacostia.”
Anacostia Riverkeeper is a nonprofit which works to protect and restore the Anacostia River including mitigating trash in the river as well as stormwater to help improve water quality.
To learn more about registering for a free tour, click here.
To help support the efforts of the Anacostia Riverkeeper, you can make make a donation here.
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