You Can Still Enjoy the Water on Inner Tubes, Paddle Boats and Floating Islands

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
18 September 2011
By Lawrence Walsh,

Still looking for a fun time on the water?

Get a group together to "tube" the Stonycreek River, put your feet to work on a paddle boat or hang out on a six-person "floating island."

Coal Tubin, a tubing and rafting company based in Johnstown, welcomes groups of 10 or more to ride the company's bright orange inner tubes down the Stonycreek River, the waterway that serves as a border between Cambria and Somerset counties. The river's 468-square-mile watershed, bordered by the Allegheny Front and the Laurel Ridge, includes woodlands, undulating farmland, active and reclaimed strip mines, and former coal mining communities.

Coal Tubin owner Chad Gontkovic said he came up with the name of the company after finding pieces of coal as large as baseballs floating in the river.

"They rolled into the river after a heavy rainfall," he said.

Once considered "dead" due to drainage from abandoned coal mines, the Stony has rebounded and now supports a variety of fish as it travels 46 miles across the Allegheny Plateau before flowing into the Conemaugh in Johnstown.

Tubers float on the last few miles leading into Johnstown.

An unguided tubing trip of 3.5 miles usually takes two to three hours. If the water level is below 3 feet, customers will be shuttled to the Ferndale Bridge to float a 1 mile section of the river back to Coal Tubin's headquarters. Repeat trips of that section are available at no extra cost.

The $10 per person cost includes an inner tube, one shuttle and all-day parking. Children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Life jackets are required for children 12 and younger, but they're also a good idea for adults. The rental cost is $5. Smaller tubes with seats are available for younger tubers. Children must be at least 5 to tube.

In addition to bringing a hat, swimwear, sunscreen and water, wear an old pair of sneakers. The latter will come in handy walking to and from the river and pushing off rocks that the current may bring your way. It's not called the Stonycreek for nothing.

The important thing is to relax, settle into a comfortable position and let the current carry you downstream.

Paddle boats, also known as pedal boats, are an inexpensive fun activity for all ages. Participants ease onboard, take a seat and use a set of pedals in front of them to turn a paddle, propelling the boat across the water.

Most paddle boats allow two persons to sit side by side and pedal together. Some two-seater paddle boats have three pedals on each side so one person can pedal from the center if boating alone.

One of the earliest references to a paddle boat was discovered in the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, who depicted a paddle-powered craft driven by two pedals. Leonardo, as usual, was way ahead of his time.

Pioneer Park Campground, a 185-acre recreational area just off Route 31 in Somerset County, has a small lake set aside for paddle boats. The cost is $1 per person for a half-hour, $2 for an hour. Children 9 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Life jackets are required for younger children.

In addition to paddle boats, Pioneer Park has three fishing lakes stocked weekly through September with several species of trout, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, miniature golf, basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes and a playground. It has more than 300 campsites, a complete grocery store, camping and fishing supplies, fully equipped cabins that sleep six to eight persons, a rec hall, a pavilion, shower rooms, laundromat, game room, ice and firewood.

Pioneer Park is open through Oct. 23.

One of the more unusual on-water attractions is a floating island. Formally known as a Caribbean Island Personal Floating Oasis, the one at the Northeast Paddleboard Co. in Boston, Pa., is 16 feet by 16 feet and seats six. It's made of heavy gauge fiberglass, nylon and foam.

Occupants are invited to "relax on the large sun deck and soak up the sun or cool off in the mesh bottom seats."

The island includes a canopy, cup holders, built-in coolers, back rests and a boarding platform.

Sandy Steffan, the owner and operator of the Northeast Paddleboard Co. , bought one to serve as a waiting area for customers. It's tied to her dock along a shallow stretch of the Youghiogheny River.

Paddleboard customers can sit back, relax and watch standing paddleboarders use long paddles to propel their surfboard-like watercraft over the river.

Information: www.coaltubin.com, 1-814-254-4393, email coaltubin@gmail.com; http://www.pioneerparkcampground.com, 1-814-445-6348; www.northeastpaddleboard.com, 412-720-5058.

Lawrence Walsh writes about outdoor activities for the Post-Gazette.