Editing Charles River (section)

==Recreation==
The river is busy, apart from the winter months, with [[Watercraft rowing|rowing]], [[sculling]], [[canoeing]], [[kayaking]], [[paddleboarding]], [[dragonboating]], and [[sailing]], both recreational and competitive. Most of the watercraft activity occurs from the [[Museum of Science (Boston)|Museum of Science]] to the center of [[Watertown, Massachusetts|Watertown]], above which is a dam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lower Charles River Paddling Map |url=https://paddleboston.com/app/uploads/boston_paddling_mileage-1.jpg |website=Paddle Boston |access-date=9 October 2019}}</ref> These {{convert|17|mi}} see motorboat traffic from two marinas and a boat ramp near Watertown, as well as two marinas downstream and boats entering from Boston Harbor through an old lock next to the Museum of Science.<ref>{{cite web |title=Power Boating |url=http://www.charlesriverallianceofboaters.org/power.html |website=Charles River Alliance of Boaters |access-date=9 October 2019}}</ref> A canoe and kayak ADA-accessible launch at [[Magazine Beach]] in Cambridge opened 23 September 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magazine Beach Canoe/Kayak Launch & Outlook Officially Opens |url=https://magazinebeach.org/2019/09/23/canoe-kayak-launch-outlook-officially-opens/ |website=Magazine Beach |date=September 23, 2019 |access-date=9 October 2019}}</ref>

The Charles is renowned as a rowing and sculling locale, with many [[List of Charles River boathouses|boathouses]] and the three-mile [[Head of the Charles Regatta]], the world's largest long-distance rowing regatta.<ref>{{cite web|title=Head of the Charles Regatta to Support Boston and National Rowing Foundations | url=https://natrowing.org/head-of-the-charles-regatta-to-support-boston-and-national-rowing-foundations/|website=National Rowing Foundation | date=July 2, 2019|access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref> The major boathouses, starting up stream near Watertown, are [[Community Rowing, Inc.]], housing competitive, recreational, and learning programs along with the Boston College Crew; Northeastern University's Henderson; Cambridge Boat Club; [[Newell Boathouse|Newell]], home of Harvard Men's Rowing; [[Weld Boathouse|Weld]], home of Harvard Women's Rowing; Riverside Boat Club; Boston University's DeWolfe; Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Pierce; and, in the Lower Basin, Union Boat Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charlesriverallianceofboaters.org/images/CRAB_River_Rowing_Traffic_Pattern.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331105109/http://www.charlesriverallianceofboaters.org/images/CRAB_River_Rowing_Traffic_Pattern.pdf |archive-date=31 March 2022 |title= Charles River Rowing Traffic Pattern Map|website=Charles River Alliance of Boaters |access-date=2019-10-09}} (Archived URL retrieved 22 January 2024)</ref>

The Lower Basin between the [[Longfellow Bridge|Longfellow]] and [[Harvard Bridge|Harvard]] (Massachusetts Avenue) bridges has the sailing docks of [[Community Boating]], the Harvard University Sailing Center, and the MIT Sailing Pavilion. Sailboat, kayak, and paddleboard rentals are available at the Boston University Sailing Pavilion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rentals/Passes | website=BU Sailing Pavilion |url=https://www.bu.edu/fitrec/recreation/sailing/ |access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref> Charles River Canoe and Kayak has four locations along the Charles, renting kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charles River Canoes and Kayak Rentals | website=Paddle Boston |url=https://paddleboston.com |access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref>

[[Boston Duck Tours|Duck Boats]] regularly enter the Charles near the [[Museum of Science (Boston)|Museum of Science]] and river tour boat excursions depart from a lagoon near the museum.<ref>{{cite web| title=Charles Riverboat Company | url=https://charlesriverboat.com/tours/charles-river-tours/| website=Charles Riverboat Company | date=March 13, 2019|access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref> In early June, the Hong Kong Boston Dragon Boat Festival is held in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]], near the [[John W. Weeks Bridge|Weeks Footbridge]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston Dragon Boat {{!}} History |url=https://www.bostondragonboat.org/festival-day-info |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=Boston Dragon Boat |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Charles River Bike Path]] runs {{convert|23|mi}} along the banks of the Charles, starting at the Museum of Science and passing the campuses of MIT, Harvard and Boston University. The path is popular with runners and bikers. Many runners gauge their distance and speed by keeping track of the mileage between the bridges along the route.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.mit.edu/track/indoor/bridges.html |title=Charles River Mileage Map/Table |work=Web.mit.edu |access-date=2012-04-16}}</ref>

After two decades of water quality improvement efforts spearheaded by the Environmental Protection Agency,<ref>{{cite web|title=Charles River Conservancy History |url=https://thecharles.org/about/history/ |website=Charles River Conservancy |access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref> on July 13, 2013, [[human swimming|swimming]] for the general public was officially permitted for the first time in more than 50 years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brody |first=Sharon |url=http://www.wbur.org/2013/07/13/public-swim-charles |title=Public Swim Follows 50 Years Of Dirty Water |publisher=WBUR |date=2013-07-13 |access-date=2013-07-18}}</ref>

Fishing from the banks or small craft is common along the Charles. With catches from the Charles from [[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]] to Boston the public is advised not to eat [[carp]], and for non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, to limit [[large mouth bass]] consumption to no more than twice a month. Children and pregnant or nursing women should eat nothing from the Charles River. Both cautions are due to [[Polychlorinated biphenyl|PCB]] and pesticide contamination. Up river from Natick, similar advisories are in effect for all fish on account of [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[chlordane]], and [[DDT]] in the fish.<ref>{{cite web|title=Massachusetts Health and Human Services Public Health Fish Consumption Advisory | website=Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisory (Database Lookup) | url=https://eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us/DPH_FishAdvisory/SearchWaterBody.aspx |access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref>