I remember as an elementary school student one of the most exciting parts of going of the public library was checking out the latest copy of the Guiness Book of World Records.

Okay, yes, this was clearly a little nerdy. And at the time I didn't even know what Guiness was. But the pictures in that book of records--the bearded man with the longest fingernails, the woman with the extremely elongated neck, the tallest human next to the shortest--were fascinating. It was like looking into the far corners of the earth and seeing our human potential to amaze and surprise.

Most impressive were the feats that involved mind-blowing numbers of people, like the longest human chains stretching across state lines or the largest group of folks singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" simultaneously. The level of mass coordination was impressive, but I think what inspired me the most was the community spirit.

People stopped what they were doing for a few minutes to take part in something really big, something that connected people. Even if it was silly or fleeting, it was a way of feeling linked in to complete strangers working for a common goal.

This June 5th, as part of Pittsburgh's World Environment Day celebration, our city will attempt to to break the Guiness World Record for Largest Raft of Canoes/Kayaks. The current record  is held by Inlet, New York with 1,104. First off: that's a lot of boats. Secondly: where the heck is Inlet, New York?

Pittsburghers and friends throughout the region, unite! Not only is this a really cool way to celebrate World Environment Day, it's also a great way to see the city from the water. If you've never hopped in a kayak and paddled your way around Pittsburgh's downtown confluence of three rivers, I can tell you without a doubt that you are missing out on a spectacular experience. Now imagine doing that with 1,104 other people!

^{Image from the Paddle at the Point website}

Find out more at paddleattthepoint.com, or the Venture Outdoors website. Registration is a cheap $15 to rent a boat, free if you have your own. You may not be the world's tallest or shortest person, but you do have the ability to be a part of something huge here.

-Stephan Bontrager for Riverlife

See you on the water! UPDATE, June 3, 2010: It was just announced at this morning's Water Matters conference that Paddle at the Point is up to 1,900 participants! Can we hit 2,000 by Saturday??