Wayne County Life

SUBMITTED by Robert Stopper (5-May-2012)

Safety Check

In Lyons, NY it was Saturday and 7:15 in the morning. Sun screen had been applied. Hands had been taped. Sun, wind, and mosquito scarves were in place. Sun glasses were attached. Camelbaks were full. All safety equipment had been double checked . And then it happened….

The sun was bright, the water was smooth, and the spirits were high as the NYS Spare Seat Kayak Expedition gracefully glided into the waters of the Erie Canal and headed east to Lock E 27. Leaders of the morning’s expedition were Richard Harpham, world renowned international kayaker who has kayaked from Vancouver to Alaska and Glenn Charles, nationally recognized kayaker, bicyclist, and photographer who has kayaked the Inside Passage as well as the entire Eastern Seaboard of the USA.

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SUBMITTED by Mary Mastracy (12-Jan-2012)

The Wayne County Office of Tourism in partnership with the tourism offices in Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca and Cayuga Counties has produced a new ‘ON THE WATER’ Map and guide. This is an all inclusive guide to boating services, dining, lodging and attractions near the waterways in Central New York.

The guide is an easy to read fold out map that covers Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, Oneida Lake, the Erie Canal and many of the smaller lakes and waterways. Boating services and marinas are listed in grid format with amenities such as restrooms, showers, on-site dining and overnight slips are listed plus much more. In addition, accommodations, attractions, campgrounds, restaurants, parks and wineries within easy walking distance and / or views of the waterways are highlighted.

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SUBMITTED by Barb DeRoo (3-Oct-2011)

The public is invited to join two local organizations in paddling the Clyde River / Erie Canal on 15 October 2011 at 10 a.m. All levels of paddlers, canoes, and kayaks are welcome. The duration of the trip will be approximately 3 hours.

The Erie Canal is beautiful both ways from Clyde, as is the Clyde River, which is accessible part way up the Canal. No matter which way we head this will be a fairly easy paddle with little to no current and the only waves would be from a powerboat. The one safety caution advised is to dress for the possibility of getting wet in this cool fall weather. Please bring a dry change of clothes in your boat as well.

This paddling event is a joint venture with Trail Works of Wayne County and the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Your Trip leaders will be Mark DeCracker, Charlie Helman, and Peg Warrick.

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The tour boat Mary Jemison spent an overnight at the Port of Newark, carrying a group of about 17 travelers in a post World Canal Conference Tour, with Seneca Falls as a destination.

Greeting the Friday afternoon visitors were Newark Village Clerk Lee Mikewicz and village trustee John Zornow. The group was given a tour of Newark's T. Spencer Knight Canal Park, the interpretative center and the murals.

It was then on to East Newark, where Canal Society of N.Y. volunteers Roger Straub and Mark DeCracker described Newark's Lock 28B, the powerhouse, and the historic double locks from the early barge canal days that are the focus of the new Lockville Canal Park and trail.

The tour spent the night in the Newark Quality Inn and dined at one of several downtown restaurants.

Mary Jemison is a 77 year old wooden tour boat, restored and relaunched in 2008, owned by Corn Hill navigation.

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SUBMITTED by Susan P. Gateley, Whiskey Hill Press (23-Jul-2010)

The West Side of Fair Haven Bay--a place of beauty, tragedy, controversy and peace on the Seaway Trail--is now documented in a new book and here is a limited time discount offer direct from Lulu! Please pass on to others.

Purchase this great title...
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Enter coupon code: BEACHREAD305

Our West Side Story
http://www.lulu.com/product/10918342?cid=071810_en_email_BEACHREAD305

Whiskey Hill Press has launched a new title, “Our West Side Story”, an account of the history and present day conditions at the West Barrier Bar Park on Fair Haven Bay that is being sold as a fund raiser to help maintain the current park. The full color 56 page 8 by 11 photo book has dozens of historic and contemporary photos of activities and lives associated with the gravel bar at the north end of Fair Haven Bay. Along with over sixty photos, Our West Side Story includes a history of the bar, tales of tragedy, a ghostly beach walker, exciting moments in the channel and other stories.

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SUBMITTED BY Bob Hegeman, Seneca Waterways Council BSA (8-June-2010)

A canoe / kayak trip on Ganargua Creek in Wayne County is set for Saturday, 19 June 2010. Start time is 9 a.m at Swift's Landing Park, Palmyra. The trip concludes at Norsen Bridge Park in Arcadia, where a free bus ride back to your car will be provided. Lunch is available at the end of the trip for a small fee. Call (315) 331-1071 or (315) 597-9816 for details, or just show up Saturday morning.

This event is sponsored by Venture Crew 138, Boy Scouts of America, Newark, New York.

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SUBMITTED by Charlie Helman, ADK-GVC Waterways Committee (20-Apr-2010)

Attention fellow ADK paddlers, here are a few upcoming events you may be interested in:

• 21 April 2010; ADK Chapter meeting at the Eisenhart Auditorium; 6:30 PM
• 22 April 2010; ADK-GVC Waterways meeting; 6:30 PM at Luann's house; contact her at luannm@rochester.rr.com
• 23-24 April 2010; EMS Club days; get special price discounts on clothing and gear with proof of membership
• 24 April 2010; Paddle the Alabama Swamp area of Oak Orchard Creek. Contact Charlie Helman for more details at chelman@rochester.rr.com
• 1-2 May 2010; Bay Creek Spring sales event
• 1 May 2010; ADK-GVC wilderness camping workshop; check the web site and Geneseean for more details on this free workshop
• 1 May 2010; Highway cleanup; check the web site and Genesean for more details
• 2 May 2010; Paddle the south end of Canandaigua Lake with Karen Pakulski; contact her at karenbill@frontiernet.net

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The first fisherman of the 2009-10 Winter Season were spotted by Wayne County Life on the ice of Great Sodus Bay on Wednesday, 30 December 2009. The ice is currently very wind-blown with many bare spots--a pretty inviting scene perhaps for any local ice skaters.


In the photograph can be seen some items typical of the sport of ice fishing, including ice augers, tip-ups, gear sled, and plastic buckets.

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Wayne County Life enjoyed a kayak adventure on 16 September 2009 to Eagle Island on Great Sodus Bay. Eagle Island is one of three islands on all of Sodus Bay, which is itself the largest bay on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Eagle Island was once used as a Boy Scout camping ground and is now completely private property, split amongst the many summer cottage owners on the island. There is no bridge to Eagle Island; cottages are accessible only by boat.

During the trip Wayne County Life saw much wildlife, including a Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Garter Snake, and Map Turtle. The day paddle was concluded with lunch at Connelly's Cove, one of the two adjacent restaurants on the northeast corner of Great Sodus Bay (the other being Skipper's Landing).

Revisit the kayak adventure to Eagle Island by viewing the Wayne County Life video below.




Questions? Comments? Please post them at the bottom of this story.

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There are many great point-to-point day paddles along Wayne County's Lake Ontario shoreline. On 28 August 2009, two Wayne County Life kayakers set out to paddle from Chimney Bluffs State Park to East Bay, one of Wayne County's three significant embayments (the others being Port Bay and Great Sodus Bay).

The pair of paddlers parked in the auto lot at the west end of the Chimney Bluffs State Park and dragged their boats from there across the soft grass down to a spot that would suffice for a launch site. The paddler must be careful, as there is a drop from the actual State Park down to the beach--and as this is a designated "No Swimming" area by New York State, there is likewise no designated boat launch.

Join Wayne County Life on our video paddle from Chimney Bluffs State Park to East Bay by viewing the movie below. The two paddlers faced an uncommon easterly wind on their trip, and in this "Dog-Day" paddle found an obstacle waiting for them at the mouth of East Bay.



Thanks for visiting Wayne County Life online and we hope you find beauty and joy in discovering Wayne County, as we do. Please share with us any thought that comes to you after reading this story by making a Comment in the space provided.

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Part of the Lake Ontario Seaway Trail, Wayne County has many inland waterways along the shoreline that provide for hours of excellent paddling. The towns of Huron and Wolcott in particular have great paddle destinations--from Great Sodus Bay to East Bay to Port Bay, and the Lake Shore Marshes in between.

Beaver Creek in North Huron, New York is part of the Lake Shore Marshes--located west and southwest of Port Bay. On 11 August 2009, kayakers out of Lyons and Lake Bluff made an afternoon trip to Beaver Creek from its Lake Ontario entrance. The group launched their boats into the lake at Dutch Street Road and aimed for a landing just a quick minute to the east. Back on shore, the boats were dragged across the cobblestone strip beach and from there entered into Beaver Creek. The small group lazily paddled to the "Y" where Beaver Creek heads northeast into Port Bay, turned around, and returned via the original route to the vehicle at Dutch Street in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Join Wayne County Life on that enjoyable paddle into Beaver Creek by viewing the video below. [Beaver Creek direct video link]



Have you paddled Beaver Creek? Please post a comment to this story to share your experience.

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The silver waters of Great Sodus Bay in Wayne County, New York offer much variety and opportunity to small boat owners, including sailors, canoeists, and kayakers.

A group of four folks associated with Wayne County Life set off to take advantage of such opportunity on a day paddle on Sodus Bay on 14 July 2009. This trip started at Lake Bluff, skirted the eastern side of Leroy Island, circled Eagle Island around the western side, passed thru the Newark Island / Eagle Island narrows, and finished back at Lake Bluff. Join Wayne County Life in revisiting the paddle by viewing the recorded video. [Island Kayak permalink]



Have experience kayaking Sodus Bay? Post a Comment below to share those memories!

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RE-POSTED from GVC-ADK.org, Genesee Valley Chapter of ADK website

The Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club has a trip planned in Wayne County on Monday 27 July 2009 at 1000.

Paddle the calmer waters of Chimney Bluffs that lead to Lake Ontario. Meet at 10 a.m. This paddle may be longer depending on conditions and interest of the group. Bring your life jacket, water bottle, sunscreen, and lunch. Return time approximately 1 or 2 p.m.

Directions: Take Rt. 104 east past Sodus. Head north on Lake Bluff Rd.. It is the northern extension of Rt. 414. Continue north as it turns into Garner Rd. Follow Garner Rd. as it takes a sharp bend to the east. Go past Chimney Bluffs State Park on your left. Look for a small dirt parking area on your left. It is easy to miss. Turn into the parking area. That is where the put in is located.

Contact Rebecca Ledwin at rledwin@gmail.com if you plan to come.

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SUBMITTED BY Bob Hegeman, Finger Lakes Council BSA (2-June-2009)

A canoe / kayak trip on Ganargua Creek in Wayne County is scheduled for 20 June 2009 at 9 a.m. The group will start at Swift's Landing Park in Palmyra, NY; a free bus ride is provided back to your parked car at the end of the trip. Lunch is available at the end of the trip for a small fee, proceeds to benefit the Boy Scouts of America. Call (315) 331-1071 or (315) 597-9816 with any inquiries.

Sponsored by Venture Crew 138 of the Boy Scouts of America, Newark, NY

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