2011
2011 PADDLING TRIP REPORTS
Trip Leaders - Liability release forms are available here. Return the completed forms to Charlie. You can file your trip report on-line here for the Geneseean and the web. Thanks.
Canadice Lake - July 25, 2011
Location: Canadice Lake
Date: July 25, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs - with a lot of help!!
Boy, did we need rain after this horrid heat spell - but not at 11:30AM on a Monday!!!! As we rafted up to eat our "goodies" at the far end of Canadice lake the dark clouds rolled in - we decided we better "hi tail" it to the the put in - some made it in time, some didn't, all got wet!!! Everyone got to land before the thunder/lightening started....we were just a bit strewn along the shoreline. Our "Monday heroes" swept into action and picked up paddlers and boats along the road and everyone got to their cars safely. An adventure for a Monday morning! Thanks to all who helped make sure everyone was safe and sound. A good time had by all!!!
Participants: Nancy, Annabelle, Joanne, Becky, George, Jenny, Neil, Nancy, Laurel, Peg, Linda,John, Vicky, Teresa,
Black Creek/Churchville - June 27, 2011
Location: Black Creek/Churchville
Date: June 27, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs/Ellen Prill
Another gorgeous Monday!!! They don't make 'em any better than this!!! A beautiful day - 13 of us met at Churchville Park and paddled down to the bridge. There we rafted up and ate brownies and Lemon bars -- a little nourishment for the return paddle. Three folks decided to paddle on down to the swamp and the rest returned to the put in shortly after 12:00. It truly is a wonderful way to start the week!!!
Participants: John, Gail, Rich, Carole, Darlene, Marilyn, Jenny, Laurel, Doug, Craig, Becky, Ellen, and Peg
Erie Canal/Macedon -- June 20, 2011
Location: Erie Canal/Macedon
Date: June 20, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs/Pat Power
O' what a beautiful morning!!! That's what our Monday gang is singing!!! It was a gorgeous morning on the canal! 24 of us set out to the lock from the canal park (this is a nice entry point) - The lock-master said he'd gladly lower the lock if we bribed him with "food" - lucky we had those brownies!!! This is a 60 ft. lock - lot's of fun!
Then an hour paddle towards Albany and then back to the lock again.....lucky for us the lock-master wasn't still hungry!!! It was just a perfect day to be out on the water!!!
Participants: Peg, Pat, Joanna, Annette, Skip, Linda, Neil, Susan, Joe, Doug, Charley, Matt, Jim, Megan, Jenny, Marcia, Teresa, Marilyn, Laurel, Nancy, Nadean, Robert, Sally.
Hemlock Lake/south end -- June 6, 2011
Location: Hemlock Lake/south end
Date: June 6, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs/Ellen Prill/Jim Bird
Couldn't ask for a better Monday!!! Lovely weather, lovely paddle, great company! Who could ask for anything more!!! (maybe pictures - I don't think we took pictures today!). We were able to paddle quite a ways down through the inlet (there is a passage way now around the downed trees) and the scenery just got more and more beautiful. Of course, cookies,brownies, pretzels along the way to keep us nourished. 21 folks enjoyed such a great Monday morning!
Next week we put in at LaSalle Park across from Bay Creek Paddles -
Participants: Craig, Doug C, Marcia, Nadean, Neil, Laurel, Sally, Peggy, Carl, Gail, George,Rich, Joe, John, Jason, Jim, Joanna, Marilyn, Doug S. Susan, Carole
May 23, 2011 -- Canadice Lake
May 23, 2011 -- Canadice Lake
Date: May 23, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs/Pat Power
Wind, waves, more wind, more waves!!! But sun and water and good people! A beautiful morning!!! We just had to use a few muscles we don't always use!! What fun!!! We changed our put in to the south end of the lake when the north end looked more like the ocean than our "little gem of the fingerlakes". It was better south but not calm!! We paddled down to the swampy area and rafted for snacks then the wind blew us back to our put in. A few brave souls paddled on further and had to fight the waves to get back, but all were accounted for in the end and all had a great time. Great way to start the week!!!
Participants: Peg, Pat, Joe, Laurel, Nadean, Jim,Marcia, Nancy and Wayne
May 22, 2011-- Hemlock Lake
May 22, 2011-- Hemlock Lake
Leader: Charlie Helman
Another nice day of paddling as we split the paddle into two sections. In the morning the group paddled up the inlet in the winding creek. we had plenty of water and got to see one of the eagles right at the beginning. Also saw red tail, heron and our share of ducks and geese. After lunch eleven of us stayed and went for a paddle up the eastern shore before paddling back to the boat launch. A nice combination of creek and open water paddling for the day. A number of us finished the day off with a trip to the ice cream shop......
Participants: John and Sally; Tatjana; Romans; Megan; Chris; David; Teresa; Nancy; Peg; Luann; Marcia; Pete; Marilyn; Laurel; Pete; Nancy; Peg, Ray, and Terra ... woof, woof; and Charlie.
May 14, 2011 -- Alabama Swamp section of Oak Orchard Creek
Alabama Swamp section of Oak Orchard Creek
May 14, 2011
Leader: Charlie Helman & Manon (ADK-NFC)
Thirteen paddlers made up from the ADK-NFC and ADK-GVC chapter braved another wet day of paddling. We had plenty of water, twists and turns,animal life and great conversations along the way to make it enjoyable for all. We saw eagle, osprey, heron, turkey vultures, ducks, geese, red wing black birds, some small yellow birds that I did not know and plenty of jumping fish.....
I actually got to see Peg paddle on a rainy day!!!!! I guess it was not a Monday so it officially does not affect her record of wonderful weather paddles.
Participants: From Rochester we had Peg, Lauren, John and Charlie
May 12, 2011 -- Irondequoit Bay
Irondequoit Bay
May 12, 2011
Leader: Charlie Helman
Tonight we started our Thursday night paddles with a nice relaxed paddle on the south end of Irondequoit Bay. We searched for the eagles and other wild life paddled up the eastern shore, watched the skiiers work at setting up their ski course and then paddled back down the western shore. Nice conversations and wonderful evening of paddling.
Participants: Kathy, Philppa, Chris, Charlie and a participant whose name I cannot read off the form.
May 2, 2011 -- West River/Naples
West River/Naples
May 2, 2011
Leader: Peg Jacobs/Pat Power
Monday paddles are underway!!! Starting with our usual Monday "nice weather" and "great paddlers"!!! The sun came out a little as we paddled and of course, the rain started as soon as we put the boats back on the car! Someone lives right in our group!!!
It was a perfect paddle!!! We put in on Rt. 245 to avoid some wind at the end of the lake. Paddled to the right on the West River. We managed to contort our bodies enough to slide under the bridge at Sunnydale Rd. with very high water!! Then paddled a short distance to the end! Well, not quite the end. Jody discovered that if we portaged our boats over the old railroad bed, with the water so high, we had lots more paddling to do!!! It was just lovely!!! I don't think we've ever been able to paddle so far and in this "uncharted" area before! Lot's of wildlife, mostly birds. O' the DEC parking lot at woodsville is underwater....not too much parking space left!! A great way to start the week!
Participants: Peg, Pat, Jody, Joe, Marcia,Laurel, Nadean
April 30, 2011 -- Black Creek-from Black Creek Park to Genesee River
Black Creek-from Black Creek Park to Genesee River
April 30,2011
Leader: Charlie Helman
The word for today was PERFECT! The weather was perfect, sunny and just the right temps to keep us all comfortable. The water level was very high.....making the paddle interesting. As we headed out into the creek in a section that the majority of us has never paddled before we were a bit apprehensive. With the water level so high we were not sure if we were going to see rapids, strainers, or many portages as well as stories of a possible irate farmer. As it turned out we did have a couple of portages and our share of strainers but for the most part our biggest challenge was trying to stay in the creek......we kept on getting off course and paddled among the trees. We saw our share of ducks, geese, some hawks and quite a few song birds who serenaded us from both sides of the creek. By and far the best paddle of the year so far.
April 23, 2011 Canadice Lake
April 23, 2011 Canadice Lake
Leader: Charlie Helman
The day started out looking like we might have to cancel .....very strong winds out of the south and rain. But after looking at the Doppler weather it showed signs of clearing so down to the meeting place I went. Thankfully when I arrived there were four other people just itching to get out and paddle. We headed off th Canandice Lake with multiple plans of attack....if no waves everything good....if waves then hug the shore.....fall back plan go back to the south end of Hemlock and paddle the inlet... As it turned out we decided to paddle into the waves in the morning before returning to the put in for lunch. after lunch we surfed our way towards the north end and then had to power our way back into the waves to the boat launch. We finally found a way to slow Pete down for a little while....just get him to use a new paddle for a while....in this case his brand new greenland paddle. We met our new member who had a fairly new plastic boat that was pretty stable but on the slow side.
Not much bird activity....ducks, geese, heron...and some vultures looking to see if we were going to become dinner.....then after the trip was offically over two of us found out how the easter bunny gets around.....as the bunny drove by us at around 85 mph on Route 390 north!!!!
Participants: Luann; Peter, David; Tatjana and Charlie
April 16, 2011 Oak Orchard Creek- Alabama Swamps
Location: Oak Orchard Creek- Alabama Swamps
Date: April 16, 2011
Leader: Charlie Helman & Hyde Hitchcock(ADK-NFC)
Six crazy paddlers decided to brave the weather and drive to the Alabama Swamp area of Oak Orchard Creek. This is a winding fairly calm section of O.O. Creek that we introduced into our paddle schedule last year.Although we had rain & wind it really was not as bad as we thought and the overall experience was quite enjoyable. Along the way we saw an abundance of birds from an eagle, hawks, vultures, heron, geese, ducks and some beautiful swallows that had blue upper bodies and either white or orange lower bodies. Afterwards we found a local Denny\'s where we found a warm drink, some food and some warm company. The day was fun and certainly beat sitting indoors wondering what it would have been like if we stayed home.
April 3, 2011 Black Creek at Ballantyne Road
April 3, 2011 Black Creek at Ballantyne Road
Date: April 3, 2011
Leader: Charlie Helman
Trip Description: Today we had exceptional weather for a paddle up Black Creek from the Genesee River. We were again joined by a group from the Buffalo area. The water level was high as we headed upstream from the boat launch, an indication that we were in for a great adventure. A short time after we started we came accross someones little back country retreat complete with two swings hanging from trees in the creek/swamp. After discussing wheter we should trying some kayak/canoe swinging we decided to move on. We then came to the old railroad bridge that has culverts under them that with slightly lower levels in the creek and we could have padled underneath. Instead we had to complete a portage. Interesting info about this bridge.....it dates back to 1840s and it was the original location of the canal system and now a portion of the Fingerlakes trail passes by. Back into the creek we went for a twisting turning adventure that sometimes was in the main channel and sometimes we were off the main into a swamp like atmosphere. In many locations we encountered strong currents. After paddling over 4.25 miles we came to tree dam that was located within eyesight of the Archer Road bridge. Here we all tried paddling up over the dams and then back down in a semi-whitewater like condition.....nothing dangerous but with very strong currents flowing through four different locations. At this point we had some difficulties and a few people decided to test their choice in clothing as well as their self preservation skills. After that excitement we headed up to the bridge before heading for home. Overall we paddled about 9 miles before a group of us headed to McGregors on Jefferson for a late lunch accompanied by stories of our paddling adventure.
March 27, 2011 Black Creek Paddle to Bergen Swamp
March 27, 2011 Black Creek Paddle to Bergen Swamp
Today five people met to paddle Black Creek to the Bergen Swamp. I arrived early to check out the boat launch after a cold night in the low teens. Upon arrival I discovered the boat launch was frozen over. With a little effort I was able to break up the ice giving us access to the creek. Once in the creek we encountered more ice, abundant bird activity, high water and one of the longest trips into the swamp that any of has done. We saw a mink on the shoreline for the second week in a row, Canandian Geese, ducks, a huge Heron, red tail hawks, vultures and maybe even a eagle.
March 19, 2011 -- Irondequoit Creek
Irondequoit Creek from Panorama to the Bay
Today was the first official paddle trip of the season. The creek level was pretty high so the water was moving. We had a wonderful mix of people, four from Buffalo, one from Nunda and six from the Rochester area. we also had a good mix of boats, five kayaks, one tandem canoe and five canoes. We had one participant test out his dry suit.....and found out it is important to make sure all the zippers are COMPLETELY closed. We also had a nice mix of birds; geese, swans, ducks, red tail hawks, seagulls and a few people swear they saw the nesting pair of eagles from the south end of the bay......take that Bazils!!!
A nice start to the paddle season!
March 5&12, 2011 -- Greenland Paddlemaking Class
Greenland Paddlemaking Class
January 8, 2011 -- Waterways Holiday Party at Nancy's
Waterways Holiday Party at Nancy's
Photos mostly by Sally