When you spend time in the Finger Lakes, the lakes themselves become an unmissable part of the scenery. While staying near Seneca Lake, we saw it from the road, from the vineyards, from our AirBNB window. Since we were in the area for TBEX, we had the good luck to get to experience so many pieces of the local community, many of which also centered around the lake. So, while Luke gallivanted around Finger Lakes breweries and distilleries with one group of travel bloggers, I joined another group of TBEX bloggers in grabbing some colorful kayaks and hopping on the water with Summit to Stream Adventures. And we all discovered that if you’re looking for something active and amazing to do in the Finger Lakes, kayaking Seneca Lake should absolutely be your first stop!
What it’s like to kayak in the Finger Lakes on Seneca Lake
Three words: serene, hard work, beautiful.
Serene because Seneca Lake has a lovely ambiance made up of waterfowl, sailboats, and the pervasive sounds of lapping water. Hard work because if you feel even a light breeze, that’ll whip up currents and waves that might make at least one leg of your trip a little rough. Plus, you’re propelling yourself around with your arms! Not the easiest job you could choose. And beautiful because COME ON.
For our excursion, Mark Moskal – Summit and Stream’s owner and operator – assigned us all PFDs and got us situated in our kayaks. (As a note, they offer dual as well as single kayaks, so you’ll certainly have a configuration to fit your needs.) Then, we pushed off and didn’t look back. Well, some of us didn’t. I did, because it turned out that my rudder had gotten jammed, so I ended up kayaking a little like an erratic drunk and acting the comic relief for our group 🤦🏻♀️ But Mark stayed nearby the whole time, despite the size of our group, pointing out landmarks and making sure we all felt as comfortable and capable as possible.
Since we had a bunch of casuals in the group, we didn’t go too far – a longer trip would’ve put us close to the foot of beautiful Hector Falls. But we stopped a little over halfway there to turn back so we could finish the rest of our day. On the way, we saw plenty of wildlife (though, no bald eagles that day) and a few sailboats, and got to ogle the Painted Rocks up close and personal. Despite the clouds, we had a lovely breeze and the paddle pace was leisurely enough to chat. All in all, a perfect day to be kayaking Seneca Lake!
Why choose Summit to Stream Adventures for kayaking Seneca Lake?
Supporting local businesses with tourist dollars can mean the world. So, supporting Summit to Stream, founded and operated by a local outdoorsman like Mark is a no-brainer. Add to that, he holds just about every safety certification you can think of for someone who spends time near the water (which I find very comforting, as someone who spends far less time near the water!), in addition to having a ton of experience fishing and exploring the country – and his own backyard in the Finger Lakes.
Personally, I felt safe at all times, as Mark found a way to balance both sightseeing with being present and aware of what all his guests were doing. For instance, he had just pointed out a particular view when I mentioned that my kayak wasn’t steering very well. I chalked it up to user error, but he tried to adjust my rudder (which I didn’t know I had?!) and figured out it was jammed. So, as a backup, he advised me how to stay calm and not let my drunk kayak get the best of me.
The whole experience rates a solid A+, and I’m fully ready to get Luke out on the lake when we go back!!
Boyfriend Perspective: And now I’m being voluntold. Coooooooool.
Finger Lakes kayaking vs Caribbean kayaking
Picture it: Culebra, Puerto Rico, summer 2015 – the last time we tried kayaking. The convenient bit? We were already wearing bathing suits and had just been snorkeling, so we could boost ourselves straight from the water into the fully open-top kayaks. No worries about dripping, dropping cameras or phones, or having to dry out our clothes once we finished. Little wonder then, that I had some concerns about how kayaking on a lake would work fully clothed and in 65F weather!
If you choose to kayak on Seneca Lake or one of the other Finger Lakes, know that the main difference is that you’ll sit in the kayak, and someone will help you slide into the water. Voila, you stay dry! Now, if you kayak as dumbly as I do, you’ll still get wet from the paddle flinging water around a bit. So, be sure to wear water-resistant clothes (particularly pants) and water-friendly shoes. That way, you’ll dry as soon as you come out of the kayak and won’t end up with a towel sarong over your street clothes for the next hour.
Practical information
- Address: Seneca Harbor Park on the south tip of the lake (right at 1st Street and Decatur in Watkins Glen, NY)
- Free parking onsite + on-street parking
- Hours: vary by season and activity (check here)
- Admission: Kayak rentals start at $18/hour. Tour prices quoted upon inquiry. More information
- Accessibility: not accessible
- Website: http://summittostream.com/
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