Eleven Miles on the Erie Canal

"I've got a mule, and her name is Sal,


Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.


She's a good ol' worker an' a good ol' pal,


Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.


We've hauled some barges in our day,


Filled with lumber, coal, and hay,


And we know every inch of the way


From Albany to Buffalo."

Thomas S. Allen, 1905

Where is Sal when you need her? I'm only doing an eleven-mile loop on the historic New York Erie Canal, but I sure could use a mule to help pull my kayak. And, you may ask, how can I paddle a loop on the Erie Canal? After all, it's a linear waterway that runs for 363 miles between Buffalo and Albany. True enough. But today's Erie Canal System also includes some north/south connector canals like the Cayuga/Seneca Canal that connects the Erie Canal to Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. I'm using this canal, a segment of the Clyde River and the Erie Canal to create a loop.

I slide my kayak into the water from the Seneca River Fishing Access Site off Routes 5 & 20 in Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and begin paddling north on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. The canal channel is straight as an arrow, so I can paddle easily on the green-tinted water and focus on the abundant wildlife enjoying the refuge. Birds fly overhead and perch on shoreline trees. My serenity is interrupted by a school of fish that lurch into the air, probably trying to catch bugs.

To my right is obviously not part of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. A herd of cows graze at the water's edge, chewing their cud and watching with wary eyes as I glide by. I click a photo to show my husband. He tolerates my passion for cows. I'm always pointing them out as we drive the countryside.

I reach the confluence where the Clyde River flows into the canal and turn left. The water immediately turns from green to brown and the shoreline changes dramatically. Now it's irregular – a sure sign of a natural waterway. The trees along the banks spill over into the waterway but the channel is wide enough to allow me to easily maneuver around them.

I'm in luck today. The dam at May's Point is closed so the current remains imperceptible. I easily paddle to the ramp at May's Point and portage the short distance to put in again above the low dam. In spring, and after heavy rains, the dam is opened as an overflow valve for the Erie Canal. When the dam is open it can be difficult to paddle to the portage ramp. May's Point Bait and Tackle offers a welcome rest point. I purchase lunch and rest at a picnic table, watching the comings and goings of the local fishermen trying their luck at bass, carp and lake sturgeon.

Refueled, I continue up the wild Clyde River until it meets the Erie Canal. After turning right, I'm officially on the Erie Canal. Up until the last upgrade, the canal had to be kept separate from creeks and rivers so water levels could be controlled. With the 1917 upgrade, technology had progressed, so the route of the canal was moved to take over portions of riverbeds such as the Clyde and Seneca Rivers.

The scenery changes again, back to a straight, man-made channel. As I approach Lock #25, I blow three toots on my air whistle and wait for the lock tender to find me in my small craft and wave me into the lock. I slip on an old pair of gloves so I can hold onto the slimy, wet cable as the water disappears from below my boat in the lock. Unseen, the lock tender opens valves to release the water and I slowly drift downward into a dark chamber of musty smelling, wet cement walls. After a few minutes I bob deep in this dark hole feeling insignificant, when a series of grunt and groans signals the opening of the lock gates. They swing out slowly to reveal a vibrant world of blues and greens. I leave the cool, damp chamber behind and continue down the canal, free again.

A right turn at the next confluence of waters returns me to the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and an easy paddle back to my car. After 5 hours of paddling, I finish the loop without the help of Sal, although I'm sure her spirit was with my every paddle stroke.

The Details:


Location: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca County, between Seneca Falls & Auburn, New York


Guidebook: "Take A Paddle – Finger Lakes New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks," by Rich & Sue Freeman, www.footprintpress.com


Nearby Campgrounds: May's Point Bait & Camping, 3078 Clyde River Drive, Savannah, NY 13146, (315) 365-3183

Oak Orchard Marina & Campground, Route 89 at May's Point/Savannah, NY 13148 www.oakorchard.com, (315) 365-3000


Paddling Distance: 11.2 miles for the full loop


Estimated Time to Paddle: 5-6 hours for the full loop


Amenities: May's Point Bait & Camping offers ice cream, lunches, picnic area, camping, cabins and outhouses.

At Lock 25 there's a Porta-potty and picnic tables.