On the Lake

Greg has spent the past two days paddling along the shores of Lake Erie, and tonight is near Dunkirk. He was lucky to be taken in by two men who waved to him from the shore, and is staying in their lovely house, enjoying such luxuries as a bed and warm shower. The previous day was quite heavy going, with his boat at times being spun around by the waves. In contrast today has been a relatively easy paddle. There are many cliffs along the shore in this part of the lake, some as high as 100 feet, and many rocky beaches - not particularly suitable for camping! Greg is aiming to reach the town of Erie tomorrow, assuming the current and weather are in his favour.

He Remembered to Turn Left!

And consequently did _not_ go over the Niagara Falls!

Greg is staying tonight outside Buffalo. He has already had Border Control pay him a visit this evening, they insisted on taking a look in his tent even though he said there was no one else there. At least he knows his campsite is very secure. Based in part on this experience, Greg has decided to stick to the American side of the lake for ease of kayaking. He hopes to find small beaches at which he can stop periodically, and is looking forward to kayaking unencumbered by having to wait for locks to open.

Medina NY

Greg has arrived at the town of Medina, NY and has pitched his tent next to several other kayakers he met on the river. Last night his sleep was interrupted by a carnival next door - although it had closed in the early evening, several large trucks returned to finish cleaning up around 11.30pm! Here's hoping tonight's campsite will be more peaceful. Greg kayaked through Rochester, NY today, where the canal became a deep, concrete lined canyon, and tomorrow is aiming to reach Tonawanda, NY. Once he gets to Buffalo, he will make inquiries about crossing from the USA to Canada by kayak. In some cases, it may be easier to kayak along the Canadian side of the lake, but he wants to make sure he can get back OK!

The weather improves..

Greg paddled through light rain yesterday, which he described as 'perfect kayaking weather'. It is certainly an improvement from recent days. He spent last night in the town of Macedon, and was fortunate to be invited to sleep on a canal boat moored nearby. Today he aims to reach the outskirts of Rochester, NY, and I expect to be able to update on his progress by tomorrow.

Slow progress

Tonight Greg is in Lyons in upstate New York.

He is camped behind a fire-station and is being helped by a number of local people .

This trip has been slower than the last . Greg compared it to paddling up the Waikato River every day from the sea to Huntly. Weather and tides are usually against him. Nevertheless he sounds very cheerful, possibly because he had the chance to visit a supermarket today. And Walmart!

Waiting..

Greg is has spent the day at Sylvan Beach, on the shores of Lake Oneida. The wind has been too strong for him to attempt any kayaking. Having read both his books, he hopes to make some progress tomorrow. I am also happy to report that Greg located his VHF radio, lying in the grass at one of his previous stops.

A Tough Day's Paddling

Greg has reached lock 14 tonight, but not without considerable effort. There was a large storm in the area last night, resulting in high water levels and the near closure of several locks (he was lucky to be let through). A strong current has meant he's been traveling at half his regular speed, and he has also lost his VHF radio at one of his stops. Fortunately he has been offered a ride back tomorrow in an attempt to retrieve it.

Tonight Greg is staying at a lovely marina, and hopes the water levels continue to drop so he can continue on his journey unimpeded.