The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
EXPLORING THE ERIE
Boat Float celebrates history of famous New York waterway
CHITTENANGO, N.Y. >> From all over New York, outdoor enthusiasts traveled to CNY to traverse the historic Erie Canal at the Erie Canal Boat Float on Saturday.
Participants were invited to one of four launch sites, from Cedar Bay Park in DeWitt to the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat-Museum, with each point a longer trip than the last.
“We left Malone at 3 a.m. and this is our first year in the Boat Float,” said Bruce Barney. He and his wife Tammy are avid kayakers, mainly traversing the Adirondacks, Barney said.
“This is one of the things on our bucket list,” Barney said. “The next thing on the list is to kayak from Old Forge to Tupper Lake.”
When asked to compare kayaking the Adirondacks and the Erie Canal, Barney said while the Adirondacks are nice, the Erie Canal is unique in its importance.
“It’s the history,” Barney said. “We went to school learning about the Erie Canal. This was beautiful. We both enjoyed it.”
Barney said for being 60, the almost 10-mile trip was definitely a workout — but they aren’t slowing down. “This has been the best Father’s Day weekend. And we’re probably going to go to the Adirondacks and
kayak tomorrow,” Barney said.
Canal Boat Museum Executive Director Joseph Treglia said this is the third year for the Boat Float and it’s only grown.
“The first year was around 100 paddlers,” Treglia said. “This year, we’ll see 800 to 1,000. And that’s Kayakers, canoes, paddleboards and more. We see them all.”
Last year, Treglia said the Canal Museum recorded where people had come from. “All 50 states were represented last year and there were 100 people from other countries,” Treglia said. “France, Ukraine, Europe andmore. Around the world, there are active and working canals and these people are interested to see ours. “
Amy Manitta, a 12 year kayaking veteran of Cato, said this is the second time she’s been on the Erie Canal for the Boat Float.
For Manitta, the benefit of riding down the Erie Canal is the leisure of it and being able to take in nature.
“It’s great, there aren’t any motorized vehicles so you don’t have to worry about wakes,” Manitta said. “You can go at your own pace, there are multiple locations to start from and riding down the canal is calming and relaxing.”