Canoe and Kayak

Spending time in a canoe or kayak is one of many outdoor activities available in the Rochester area.

• Irondequoit Bay - There are places at the South end of the bay where you can rent kayaks. The bay is large and fun to explore. There is wildlife to be seen or you can explore the underside of the Irondequoit Bay Bridge. Pull up your kayak onto the docks and have a drink at one of the bayside establishments. You can choose whether to paddle North into Irondequoit Bay, or South into the wetlands of Irondequoit Creek. There you can paddle all the way up through the cattails to Ellison Park.

• Mendon Ponds - Has a convenient launch ramp. The two largest ponds are connected by a large pipe that boaters can use to pass from one to the other.
  

• Lock 32 Whitewater Kayaking Park is the only one of its kind in the country! Man-made and not dependent on dam releases, the Park was envisioned in 1996 by several kayaking enthusiasts. Their goal was to turn the Erie Canal spillway bed at that location into a whitewater playground. After four years of hard work by teams of volunteers, the course opened for its first full season in 2000. The designers constructed the Park to provide a controlled environment for students and also offer a challenging practice site for experienced kayakers.
  

• Genesee River and Erie Canal near Genesee Valley Park - This area has wonderful placid water and beautiful scenery along the shore. There is a convenient put-in available at the Genesee Waterways Center.

Although canoe and kayak rental stores tend to be centered on a specific waterway, most offer foam block padding for your car to transport their crafts to other bodies of water.

• Take A Paddle - Western New York Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks - A guidebook on where to paddle in the Rochester area. http://www.footprintpress.com
  

• In 2008 Families in Recovery held Paddle for Families as a benefit for children and others impacted by alcoholism.