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Paddling around the entire coast of Lake Erie

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djconny

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I am considering a paddle around the entire coast of Lake Erie. Is this an unrealistic trip??
Has anyone done this and if so, do you have any advice.
Thanks for any info. forthcoming.
 
Having done some sailing on Lake Michigan, offhand I'd say you're nuts. But if you're serious, look up Verlen Kruger and see how he's done his long-distance travel. And get as much information as you can about weather patterns and safe harbors with a few hours' paddle of each other.
 
You'll need support, know where your safe harbors are and where not to try to land.. Takes a year of planning. Try and read No Roads to Follow, kayaking the Great Lakes Solo..
You could use a canoe but your wind days will be more.. Make sure you have a cover for it so you don't swamp. Northwater makes a good cover that cant pull off as well as CCS

I don't think you are nuts. I have a friend Reinhardt Zolltsch who has canoed all along the Canadian Maritimes and New England You may enjoy his trip reports
http://www.zollitschcanoeadventures.com/table-of-contents/articles.html
 
djconny said:
I am considering a paddle around the entire coast of Lake Erie. Is this an unrealistic trip??
Has anyone done this and if so, do you have any advice.
Thanks for any info. forthcoming.
Click to expand...
I read this post this morning and gave myself a few hours to mull it over, here's my thoughts.

I don't have any experience with the Great Lakes and have no advise to give, but thanks for asking. It's fun to dream and dreams can come true.

Your not nuts, like Phil suggested, your just asking a question. Please continue to post and let us know what develops, I'm interested in how it goes.

Maybe I'm nuts for putting up with Phil, maybe it was 2am on a Friday night when Phil posted, been there, or maybe I'm just a despot like Phil suggested a while back and my paranoia is setting in.

Either way, tread lightly or be gone sir.
 
Hi djconny. (Orchard Park, home of the Bills!) I like the idea of circumnavigating Erie. Keep in mind how shallow it is, and easily tossed by storms. I don't know the lake at all well, having seen it from maybe 4 places only, but I bet there's hidden secrets that shoreline would give up to an intrepid paddler. It sure would take some planning, finding overnight accommodation and sheltered paddling. I wouldn't try it without a full cover as YC suggests. Maybe a tandem partner too. It would be handy to stay in touch with a GPS for safety sake and sharing your daily progress. Anyway, good luck with this idea.
 
I've got experience on only Lake Superior of the Great Lakes so I have no hints save Erie gets choppy (observing from I 90!)
If you have no big water experience I suggest working toward your dream on smaller big lakes. I had a good many years kkkkayaking (that word!) in Maine among islands before tackling a more bowl like unprotected water.

LOL. Now off to Newfoundlander! A new scary experience with lots of cliffs
 
I read this the other day and thought about it a bit too. I grew up on Lake Erie ( Port Colborne) and have a fair bit of time on the water. It does get pretty rough on occasion. Very rough. So you have to consider layovers and such. It would be some pretty cool paddling though I am sure.

Maybe some of the intrepid sorts here who paddle oceans will chime in on the use of spray skirts and dry suits, that sort of thing. One thing going for you is the water is warm during summer, unlike Superior. I would for sure want some paddling experience in big water beforehand....go out and do some trial runs on a windy day. Just watch out for undertow though.

YC...enjoy yourself on the Rock. They have some fabulous parks there.

Christy
 
My dreams are not others dreams. I met these gals last year. They had paddled the circumference of Lake Michigan in a dugout. Its not for me. No they are not nuts. One made the dugout canoe from a log..yes. Very thoughtful careful but free gals. They plan on paddling each Great Lake in a dugout.

http://lakemichiganinadugout.blogspot.com/

We all have our own biases as to water we like and equipment we use and that is good. My trip is my trip. Need not be your trip.. Nor am I wrong or nuts if your trip is not my trip.

And we all start at the newbie level if we choose a new way or place to paddle. I may well take a kayak tour with a local guide in Newfoundland just to learn of the many things I don't know.
 
Personally I think it a cool idea, albeit, you would likely need an entire summer to do it. A couple years ago on a different forum someone was postulating on a circumnavigation of Lake Winnipeg. That would be more dangerous than Erie.
 
Great idea. There are many great trips that others never think of.
Use some precautions. Watch the weather, minimize exposed crossings, get a canoe cover, etc. It can be big water, so have layover days built into your schedule. It will be like a chess game with Ma Nature. A sea kayak trip in the San Juan Is taught mr a lot about patience and waiting for the tide.
 
This was my first post on the site. I'm so impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the responders.

I appreciated Philtrum's comment, "offhand I'd say you're nuts." After I posted, I thought the same thing.

I grew up on the south shore of Lake Erie [Silver Creek, NY] and am familiar with how quickly things can
foam on that lake.

Lots of good advice. Much appreciated. I severely underestimated how long this trip might take.

My canoeing bud and I went to kindergarten together [we are both 68 years old but still fit]. Lots of planning ahead if this trip can ever happen.
Sounds like a summer adventure.

Thanks again for all the good advice.
 
djconny said:
.

I appreciated Philtrum's comment, "offhand I'd say you're nuts." After I posted, I thought the same thing.


I severely underestimated how long this trip might take.
Click to expand...

Hey very nice well meaning people say the same thing to me about my paddling on Lake Superior. Nothing personal.. its not insulting to me at all. And to a degree they are right. I included these two snippets for a reason. I think its lunacy too if you have to keep to a schedule as most working folk do. From what I see they get into trouble because they feel they have to be somewhere at x o'clock.
If you can be flexible and wait out bad stuff, the more safe you will be.
 
Wow ... My "nuts" comment certainly drew a strong response. I meant it lightly but with an element of seriousness. I also didn't discourage the OP but rather suggested some good resources. So let's lighten up.

I do believe, however, that it takes a kind of insanity to consider such a trip. Or maybe I'm jealous because the only big Great Lakes trip I ever planned was from Milwaukee to Green Bay in an 18-foot sailboat. I never did it because my knowledge of Lake Michigan and the limitations of an open boat brought me to my senses.
 
Hey Phil,

For what it's worth, I took no offense at your "nuts" comment. After a bit of thought, I realized I had not given the idea enough thought
before my initial post. Lots of details to consider as you and others have nicely pointed out.

Thanks for getting my imagination back to reality.
 
Before you go, you might read Paddle into Winter. By Julie Buckles. A tale of paddling a canoe from Bayfield WI to the Grand Portage near Thunder bay and up Lake Winnipeg and farther to northern Manitoba.

Several years ago at Placid Boatworks I met a couple that stopped in for a few touch ups on their Minnesota II. They were paddling from Duluth to St John NB.

So it is done and is possible with the right organization and planning.
 
I grew up on Lake Erie. I never canoed on it, but I had a small sailboat (Thistle) that I raced with and sometimes I rented a row boat and rowed a 1/2 mile of shore to fish. I had one incident ( I didn't check the weather) when I was sailing where a storm came up fast, the wave were 10 feet high in minutes, but I had the wind at my back and I headed up a river to safety.

My advise is just check the weather, if the wind is over 15 mph the Lake kicks up. Generally it is fairly calm in the morning and in the evening. Erie's water is warmer than the other Great Lakes, it gets up to the mid seventies in early August. I think if you take your time, follow the weather, plan multiple places to put in, and listen to the suggestions on the forum it would be fun long term goal. Erie, although you hear about algae, is much much cleaner then when I Iived there.
 
Being originally from Buffalo I can give you a little info. The current pushes northeast as it drains into the Niagara river, then into Niagara Falls, and as othere's have noted it is shallow, so the PA and NY portion of the trip will be the toughest. Most of it is private beach too, but you will love Presque Isle in Erie PA. The western side will have the most safe havens, as well as a ton of islands(search Put in Bay if you wanna have a party night). The lake does get some big chop though, so be ready for a few days off.
I am also in the Navy reserve and drill out of of Buffalo still, I drive our 44 footer routinely on Erie and am the navigator, so if you have any questions I would be happy to help. Coast Pilot 6 will also be very handy, just download it for free from NOAA and print what you need.
 
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