RESPONSE TO MARY ELLEN

Thanks for your inquiry, Mary Ellen.
Please provide your email address in your next Comment and we'll send you more info about paddling here in these parts.
I'll give you a brief overview here.
In a nutshell all the Finger Lakes are awesome for paddling. You'll find the put ins in a NYS gazetteer published by DeLorme, found at bookstores. Look for the little boat launch symbol.
Our second favorite resource is a little volume called Take A Paddle, available here in Ithaca at Puddledockers Kayak Shop. They'll be glad to give you a suggestion or two, as well.
The prettiest and most unusual of all the Finger Lakes is Hemlock. Be sure to stop in at the kiosk for your day permit if you decide to paddle there. There's only one boat launch so it's easy to find in the DeLorme.
It's a clean water reservoir for Rochester, no swimming allowed. It's free of cottages and feels like it's in the Adirondacks. Eagles are occasionally seen at the southern end.
We also like Skaneateles, a pretty little town. Put in on the north/west side, paddle into the village for a great lunch (Doug's Fish Fry is a fave) then head down the East shore for more distance. The cottages are lovely.
Where you choose to paddle depends on your skill level and desires. Flat, calm waters are found in the Inlets and small lakes (Dryden, Waneta, Lamoka). The open water on the lakes can stir up quickly with heavy winds out of the North and South. Many people stick to the shoreline but in heavy wind this can be a problem. The shallower it is the higher the waves can stack up, when the 3 footers push down the lakes. Of course there's nothing quite like surfing downwind on 3' waves.
Hope this helps.
Louise