Day 214

Daily stats
Start: 4:15 AM - Barcelona, NY
Break: 1:30 PM - 5:30 Presqueisle State Park, PA
Finish 8:15 PM - Camp Caledon, PA
Time: 12:00
Daily dist: 38 miles
Total dist: 4000+
Companions: None
Weather: Clear, high in low 90‘s, calm, hazy
Notes: Considered camping at state camp but decided to press on.

I must say to all the folks that paddle the eastern end of Lake Erie that you are all too quiet about how beautiful the paddling is around here. If miles and miles of beautiful textured rock cliffs with numerous small waterfalls tinkling into the lake isn’t enough to impress, than there is no hope for you. All I’ve ever heard about paddling Lake Erie is how rough and blown out it can get. Sure, I have no doubt about that, but how bout some words from those that frequent these waters about how great it can be too. I’ve paddled a lot of places and come a long way to get here, and I must say it is a very nice place to paddle. Perhaps my viewpoint has been swayed because I’ve had absolutely sublime conditions in which to paddle, I don’t know. All I can say is that when I passed by, it was amazing.

Looking back at another purple sunrise on Lake Erie

That being said, things are going well on my trek across Lake Erie. Another very early start helped me avoid the little bit of wind I did see today. I had considered camping at Presqueisle State Park but after one Life Guard whistled a warning for paddling too close then another whistled a warning for swimming too far away… I figured that was a sign that I was better off staying someplace else. After a nice long break I re-launched into another flat calm evening and put in another ten miles before pulling out at what I thought was an undeveloped beach. As soon as I climbed out of my boat two girls scrambled down a trail from above. It turned out that the beach was directly below a RV campground. Not wanting to go any further I walked the trail up to the camp and found three gentlemen sitting on the porch of a trailer. After talking to them for a moment they assured me that it would be no problem for me to camp down below. The manager would never know much less care.

Not a bad way to end the day.