by Sue Freeman
I wish I had a see-through kayak as I paddled down Eighteenmile Creek from Burt Dam to Olcott. On this trip, I put in expecting to see a channel lined by docks and boats. Instead, I found myself in a pristine valley where great blue herons swooped overhead and duckweed parted as my paddle sliced through the water. Yes, there are a few docks with boats, but they look out of place along the shores that alternate between woods and cattails. My biggest surprise was the water itself. Crystal clear and deep, I could look down and see seaweed waving in the current below. Fish, both large and small, darted among the fronds. I felt like I was floating on the surface of an aquarium. Shortly after launching, I set my paddle down and drifted while enjoying the scene unfold below my kayak. Imagine if I had had the clear view provided by a see-through kayak?
The joys of paddling Eighteenmile Creek and many more can be found in the guidebook “Take A Paddle – Western New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks.”
