Kayaking Downtown

As part of our science camp counselor training, my coworkers and I kayaked up Onondaga Creek yesterday, from Dorwin Ave to the Inner Harbor. This trip was meant to give us a continuous view of the creek as it shifts from a fairly rural to a more urban landscape. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and we were leisurely following the current, so the day couldn't have been any more pleasant. I giggled like a little girl as a big yellow butterfly nearly crashed into my face before fluttering across the creek and disappearing into some tall grasses. I stared in awe as an immense, graceful heron glided elegantly overhead, legs straight and feet pointed like an expert diver. For a moment I imagined I was living amidst dinosaurs and the great beast overhead was really a pterodactyl. The warm heat from the sun made my eyelids heavy and the flutey songs of nearby birds dared me to doze off.

This fleeting feeling of utter serenity endured only until the first instance I lifted my paddle too high and accidentally splashed my face with creek water. Immediately I was reminded of the dreadful water quality of the creek and I made a mental note to monitor my paddle strokes more closely. It was only moments later the characteristic creek stench hit me. The stink of sewage filled my nostrils and the water that splattered across my face earlier suddenly seemed to be burning my holes through my skin. Or at least that's what my brain wanted me to think. Either way, what started out as a beautiful and relaxing kayak trip transformed into a race to the finish as the stench worsened. All I could think about was how infected my eyes might get if I kept accidentally splashing them with E. coli. infested water.

The sad part is Onondaga Creek could be a great recreational resource, but it has a bad reputation and people don't want to submerge themselves in water that smells like a toilet. Despite cringing every time a drop of water splashed on my shoulder and trickled down my arm, I could absolutely see the potential in the creek. It passes through the heart of downtown, and I paddled right past a dragon statue that I admire every time I visit Armory Square for a nice meal or to peruse the nearby record store. A creek that runs right through the city is a pretty unique feature, and it made me appreciate the trip more as I gazed up at familiar city buildings. Other parts of the creek are completely enclosed by old growth trees and bushes, giving it a beautiful shaded canopy. You would never know you were kayaking through downtrodden parts of Syracuse if it weren't for the sewage smell.

Under a bridge in the city
Photo courtesy of The Town Shop

Beautiful greenery surrounding the creek
Photo courtesy of The Town Shop