The good folks at Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper recently had
me along for one of their fantastic kayak tours, which needs to be on your
summer “to do” list. The organization hosts a series tours on the waterways of
Western New York. Tours fall under one of two categories, interpretive tours or
leisure paddles.
The interpretive tours put a focus on some history and
current information about the waterway and the leisure paddles allow you to go
at your own, loosely guided, pace. I went on the interpretive tour with about ten other people
for the Strawberry/Motor Island trip. We launched from Grand Island in the morning and
were out for about four hours, taking in the scenery and getting an education.
Most people only see Strawberry Island from the 190, but we
had the opportunity to land and explore for a bit. Although it may not
look impressive from the highway, it’s one of the few places in Buffalo you can
be on a beach and enjoy the crashing waves without the annoying sounds of nearby traffic. There is a wide range of different tours offered until the end
of October and most of the tours are free (minus kayak rental).
Keep up to Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper on Facebook or check
out their official website.