The Beat

Ithaca, NY – The Finger Lakes Land Trust announced the addition of the Finger Lakes Museum and Ganondagan State Historic Site to its outdoor recreation web site, GoFingerLakes.org. Go Finger Lakes is offered as a free public service to help residents and visitors discover the best locations in the region for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Both the Finger Lakes Museum and Ganondagan State Historic Site exemplify the unique natural and cultural history of the Finger Lakes region. The Finger Lakes Museum was added to highlight a unique paddling opportunity. Visitors can launch their canoe or kayak at no charge and explore wetlands and a stretch of Sugar Creek, paddling to the open waters of Keuka Lake. A limited amount of kayaks and canoes are available to rent. The museum also offers a variety of programs and exhibits about the Finger Lakes.

Clayton, New York – The Antique Boat Museum and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Alexandria Bay Flotilla have partnered to offer remote learning opportunities through the end of 2020. More new and reimagined programming will continue to roll out in early 2021 as part of this partnership.

The final session of About Boating Safely for 2020 will be held on Google Meet from Monday, November 2 through Thursday, November 5 from 6pm-8pm. This is a more compact schedule than previous sessions of the class, lasting 2 hours per night for 4 nights rather than 1 hour a night for 8 nights.

Oswego, NY. – Did you know there is an island dedicated to a spy in Mexico, New York or that there is a World War II tug that shot down a Nazi plane now docked in Oswego’s inner harbor? The new Sailor Sam Canal to Shore Challenge program from the H. Lee White Maritime Museum in Oswego will help you answer all of these questions and many more. This program, sponsored in part by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the NYS Canal Corporation seeks to take participants of all ages, in groups or as individuals, on a quest to see and learn more about the hidden history along our local waterways.

The Museum’s Sailor Sam mascot identifies 23 historic points of interest along the Oswego Canal, Oswego Harbor and Lake Ontario in a Logbook available through the Museum. Individuals, family groups, youth groups, school groups and others can purchase this special Logbook and then visit all 23 sites, learning more about the fascinating and unique stories that unfold at each site.

Public Boat Launch Access Now Available at Each of 11 Finger Lakes

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that the new boat launch site on Otisco Lake is complete and open to the public. Prior to the launch’s completion, Otisco was the only Finger Lake without a public boat launch. With this facility, boaters will have a new option to explore the region and its fishing and boating-related recreational opportunities.

Clayton, NY (July 21, 2020) – The Antique Boat Museum (ABM), North America’s premier freshwater boating museum based in Clayton, NY, announces the routes for the Boats on Parade taking place Saturday, August 1^st.  Antique and classic boats in the region as well as those able to come from outside the North Country are invited to join ABM in two parades around the Islands.

Skaneateles, N.Y. – In a world in which everything has changed, at least one thing remains constant—the grand tradition of antique boating and boat owners’ desire to share it with the public.

Despite the fact that this year’s Antique and Classic Boat Show in Skaneateles has been canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, members of the Finger Lakes Chapter (FLC) of the Antique and Classic Boat Society, in partnership with the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, will further that tradition in the organizations’ first-ever Virtual Boat Show July 20-26.

Oswego, N.Y. – New York Sea Grant (NYSG) is providing New York State's freshwater marine industry for-hire boating sector with a series of six decals to encourage public compliance with boating-specific COVID-19 safety precautions. The outreach is part of the 2020 edition of NYSG's nationally-recognized Discover Clean and Safe Boating campaign.

The decals will adhere to boat surfaces to note "Mask Required," "Use Sanitizer," "Wear It" with a life jacket symbol, and "Keep Personal Belongings Personal;" others have a blank line to write a name with an erasable marker to designate person-specific areas aboard the vessel for each individual's fishing pole or diving gear. There is no cost for the decals for qualified for-hire boating businesses.

Tupper Lake, NY - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is happy to announce the launch of the Tupper Lake Triad paddling challenge.

While hiking challenges have continuously grown in popularity throughout the Adirondacks, so has the Triad in Tupper Lake. Since 2014, more than 5,000 people have completed the Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge. To build off of the success of the hiking challenge, a committee including ROOST, community leaders, and business owners have worked to establish the Tupper Lake Paddling Triad. 

Beginning Friday, July 3, paddlers are invited to complete what is believed to be the first water-based challenge within the Adirondack Blue Line. By completing three paddles near Tupper Lake, adventurers can earn a sticker, patch, and inclusion on the finisher roster.

Lighthouses, Shipwrecks, Recreational Boating, Naval Battle and More

Oswego, N.Y.  – H. Lee White Maritime Museum of Oswego and New York Sea Grant have announced a Virtual Exhibit Experience freely accessible at https://hlwmm.org/path_history.php and showcasing New York State's lighthouses, shipwrecks, naval military battles, and 100 years of freshwater boating. Teachers may contact the museum for assistance in using this resource in classrooms in the fall.

Clayton, New York (June 19, 2020) – With COVID-19 preventing normal operations, the Antique Boat Museum (ABM), North America’s premier freshwater boating museum based in Clayton, NY, will celebrate its Annual Antique Boat Show & Auction by paying tribute to the modest beginnings of the now world-famous event.

Through reimaging the 56th Annual Antique Boat Show & Auction during COVID-19 by finding inspiration from the Show’s earliest years, ABM’s Annual Antique Boat Show & Auction remains the oldest continuously running Boat Show in the nation.