SUP the Erie Canal and Hudson River
Buffalo to New York City from Sept. 20 to Oct. 10

By Paris Montoya

Adventure, boredom, risk, challenge, excitement, peace, thrills and exhaustion – I found long moments of all when I departed solo from Buffalo this past September, 360 miles eastbound to the Hudson River then 140 or so miles south to my hometown of New York City. The first person to attempt to do so on an inflatable standup paddleboard – with 70 lbs. of gear, except when portaging around a canal lock or to reach a place to stay. Through-paddling this national historic corridor on SUP delivered a journey like no other.

There are several reasons I ventured on the trek: 1) I had the time and need for a reset after my job was restructured and eliminated in the summer, though the canal’s fall closing was not far off. 2) Despite having a longstanding historic interest in the canal, river and upstate towns, they had long eluded me in previous travels. 3) The romantic allure of a human being and some kind of a stick standing on log or raft and venturing out into the world – a wonderous tone long set by childhood readings of Twain and other stories. And, 4) I simply wanted to see how far I could push myself physically and how well I could prepare logistically for such a trip. I had come into paddleboarding at NYC’s Manhattan Kayak Company where guides had tackled epic journeys down the East Coast, Mississippi and beyond, as well as local trips like a circumnavigation of Long Island. So, the concept did not seem as farfetched to me as it would have a few years before.

My trip kicked off before sunrise along a protected stretch of Buffalo’s Lake Erie waterfront and on into the canal that bypasses the often dangerously swift 17 knot main flow of the Niagara River north out of Lake Erie – between the U.S. and Canadian shorelines. Many miles before the famous falls, I turn east off the now placid Niagara and into the Tonawanda entrance of the Erie Canal. Great blue herons, cormorants, and the biggest freshwater turtle I’ve seen in the wild were spotted on the way to my first night camping on Lockport’s Lock 34 grounds. The fact that nearly every lock on the canal allows camping for through-paddlers is a part of what makes this journey unique. I had just paddled 31 miles, about the same as a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island which I’d done 10 times before, yet everything about this felt new and different. I’d cleared my first hurdle and felt energized, so I resolved to see how much further I could push myself.

I set big mile goals – even hitting 40 miles days three times, my personal record. When SUPing at a steady pace, it’s said I am burning 500-1,000 calories an hour depending on intensity and temperature. Eating the proper amount of carbs, fats, protein, etc. at the right times was essential, along with steady supplements of electrolytes and branch chain amino acids. If there is a perfect activity for which donuts and ice cream are made to fuel, I’d say its long-distance SUP. Morning and evening yoga were also in the mix to alleviate the aches and pains. In the end, I still lost five pounds on this trip while nearly eating everything in sight.

Proceeding along the route, I came to discover the budding network of “watertrail angels” that support trekkers on foot, bike and by paddle. These amazing folks are not only lending a hand, meal, place to stay, or receiving a package, but are building a unique culture that fits the canal and will enhance its future. I can’t thank them enough, along with my girlfriend and friends who helped with logistics and preparation.

As my journey continued, I saw the landscape evolve from farmland to forests to postcard-worthy embankments to swamps to residential lakes to urban backwaters and everything between. The Erie Canal locks and the lock operators are portals to each section, each handling a lock on their own, including much of the maintenance and management each season. Often using the original antique lock equipment lovingly and arduously maintained and preserved over the years. There is a distinct pride that goes with the job and encountering a traveler like me making full use of the length of the canal strikes a chord.

A few times I found myself finishing my last few miles by headlamp, an eerie yet serene prospect. Paddling in the rain became a favorite of mine, it usually meant I had the canal or river to myself and with it an extra buoyant joy – except when I’m setting up or breaking down camp. In fact, the daytime paddling was often my relaxation away from all the work, research, coordination and maintenance that happened after hours and in the early morning. Regardless, my head was always on a swivel when paddling, searching ahead and behind regularly for traffic. In one stretch of seven days encompassing both the Erie and Hudson, I spotted bald eagles at least once a day.

One distinct aspect of paddling the canal is it being the most shallow and narrow water I have paddled, which makes for tranquil water at most times but amplifies boat wakes and limits maneuverability. When boats passed from the rear, I learned to quickly turn and take the wake with the nose of my board as there was no room to maneuver and ride those rear wakes. Northeast of Syracuse, crossing the notoriously choppy Oneida Lake for 20 miles challenged my energy, as well as my essentially redundant tiedown/bungie system that kept my gear together after a couple of capsizes. In the end, I even managed to catch some downwind energy on the final stretch of my crossing.

Early fall was a perfect time to paddle the route, though unseasonably warm and clear weather pushed the fall foliage peak until well after I passed through. My thin neoprene layers were essential to have but remained packed the whole trip. When I eventually emerged onto the Hudson River at Waterford, a few miles north of Albany, I had completed the fastest known time for a SUP across the Erie Canal – 14 days.

The transition to the Hudson also welcomed the first significant current and tidal effects – increasing as I paddled south through the Hudson’s industrial past and present, along with the preserved regal homes, lighthouses and waterfront towns. At one point an early morning fog ensconced the Beacon waterfront and delayed my departure, missing the day’s best ebb current ride and necessitating a challenging paddle against full flood current.

My focus on daily distance came at the expense of spending more time exploring on land, but I enjoyed the moments I had in places like Lockport’s town center surrounded by engineering and architectural marvels; Bushnell Basin’s quaint landing; St. Johnsville’s historic rough edges; and Yonkers’ industrial waterfront and robust paddling club. The classic stops I missed like Medina, Pittsford, Little Falls, and Kingston, among many others, will leave me with more opportunities to explore at a slower pace someday. Not just for the sights, but to again see firsthand how many wonderful people, from all walks of life, we have in our state.

Once I entered the familiar waters south of the Tappan Zee bridge, about 11 miles north of NYC, challenging winds whipped but I knew how to best use the river and geography to my advantage. The bridges, ferries and cruise ships of NYC soon came into view… followed by my friends and family cheering me on to the boathouse dock. Along this journey I shed so many of the draining survival mechanisms I’d adopted to cope with work, the pandemic and city stress. Twenty days earlier I left Buffalo and paddled 500 miles to my hometown. Each stroke of a paddle finds a “catch” moment in the water when the resistance propels you forward. That sensation mirrors a life lived deliberately and I am grateful to have known it!

Abbreviated Gear List – SUP and gear: inflatable SUP (inflatable boards give you an advantage over rigid boards when dealing with long portages and rocky landings), board leash, paddle, air pump. PFD and gear: inherently buoyant PFD (best when solo, instead of inflatable), hydration bladder, whistle, signal mirror, compass, PFD knife. Navigation, safety and tools – charts/chart bag, locks/cables, multitool and repair materials (patch kit, duct tape, cable ties, straps), tow/dock rope, emergency paddle. Bags: drybag backpack, day bag (“cockpit”) bag, deck bag/water bag. Shelter: sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, tent. Clothing (appropriate layers and shells for wet environment, temperatures and length of trip), water shoes (that are also good for short hikes), sun hat, gloves (I use sailing gloves with thin sun gloves as liners), sunglasses. Hydration and kitchen: water bottle, MSR Dromedary water storage bag, water purification tablets, stove (Jetboil or similar). First aid kit (waterproof). Communications and electronics: mobile phone (with dry bag), satellite tracker, VHF marine radio, headlamp, stern and bow lights.

Paris Montoya (instagram.com/parismontoya) is a native New Yorker and music business veteran. He’s a year-round explorer of NYC on foot in the streets, and via SUP on the city’s waterways, having paddled over 1,000 miles there.