Goodbye Kayuta

After 12 wonderful summers, we finally bid goodbye to our camp on Kayuta Lake.  Having moved to Nevada 4 years ago, the yearly commute just got a little too much for us.

Morning paddle on Kayuta Lake

After spending a month getting the camp ready to sell, we spent the rest of the summer enjoying the activities we love, especially canoeing and kayaking.

Paddling on Limekiln Lake

We were able to use our inflatable kayak on Seventh Lake, Limekiln Lake and Nick's Lake.







With friends and family, we visited our favorite spots like Ager's Falls, Fort Stanwix, and Delta Lake.

Gazing at the Fulton Chain at the base of the
fire tower on Bald Mountain

We hiked to the Bald Mountain Fire Tower and biked along the Black River Feeder Canal.

Kiddie Canal exhibit
Black River Canal Museum

We've never gotten tired of the Black River Canal Museum and this last time was especially delightful as we watched a young child's amusement at the exhibits.

Barred owl from Birds of Prey.
photo by Stan

We skipped the Woodsmen's Field Days this year, having attended the last 3 years before, but our family members who braved the torrential rains that Sunday had a wonderful time particularly with the birds of prey.


My most memorable experience this year was my water skiing lesson with Joe Serth. I will always carry the regret of not trying this sport sooner.

July 4th fireworks from the islands

There were more places we wanted to revisit and more activities we wanted to do, things we'll surely miss once we've left this place.  But most of all, we'll miss just hanging out at our camp. A cozy cabin with it's expansive waterfront. Waking up to the rosy sunrise or the fog covered lake and watching the sun set with a favorite drink at hand. Watching the water skiers and wake boarders, the jet skiers and other boaters. Fireworks around July 4th.

We'll miss the barbecues and dinners by the pavilion, with a roaring fire or warm smore-ready coals in the fire pit. Listening to the ducks quacking, geese gawking, the hummingbirds humming, searching for the occasional loon and even a cormorant. Even the pesky squirrel constantly raiding our hummingbird feeder.




But whenever we long for the good times we've had, we'll just imagine we're back on our deck, looking at the lake and maybe review past blog entries.

2015 Year in Review

Quite an exciting year this has been.  For the first time, we were able to attend a dance social, that was hosted by the Mohawk Valley USA Dance Chapter #3066 in Utica.

We went on a short Erie Canal Cruise.






  

For the third year in a row, we enjoyed another day at the Woodsmens Field Days, this time watching the chain saw carvings and the birds of prey.

We visited the source of the Black River, the North and South Lakes, and even returned at another time to go paddling on North Lake.

 


 
We loved Eight Lake for its serenity and for the loons that entertained us as we paddled around the lake. Being the only nearby state campground we could find that was open after Labor Day, we were able to return with some visiting relatives.  This time, they not only saw the loons but also a cormorant.



The highlight of the summer was a weekend trip to the Finger Lakes which started with another social dancing in East Syracuse, followed by wildlife viewing at the  Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge then wine tasting on the Cayuga Wine Trail.   We were mesmerized by the beautiful waterfalls at Taughannock Falls State Park.  Watkins Glen State Park's proved worthy of its status as the 3rd best state park in the nation.

Taughannock Falls

Watkins Glens State Park

Like the past years, we've enjoyed the usual lake activities of paddling, swimming, barbecuing, meeting friends and neighbors.  For about a week in the summer, we heard and saw a loon around the lake. We had some excitement rescuing a drifting pontoon using our old aluminum canoe.



But now, the good times have to end.  Fall has arrived and it's time to say adieu to the camp.  Til next year.

Year in Review 2014

Between opening the camp late and leaving early, this has been one of our shortest season.  Despite that and all the rains, we still  had a terrific time.

We revisited last year's favorite, Ager's Falls and rode the Adirondack Scenic Railroad again. We started to feel at home in Boonville, regularly visiting the Farmer's Market and even joining Boonville Fitness. We watched the parade during the Woodsmen's Field Days and for the second year in a row, the Lumberjill contest. We, of course, did quite a bit of boating on Kayuta Lake. We even made tea from the abundant hemlocks on our property.

Paddling on Moss Lake

We visited the Adirondacks a lot. With our new inflatable kayak, we were able to paddle on Moss Lake as well as Nick's Lake, which has a nice campground to go hiking, picnicking and swimming.

Nick's Lake

We hiked the nature trail on the Limekiln Lake campground as well as the more serious trails to Bear Lake, Bubb and Sis Lakes and Remsen Falls. We also checked out the other Remsen Falls in Remsen.

Bear Lake lean-to

Bubb Lake

Remsen Falls on the Moose River

Remsen Falls, Remsen

To catch a little bit of local history, we visited the Oriskany Battlefield and the Steuben Memorial Historic Site.

Oriskany Battlefield Memorial

Steuben Memorial

 

And so, even after all the years we've been on Kayuta, there's still so much to explore and enjoy.  Can't wait for next season.

2013 Year In Review

What a season it was!  We still enjoyed boating on the lake especially with visiting friends and relatives but spending the whole summer at the camp allowed us to do a lot more exploring and to engagein  a greater variety of activities.

Ager's Falls

We found more waterfalls to visit, including a new favorite, Ager's Falls in Lyons Falls, Crandall Falls on the Black River and Cascade Falls in the Adirondacks.





 We explored more of the Adirondacks. We enjoyed the hikes t oCascade Lake, and to the summits of Rocky Mountain (relatively easy) and Black Bear Mountain (moderate to hard).  The views from the rocky summits will undoubtedly lead us to return.  We discovered plant species we've never seen before at Ferd's Bog.

Nearby Rome provided a variety of attractions- historical (Fort Stanwix), cultural (Manson-Williams Museum o)f Art, natural (Sand Plains) and man-made wonders (Delta Lake).


We visited the botanical garden  in Oriskany and a religious shrine (St. Marianne's) in Utica.


 


For the first time, we were able to attend the Woodmen's Field Days.








 We even had time to mine for Herkimer Diamonds.







But now that the hummingbirds are long gone, the days are getting colder, the leaves starting to fall,  it's time to close shop and count the days to the next season.

2010 Year in Review

Each summer at Kayuta keeps getting better and better. Being able to spend more time here allowed for more entertaining and discovery.

Paddling around the lake continued to be a favorite activity, with Woodhull Creek being added to our list of paddling routes.

We've hiked new places like the Bald Mountain Fire Tower, Moss Lake, the Alder Creek Gorge Trail.

We rode our bikes on trails we've only hiked before - the Black River Canal Feeder Trail and parts of the Black River Canal towpath, even discovering some fabulous waterfalls along the way.

And we have never seen so many different wildlife around the lake - a woodpecker, hummingbirds, blue heron, green heron and even a snake as well as the usual ducks, deer, turkeys and turtles. I even saw the loon three times.

But now, the camp is closed for the season and we'll just have to savor these memories until next year's opening day.

2008 in Review...

What a great season we had at Kayuta. For the first time since we got the camp, we finally spent more time on fun stuff rather than work.



We were able to spend a lot of time on the lake, kayaking and canoeing with friends and family. Going on the other side of the dam opened a whole new world to explore.








A day at the Black River Canal Museum in Boonville was quite enjoyable and informative.





We found more places to hike - the Black River Canal Towpath from the walkway in Boonville to Pixley Falls, and Woodhull Road.







The windmills were a sight to see.







And my personal favorite, Trenton Falls will be a place we will be visiting time and time again.




But now, the camp is closed, the first snow has fallen on the lake and it's time to think of SKIING.