There is a good chance that I'll be driving I81 north from Syracuse, NY. I note that there are some beaches on eastern Lake Ontario. Are they worth a visit? Is the swimming likely to be good? What's the likely water temperature? I'm think specifically about Sandy Island Beach and/or Southwick Beach. Some web browsing turned up the fact that Sandy Island Beach was closed due to high bacteria count a few years ago. Is this an isolated incident? or a common occurrence? Are there better options in that area?
171 visits and no replies. Perhaps there is a message there.
In any case, I decided to give it a try. On a recent family vacation we visited Sandy Island Beach on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. I had done some web research about beaches on Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is apparently notorious as the most polluted of the great lakes, but the beaches on the eastern shore have a better reputation and Sandy Island Beach had the lowest rate of high-bacterial count closures in the past year or two so that's the one I selected. Here is an interesting web site on the matter:
www.great-lakes.net/.../index.html
Here is a newspaper story on the matter:
www.syracuse.com/.../central_new_york_beaches_on_la.html
The beach is quite nice. The beach is deep and backed by large tree covered dunes. It appears to run for miles. The public access roped-off guarded swimming area was about 40 yds wide and exteded about 100 yds out into the lake. The guard told me that most of the other guards had gone back to college for the fall semester so they reduced the guarded area. It appeared to me that the usual guarded area is about 150-200 yd wide. The water was clear and a lovely temperature for swimming. (mid 70's?) The bottom is soft sand throughout the roped-off swimming area, save for a few smooth stones, and probably over a much much greater area as well. (I really liked this as I do not like muck, sharp stones, weeds, decaying leaves, dead tires etc. on the botton where I am swimming.) I did "laps" parallel to the shore along the rope demarking the outermost extent of the guarded area. I estimate I did 2000 yds, (about 40% butterfly, which I discovered is much easier downwind than into the wind.)
The entry fee is $7 per car or $1 for walk-in. There was ample parking. There is a good bathroom/changing facility, and a "wash the sand off" outside shower. (cold water by serviceable) The guards let us borrow a large beach umbrella. Picnic tables are available away from the beach. I would visit again if I were going to the area in beach season.
