A steady south wind made for choppy conditions at the north end of Seneca Lake. Several couples including some repeat customers were prepared and ready for an adventure. As we set out from the Finger Lakes Welcome Center I could tell everyone was confident in their abilities but that didn’t stop a nasty wave from dumping one of our paddlers into the lake. We quickly regrouped and set off for the state park beach. We took a brief break after fighting the waves and then entered the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, a much calmer and protected body of water. We explored the canal and got to watch the yacht club coming in under sail. As we reentered the lake conditions had calmed down significantly and we all enjoyed a relaxing paddle back to the welcome center where we began.