It's "Onondaga" not "Onandaga". You are correct - Onondaga Lake is
seriously polluted and will never compare to Skaneateles Lake -20 miles
to the southwest and one of the cleanest lakes in the world.
It is located downstream from the city of Syracuse, whose inadequate
combined sewer system has sent untreated sewage into the lake for years.
That, coupled with the Mercury that lays on the lake bottom make a
complete clean up of the lake financially if not technologically impossible.
However the sewage problems have been and are being greatly reduced. The
water quality is much improved and, no, the lake will not eat up your hull.
Onondaga lake provides beautiful views of the city. The park which you
disparage is over two miles long and provides fantastic hiking and
biking trails. It has been host to the International Rowing Regatta and
unlimited hydroplane racing, (one of the best sites in the country) and
the winter "Lights on the Lake" presentation has been enjoyed by thousands.
Because it is part of the canal system, the lake provides easy access to
navigable waters; you can go anywhere in the world!
I have taken hundreds of people boating on this lake; it is an asset
that certainly needs improvement, but is far from the "**** hole" that
you feel it is. Don't believe everything that you read; try the lake out
yourself or take an available dinner cruise.
Good luck and good boating,
Jim

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:



It's "berthing", not "bearthing".

The park is on Onandaga Lake, one of the most chemically polluted bodies
of water in earth. The damage is WAY beyond the low levels of pollution
present in almost all bodies of water these days, due to a continuous
stream of crap poured into it by an electrical manufacturer over many
years. Three years ago, the NY Dep't of Environmental Conservation used
its fishing license database to send a survey to fishermen. They asked
"If we spent the money to clean up that **** hole of a lake, how likely
is it you would fish in it or let your kids swim in it". Almost 90% of
respondents said "Don't bother".



Ouch! 3 Mile Island and now Onandaga Lake?



Here's some detail about this mess:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/onondaga/ono_p1.html

The local government had the audacity to build a park at the north end of
the lake. Ridiculous.