We also learned that what we see coming over the falls and through the Great Gorge is only 50% of what it could be as they divert about ½ the volume, before it reaches Niagara Falls, to make electricity. Even so, 100,000 cubic feet of water per second flows through this Gorge and it is awesome! The water flows at a rate of 22 miles per hour - believe me, that’s fast! As Jerry put it, “That’s a lotta wattah flowing in a big rush!” Jerry also noted that he didn’t believe that even Bubba Laakman would want to float this stretch in a canoe!” (For those who don’t know him, Bubba is a radiologist with RAPA). I can assure you that our little canoe would never make it - this section offers Class V and VI rapids. Class V rapids are designated as extremely dangerous and are like those found on the Niagara River north of the whirlpool. The rapids that rush through the narrow Great Gorge at the Whitewater Walk are considered some of the wildest in the world and are classified as Class VI. They are the most dangerous rapids and cannot be entered without life-threatening risk. The waves are 10 - 15 feet high and the river is 165 feet wide at this point.
Next we boarded the Maid of the Mist for a 30-minute cruise past the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (in the USA) for a really close-up view of Horseshoe Falls (in Canada). We donned our panchos, as it promised to be a wet ride. Our particular boat held up to 600 people and it appeared that we were numbers 599 and 600 because it was packed! Lake Erie, which forms Niagara Falls, splits around Goat Island before it goes over the edge. The water that flows between the island and U. S. land forms American Falls. The water that flows between the island and Canadian land forms Horseshoe Falls. We learned that Horseshoe Falls is 185 feet high and American Falls is 170 feet high but Horseshoe is much, much wider and more impressive with more than 34 million gallons of water flowing over the edge every minute. That’s enough to fill a million bathtubs a minute! That’s 200,000 cubic feet per second! Whew! Of course, as mentioned earlier, up to ½ the water is diverted during daytime hours to generate electricity. But there is never less than 100,000 cubic feet per second coming over the falls during the daylight hours of tourist season. They can, however, divert up to 3/4 of the water after 10:00 at night, and during winter months, if needed. Both falls are visible from both countries but the view is much, much better and more impressive from the Canadian side.
The boat trip was incredible! They take you right up to the falls and there is so much mist swirling around you that you can hardly see. The water below swirls and boils and you wander how on earth the boat’s motor is strong enough to handle the current as the captain holds the boat in place for his passengers to get a good long look at the falls. Looking straight up, through the mist, you see and feel the power of the water, as it comes over the edge. It is awe-inspiring. Jerry noted that we were so close that you could see the water coming over the edge of the falls “just right now”.
Next we took the “Journey Behind the Falls” walk. It was okay but not as good as the one we took several years ago on the American side. By the time we finished, the People Mover buses that we had ridden all day, were nowhere to be found so we began the long trek back to the Clifton Hills Tourist District where we were parked. We stopped off at Boston Pizza (known as Boston’s Pizza in the U.S.), a chain that we had discovered several months ago in Iowa. Mmmmmmm good - handmade pizza with all fresh ingredients. Our favorite is the Sicilian but this particular location didn’t have that variety so we settled on a Rustic Italian. It was good.
Friday morning, we toured the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station, one of two Canadian hydro-electric plants on the Niagara River that, together, can generate enough power for about 1 million people. The plant was constructed from 1917 - 1927. Then we headed north to Niagara-on-the Lake, a picturesque village that has been designated as a National Historic Site. It is a beautiful little town with tree-lined streets flanked by gorgeous flower gardens and it’s in the heart of the Niagara Wine District. This little town is a town of firsts: the first capital of Ontario, where the first anti-slavery legislation was passed, where the first library in Ontario was established, home of the first newspaper in the province, site of the oldest golf course in Ontario, and the oldest continuously operating inn in Ontario. We had lunch there at The Olde Angel Inn and Pub, circa 1816. We enjoyed walking along Queen Street and seeing all the shops and restaurants.
Arriving back in Niagara Falls later that afternoon, we found a parking spot (and got a parking ticket because it wasn’t legal!) and walked along the waterfront above the falls. It was amazing to be on top of the falls and watch the water go over. Wow! We also saw a scow (barge) that broke loose and lodged just above the falls while dredging to divert water to the hydroelectric plants. It has been stuck there since August 1918!
We left Niagara Falls, Ontario on Saturday morning, October 7 following the QEW south to cross the border at Buffalo, New York. Glad to be back in the USA! Canada is a beautiful country and the people are generally very nice. However, because taxes are so high throughout the country, most folks are destined to a life of mediocrity. There is little evidence of “haves” and “have nots”. Most people appear to be middle class with little incentive to strive for more. But it is a lovely place to visit and we are lucky to have them as neighbors.
Church sign in Leamington, Ontario: “If God had a fridge, would your picture be on the door?”
Happy trails to you . . . ‘til we meet again.
