Day thirty-two we went for a cruise on the Erie Canal on the Colonial Belle. We drove to Fairport, NY, which is close to Rochester, and boarded a double-decker boat for a leisurely cruise up and down the canal. Along the way, the boat captain gave a lecture about some of the history of the canal, and the small towns along the way.
The Erie Canal was started in 1917 and took eight years to complete. It runs 363 miles from Albany, NY on the Hudson River all the way across New York to Buffalo, NY at Lake Erie. We passed under several low bridges, and we even had to duck our heads a couple of time if we were sitting on the upper deck, because we could literally reach up and touch the bottom of the bridges!
The Erie Canal was started in 1917 and took eight years to complete. It runs 363 miles from Albany, NY on the Hudson River all the way across New York to Buffalo, NY at Lake Erie. We passed under several low bridges, and we even had to duck our heads a couple of time if we were sitting on the upper deck, because we could literally reach up and touch the bottom of the bridges!
It was a beautiful day for a boat ride, and very relaxing and entertaining. At the halfway point of our journey, we went through a lock in the canal, and Sam especially loved that experience! We were all amazed at how quickly the water rose and fell within the lock chamber, just from gravity! We rose/fell a distance of twenty-five feet!
Some dinner at a local eatery finished up the excursion for the day, and we headed back to the coach.
Jim grew up in Palmyra, NY, and has fond memories of Canal Town Days celebrations.
ReplyDeleteRobin, Jim, Daniel