Canada July 23 - August 5, 2002

Cruise Leaders: Ed and Marion Herndon, M/Y Remedy

Two years ago Marion and I were in the Trent Severn Waterway doing the Great Loop Cruise. This year we planned a return to Strawberry Island for the bi-annual reunion of the Association of Former Basilian Priests. We could not take Remedy but renting Houseboats looked like fun. At the Annual TMCA Planning meeting we offered to lead a cruise there for all that wished to join us.

"Well, if I'm going all the way to Canada," said Sue Knippa, "I want to see Niagara Falls too" .

"That sounds like a good idea", I said, " Let's do it."

That's really how the whole Plan came together. New Items would be added to the list of "Boxes to Check Off " as we went along.

I shopped around for Houseboats for the planned week The outfit I wanted to use, HappyDays, was all booked so they sent us to Egan Houseboats. They looked fine on the Internet, so all three boatloads booked with Egan.

Participants by boat:
            Hank and Sue Knippa, Granola II and Roy and Carol DeFee, Sunk Funds
           Marvin and Marion Briton, Time Out and Mickey and Carla Murphy, Warthog
            Ed and Marion Herndon, Remedy and Drs. Chris and Mary Stipp, my daughter and her husband

Later turned out that a dozen was a good size for traveling through the locks and finding accommodations together.

Niagara Falls

We arrived in Toronto late in the evening a day before of the rest of the group . Mary and Chris, who drove up from their home in Boston arrived after midnight. The Ramada Inn where we stayed was packed with young folks attending the World Youth Conference. The Pope had arrived in Toronto and dominated the news for the whole week of the conference. He stayed at Strawberry Island during of the week before our cruise started.

The next morning we went to Niagara Falls to check out the territory before the rest of the group arrived. Parks Canada has a great brochure that describes all the places to go around the falls. Marion and I were lulled into walking to the Falls from the Inn that first afternoon... It was about 3 miles. In the end we were rewarded with views if the American Falls (left below) and the Canadian Falls (right). Both pictures show the Maid of the Mist cruising by the falls.

"We have got to do that cruise," said Marion.

"Wow, Yes, that's an Adventure Box we have to check off," I replied.

By the time we got up to the Canadian Falls we were very tired and selected the People Mover Shuttle Bus to get back to the motel. People Mover is a great way to do the sights. For about $5 Canadian you can ride all day, getting on and off at any of the stops along the way.

Maid of the Mist is really a fleet of four boats. Two larger boats operate from the Canadian side and two smaller ones from a dock on the American side.

This zoom shot captures the larger boat as it drives into the cloud of mist at the base of the Canadian Falls.

Everyone is issued a blue plastic poncho with hood to help keep your clothing dry. Good Luck !

As the Boat approaches a voice comes over the loudspeaker, "Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Niagara Falls".

It is a statement of the Obvious, but nevertheless, it gets your attention, and gives you goose bumps.

Then the boat driver begins a very prolonged approach into the base of the falls. I went to the bow rail to experience the maximum effect.

It's a Maelstrom of wind and rain. I was soaked.

The boat hammers slowly forward into the standing waves. You can feel the engines struggling, and the boat gently yaws side to side as the pilot steers into the turbulent water. Then the pilot slowly turned the starboard side to the Falls. And everyone on the aft deck also got soaked.

The shot above was taken by Roy DeFee as we penetrated the Mist.

We all saved our ponchos with plans to have a party wearing them on our trip through the locks.

Check off Maid of the Mist

It was the greatest thrill of all.

"There is a place that sells Beer," said Roy pointing across the road to the Victoria Park Garden. It was Instant Planning at its best.

We were all happy with that suggestion and we headed over for drinks and lunch before the next event. >>>

Our second Drenching event takes us into a tunnel that comes out on an observation deck at the base of the falls. Instead of Blue Ponchos they issue Yellow Ponchos. The water is just as wet.

Mary, Chris, and I broke away from the main party to visit the Garden Exhibit. It Features Topiary Animals and a Flock of Geese

Pony in the Gardens

Flower Child

While at the Table Rock venue Marvin made dinner reservations for that evening. The Falls are lighted at night and the scene is quite spectacular. Good Food, good wine, good friends. What else is there?

Next morning, Hank quizzed the group, "You know all this wine we have been drinking comes from this area? "

"Sure does", I agreed.

"Well lets go wine tasting and stock up on that "Golf Course" wine lable... It was pretty good stuff." he said.

"The motion has been made that we ..." I started to say, but was interrupted.

"Yeah ", said Roy, "I second that. "

Our three car convoy set out at 8:30AM looking for the Golf Course winery. After several miles down the road we passed a winery sign giving 10:00 AM opening. Not Open now.

We did find a Fruit stand open at 9:30 so we all went shopping for Vegatables and Fruit. Great stuff so we stocked up. We split up after shopping and proceeded our separate ways.

Next stop. Egan Houseboats and the Trent Severn Waterway.

Niagara Falls Checked Off