The Erie Canal, New York: Houseboat Vacation Adventure

If you can drive, you can navigate houseboats

The morning sky streaked red. Still in their pjs the children, rubbed the sleep from their eyes, rushed out onto the deck, baited their hooks, dropped their line, and watched the sun greet the day. Patiently they waited for that slight tug on the line indicating that, indeed, there are fish in the Erie Canal. Nearby a great blue heron taunts them by making the first catch of the day.

Houseboating on the Erie Canal turns a fun vacation into a learning adventure. You don’t need your own houseboat to enjoy life in the “past lane.” Rental houseboats make it possible for all vacationers to relive the old canal days.

Heading east from Tonawanda, near Buffalo, NY, there are miles of scenic shoreline providing plenty of time to become accustomed to operating the house boat before “locking through.” If you can drive a car you can drive a houseboat. It is impossible to get lost on a canal, and at a maximum of speed of 5 miles an hour, house boating in the shallow canal means the potential problems are minimal. Yet the adventure and learning opportunities are unsurpassed - for all ages.

Locking through the historic locks in Lockport is a hands-on lesson in canalling that young and old will always remember. When the massive water gates open and all hands are ready, the captain eases the houseboat into the lock to a cable on the side of the wall. A crewmember leans out the window and hooks the rope around the cable.

When all is secured, the water gate is closed, the water pumped out, and in five minutes the boat is 25 feet lower. The rope that slides down the cable as the houseboat is lowered is unhooked and the captain motors into the next lock where the process is repeated. The Lockport locks are unique on the Erie Canal in that there are two together. It was an early 20th century upgrade replacing the earlier “flight of five,” the remains of which can be seen next to the working locks.

Take a “shore leave” to tour the Lockport Cave and take another boat ride, this time on an underground river. A new history lesson. Everyone has heard of Thomas Alva Edison but who has heard of Birdsell Holley? We see one of his many inventions every day - the fire hydrant. The only person in the United States who held more patents than Birdsell was his close friend, Thomas Edison.

The tour starts with a brief history of the Erie Canal and locks, then visitors enter the water tunnel in the side of the hill which looks like a place where no man, woman or child should go. “Cool! Very cool!” comment the children. The Lockport Cave is actually a 12 x 20-foot man-made hydraulic raceway blasted out of solid rock over 140 years ago. At one time the water that raced through the tunnel provided power to three factories. The tour includes a mile underground boat ride. It is historical. It is educational. It is fun. Truly a unique experience.

Before heading back to the houseboat, we learn more interesting facts about the Erie Canal following the signs on Riley’s Way, a canal walking tour, and at the canal museum located between the remains of the old “flight of five” and the current locks.

“Low Bridge, Everyone down” is still an appropriate cry as almost all canal communities between Lockport and Rochester have at least one lift-bridge. The lift bridges are too low for our house boat, the “Blue Heron,” to pass under so 12-year-old Elizabeth contacts the lift-bridge operator by radio.

“Blue Heron calling Middleport Bridge, requesting eastbound passage.” A railroad-style gate stops road traffic and bridge is raised. After we pass she radios a “thank you.”

“You are welcome, Captain. Have a good trip.” And on we go to the next lift-bridge.Many of the canal towns have newly-created canal parks that provide free electrical and water connections for houseboats. Some of the towns have museum or other attractions, such as Holley with a newly created trail through the woods to beautiful waterfalls.

The days past in timeless relaxation watching a blue heron play a game of almost-tag with our rental houseboat. The green areas along the canal provide perfect habitat for birds and mammals.

Each day aboard our vacation houseboat rental is a new adventure far from the maddening crowd. Each day is a lesson in history and nature appreciation. Live life at perfect speed - five miles an hour. Living “life in the past lane” houseboating on the Erie Canal is the perfect vacation for all ages

If you rent houseboats on the Erie Canal, New York:

Canal Princess Charters: (716) 693-2752 www.CanalPrincess.com
For houseboat rentalsLockport Caves: www.LockportCave.com
General Erie Canal information: www.NYCanal.com and www.ILoveNY.com

Author: Sandra Scott