Niagara Falls, 13 October 2010

The falls seemed a must as we were so close when travelling north.  Weather forecasts were for deteriorating conditions so we made an early start from the town of Erie about an hour from Buffalo where we crossed into Canada having been advised that better views were available travelling north on the Canadian side before reaching the falls.  It was good advice.

First stop looking over the Chippawa Channel, flowing out of Lake Erie, looking towards the falls.

The street scene by the above viewing point which followed along the Chippawa Channel to the falls.

Nearer to the falls the rapids start as viewed from the footpath near a power station upstream of the falls.  The opposite bank is in the US.

Looking back (upstream) the sun glistens on rapids and outfall from the power canal.  Aircraft leave a myriad of vapour trails whihc were continually changing and being added to as others dissipated.

Niagara city looms above neatly manicured lawns and gardens as we walk toward the falls.

A glance to the river where the spray of the falls reveals a faint rainbow and ...

...a quick look back captures an errie image of morning sun on the rapids.

Sun glistening off the river as water decends the falls.

A wall of water sends up a foaming mass of spray.

Two of these boats take tourists up close to get covered in spray as we looked from the dry of the pedestrian viewing area at street level.

A glance at the American Falls (the part of the falls next to the US side) viewed from the road as we were leaving.  They are very visable from the viewing point for the main falls but the foam made good photographs impossible.

The falls did not dissapoint, its was well worth the visit and only cost $4 for the parking.  We were away by 11am just as several buses arrived.  After morning tea taken here at what appeared to be a recently developed grassed area on the US side overlooking the Tonawanda Channel (river out of Lake Erie is splint into two by Grand Island) and headed for Toll Road 90 East (part of the New York State Thruway system) to Utica just south of Adirondack Park.