Life in the Slow Lane (The Pearl): May 16

Waterford Canal Welcome Center

“Traveling is like a drug, forming an addiction that controls your entire being.” —Kiana Azizian

The weather has finally warmed up and the welcome center was alive with activity...boaters washing their boats, school children on a field trip, workers finishing projects before the canal officially opens and locals out for walks enjoying the beautiful day. Stan and I decided to take a bike ride along the old Champlain Canal to visit Waterford's Museum and then over to Cohoes to see the falls and where the original Erie Canal was located.

We enjoyed our day and learned more about the Erie and Champlain Canals. I'll share more of that later when I have more time...but for now I'll just share a few pictures of our day.

A view of the Welcome Center from the 4th Street Bridge

Fourth graders in the area get to come to the welcome center to learn more about the Erie Canal. They also get to ride up Lock 2 on the canal boat that is docked in front of us. They all seem to be having a wonderful time.

The Erie Canal is open to commercial traffic or pleasure boats that want to pay commercial prices...I think we'll just wait and enjoy the area until it officially opens this weekend.

The Waterford Historical Museum on the hill overlooking part of the old Champlain Canal.

Waterford Historical Museum

Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River. One of the large obstacles the Erie Canal had to overcome to move traffic from the Hudson River to the great lakes.

Enlarge this picture to see where the original 1825 canal (Clinton's Ditch), 1842 enlarged canal and today's Erie Barge Canal are located

Portions of the original Erie Canal are now under these buildings in Cohoes. When closed the water was used to create electricity for factories along the river.