Page 37 - 2009 Lake St. Clair Guide Magazine

and Elmira, every major city in New York falls along the trade K & M MARINE
route established by the Erie Canal, from New York City to Phone: 313-533-9800
Albany, through Schenectady, Utica, and Syracuse, to Rochester www.kandmmarine.com
and Buffalo. Nearly 80% of upstate New York’s population lives
within 25 miles of the Erie Canal. Sales ▪ Service 14990 Telegraph
Parts ▪ Accessories
The Erie Canal today is utilized largely by recreational boats Propeller Repair (Just S. of 5 Mile)
rather than cargo-carrying barges. With growing competition
from railroads and highways, and the opening of the St. Law- Trailer Repair Redford Township
rence Seaway in 1959, commercial traffic on the Canal System 48239
declined dramatically in the latter part of the 20th century.
Shrink Wrapping ▪ Winterizing
The waterway network has been renamed as the New York State Inside Storage ▪ Tune-Ups
Canal System, and it is enjoying a rebirth as a recreational and
historic resource.

A Little Bit about the Welland Ship Canal: Construction on the

Welland Canal began about the same time the Erie Canal was

completed around 1829. The Welland Canal runs 27 miles from

Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. Over 3,000 ocean and lake vessels

run through this canal annually. This canal was a major factor in

the growth of Montreal, where goods from Detroit and Cleveland TecChenrtiicfiiaends
made their way for international shipping. The original canal had
40 locks. Throughout the years, as improvements were made to
accommodate larger ships, the locks were rebuilt and now have
only eight.

The southern end of the Canal on Lake Erie is 326 feet higher in Stern Drives & Outboards

elevation than the entry of the Canal on Lake Ontario. It takes

ships an average of 11 hours to complete the Canal and its locks.

Recreational boats are welcomed, however, all commercial shipping takes prece- Welland Canal versus Niagara Falls Route
dence. Lake Ontario

There are 8 locks in the Canal. As a recreational boater, you buy one ticket for
$200 to travel through its length. Over 100,000 spectators visit the locks each year.

The Annual Top Hat Ceremony: The canal closes during the winter as ices freezes

Our route from the Ocean to

Lake Erie through the Erie

7. and Welland Canals Lake Erie
5. 4.
1. Hoboken, NJ
8. 2. Poughkeepsie, NY 3.

3. Troy, NY

4. Utica, NY 2. over the Great Lakes. Marking the start of
9. 5. Oneida, NY 1. the new season, usually in late March, there
is a large ceremony, including the signing
6. Oswego, NY of the Top Hat. The first captain entering
7. Olcott, NY the locks upbound to Lake Erie, and the first
8. Port Colborne, Ontario captain downbound to Lake Ontario, signs
9. Erie, PA the ceremonial hat, and goes down in history
10. Cleveland, OH as captains have done for over 60 years now.
11. Wyandotte, MI The hat is on display in their museum. The
12. Algonac, MI top hat is a symbolic remembrance to William
Merritt who founded the canal in 1824.

The author, publisher, or seller assumes no liability with respect to the use of information contained herein. Page 37