"Slow travel" is trending, and from my experience, there's nothing slower-or more relaxing-than canal cruising. And it's not just because the average speed is 6 mph. Unlike river cruises, which hop in and out of bustling ports along major waterways, canal cruises are far more tranquil. They float along calmer, narrower channels, typically aboard small houseboats that only accommodate intimate groups.
Two hundred years ago, the Erie Canal was finally completed, and to celebrate the achievement, the Governor of New York and other local elected officials engaged in a progressive celebration. They sailed from Lake Erie to New York Harbor with stops at communities along the way. It was like a 10-day tailgate with parties, speeches and all-day public celebrations, and it culminated in a ceremonial "wedding of the waters" when water from Lake Erie was poured into New York Harbor.
The Buffalo Maritime Center's replica of the Erie Canal Boat "Seneca Chief" will be pulling into port at Baldwinsville's Paper Mill Island on Friday before spending the weekend docked at Onondaga Lake Park. The replica packet boat arrives in Baldwinsville at 5 p.m. on Friday and will be open for public tours from 5:30 to 7. At Onondaga Lake Park, the boat will arrive on Saturday at noon, followed by a welcome ceremony at 12:30 p.m.
The free family-friendly Bicentennial Voyage celebrates the historic 1825 journey on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York Harbor by Governor DeWitt Clinton. The event brings history to life when the "living museum" docks. Guests are encouraged to come aboard to explore recreated cabins, view historical artifacts, and engage with interactive exhibits that "illuminate" the Erie Canal's cultural, economic and environmental significance.