Day 26, Sunday, August 16

Buffalo and Niagara Falls

This morning we spent preparing the boat for tomorrow's dismasting. We took the sails off and folded them for stowage, and the boom and placed it on the starboard deck. We cleaned up some more, and then Dana arrived with a rental car from the airport where she had landed after a 90 minute flight from Chicago. It had taken me almost four weeks to sail to Buffalo...

Niagara Falls is a quick drive from Buffalo, and we got there quickly. We were a bit bummed because access to the bigger part (the 'Horseshoe' falls) was currently impossible due to some big construction project. The line for the so called 'Cave of the Winds' was ridiculously long, so we walked around on goat island instead.

We decided that the only way to get close enough to the falls was to take the 'Maid of the Mist' tour that drives you right into the center of horseshoe falls. Thankfully they provide you with ponchos, because you will be drenched. This tour was great fun.

Afterward we climbed around some steps that bring you very close to the falls - we took no photos there because it would likely have ruined the camera. 

Finally, back up on the observation deck, a happy admiral.

We drove back to Buffalo, along the way we got dinner at some nice Italian restaurant and finally found a laundromat to do our last chore. Then we had to say goodbye to Ira, best first mate ever. He took the Amtrak from Buffalo overnight to Chicago. Many thanks again, Ira, I couldn't have done it without you!