The Maid of the Mist has run continuously since 1885 and for a few months this year, the season was delayed. Thankfully, the Maid came back at the end of June with 50% capacity and PPE requirements, and she’s just as amazing as ever.
For a good 5 minutes, a moment of time that seems to last an eternity, your heart stops and you struggle to catch your breath. With the face masks on, it’s even more difficult to breathe. The spray is blinding and a torrent of wind whips across your face. Since I was standing on the front end of the boat, I relaxed my mask so I can feel the splash hit my face. It’s difficult to see how anyone could survive going over the Falls. If they didn’t land on rocks, they would surely drown 300 feet down – with the mist so thick, it was so hard to breathe.
Despite the chaos, you’re amazed at the power and natural beauty, and your heart lets out a scream.
Prices have increased to $22.95 for adults and on this Friday morning, the lines were not long at all. Only one boat was running at this time, but later this year, two new all-electric, zero-emission vessels will be placed into service.
As we turned back around, we met the Hornblower from Canada patiently waiting for their turn. We passed each other to port and waved as if to wish them well. Originally when the Hornblower cruises opened in Canada, they only allowed 6 passengers per boat, a stark difference than the 136 that the Maid allowed. Since then Hornblower has increased the limit to 100, comparable to the US side. Everything is open up on both sides now, but the border remains closed to non-essential visitors. This is important because everyone knows the views are better from Canada.
So what’s next, do we get succumb to the downpour of the Caves of the Wind? Not for now, I had to go for a run. But if I could only choose one, I with go on the Maid. It’s almost twice the cost, but it’s many times more the experience.
