Today we are visiting the Cave of Winds. We got closer to the waters of Niagara Falls than we thought possible. We begin the tour by getting dressed in our rain ponchos and sandals. Then we get an elevator ride 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge. At the bottom we follow wooden walkways to the Hurricane Deck, less than 20 feet from the torrents of Bridal Veil Falls.

                

I get some good video and Debra takes some great stills.

                



                 

On the Hurricane Deck, I get to experience tropical storm-like conditions, getting doused with the spray from the rushing waters.

                 

After our visit to the Cave of Winds, on our way to lunch, we go check out the Daredevil Museum and see the some of the crazy contraptions people have gone over the falls in.

October 24th 1901

Annie Taylor was the first person to conquer the falls in a barrel. After climbing inside her airtight wooden barrel, the air pressure was compressed to 30 p.s.i. with a bicycle pump. 

                                             

Though bruised and battered Annie made it, she expected fame and fortune.  Annie died in poverty.

                                     

August 18th 1985

A Rhode Island bartender named Steven Trotter made the trip in a barrel wrapped in inner tubes. Steven was fined a Total of $5,503.00

                                             

September 28th 1989 

Niagara Falls Ontario residents Peter De Bernardi and James Petkovich accomplished the first duo descent of the Falls.

                                             

October 1st 1995

Robert Overcracker rides a jet ski over the brink of the Horseshoe Falls to help promote awareness for the homeless. His parachute did not open and Robert ended up promoting better parachutes. He plunged to his death and his body was never recovered. An Egyptian tourist captured this amazing image.

                                            

We have a nice Indian lunch at the Punjabi Dhaba, and then go to see the IMAX film “Niagara: Legends of Adventure” at the Adventure Theater. The film produced by Academy Award winning producer Kieth Merrill, and takes you on a trip through the history of Niagara.

On our way back to camp we stop at the Whirlpool State Park to see the Whirlpool Rapids and the Whirlpool.  Whirlpool Rapids Gorge is the section of the Niagara River Gorge located north of the Whirlpool International Bridge and south of the Whirlpool. It has an average width of 750 feet. This portion of the gorge is world famous for its rapids.

The depth of the Whirlpool Rapids is 35 feet and the speed of the water at the Whirlpool Rapids is 22 mph. The speed is the result of the narrow width of the gorge, the rapid descent of the river and the volume of water (100,000 cubic feet per second). The descent is 52 feet in less than 1.2 miles.

The rapids generated here are amongst the wildest and most dangerous in the world. The Whirlpool Rapids are rated 6 on a navigatable scale from 1 (easiest) to 6 (most dangerous).

                      

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