The Maid of the Mist: Plan to be soaked

“The Maid of the Mist,” a popular 20-minute boat tour that features a close-up of the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, was phenomenally wet, to say the least. Being right by the border between the U.S. and Canada, the tour has grown to be a popular tourist attraction for both those native and far from the state of New York.

The boat has two floors spanning a width of 90 feet and a depth of six feet. As you walk towards the boat, you are given a blue plastic raincoat that covers most of your body. As you and 599 other people board the boat, you have the option of choosing the second floor which is up the stairs, or the lower level/first floor. If you want to stay somewhat dry, the first floor is recommended, but if you want the full experience the top is the place to be.

As the boat heads towards the Falls, announcements urge everyone to keep their feet and hands on the rails. No one is to stand on any seats or metal boxes on the deck of the boat. All youngsters are to be watched at all times. The floor is slippery and the boat rocks back and forth. The tour is a time for fun but also a time for safety.

Around 1861, one of the first Maid of the Mist Tour boats capsized and caused the death of a maid, which made people wary of coming back on the tour. Now, in 2024, business is booming and the boats are filled. Safety measures are taken and everyone seems to enjoy themselves.

It’s a fulfilling experience to see approximately 600,000 gallons of water gushing down per second. The amount of water that crashes down is so great that it creates a wet fog that surrounds the falls. As the boat gets closer to the falls the fog covers the boat like a blanket of foam. The wind gets faster causing the fog to attack anyone and anything. The boat stops, making sure not to get too close to the falls but close enough to the point where everyone becomes soaked. Some people had hair as straight as a perm turned into a wash-and-go. Others had the raincoat over their heads, but the face was left unprotected.

It was truly a wet experience.

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