I love waterfalls, but after seeing the mighty Niagara Falls, I am afraid that any other waterfalls are likely to be the equivalent of a dripping tap compared to the real thing! The lip of the Horseshoe Falls at Niagara stretches for 2500 feet, and there are two more falls besides. More than 675,000 gallons a second pours over the ledge in a foaming torrent and drops 180 feet into the crater below. The best way to see this natural wonder of the world is from the Maid of the Mist boat which takes hardy fools to the very base of the Horseshoe Falls.

Maid of the Mist - Photo by sailorbill

The price of a ticket was very reasonable compared to the rip off Starbucks coffee prices we had to pay here. Wrapped in my souvenir plastic mac I boarded the boat and headed for the bow. With a blast from the horn we were underway and sailed to the foot of the slightly smaller American Falls, which was a mass of huge rocks as the edge erodes about 6 feet a year. We then sailed towards the Horseshoe Falls where the river got surprisingly turbulent. Suddenly rain slammed into us and driving wind swirled my mac in all directions. It felt like being hit by a sudden storm but it was just the effect of the falls. Water poured down the staircase from the upper deck, and spray blew up my sleeves and trickled down my collar. We bobbed around for a while then sailed back to calmer waters. My camera was so wet the lens would not retract, but it was well worth the experience. Back in the sunshine I rung out my sleeves and sat in the sun (with another exorbitantly priced coffee) to dry off. What a spectacle! What a fantastic natural wonder of the world!

By Gillian Birch