Life & Death At The Brink Of Niagara Falls
They stand at the brink where more than 600,000 gallons of water a second crashes over the edge every second.
These tourists are not risking their lives, but if you have a fear of heights, it may not be the place to stand. This is the corner of Goat Island, middle of Niagara Falls between the Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, NY. In 1885, Goat Island, was included in the Niagara Reservation State Park which is the oldest state park in the U.S. The tourists are looking at the Hoseshoe Falls from Terrapin Point which from 1833 into the mid-1880s, it was the location of a boardwalk and Terrapin Tower, a lighthouse-type structure that was built over the river, just beyond the lip of the Horseshoe Falls. The boardwalk, deemed unsafe, was dismantled by 1887. From 1969, Terrapin Point was roped off for visitor safety until 1983, when 25,000 tons of unstable rock was blasted off. The remaining surface was scaled, and reopened to tourists in September 1983. (picture by Chuck Camroux of www.GatewayNiagara.com).
The American Falls at Niagara Frozen Solid?
Just like it was 10 to 15,000 years ago, maybe. But this past winter (2008/2009) was a bitter one.
In January of this year, 2009, this was the scene when one looked across the Niagara River at the American Falls. Sure there’s water running over the crest. That water can’t freeze because it’s moving too fast. But once it crashed to the rocks below, and into the river, it begins to turn into ice. White, winter rock ice. Even the river below is filled with ice and snow. (picture by Chuck Camroux of www.GatewayNiagara.com).
