2024 Navigation Season on the NYS Canal System

2024 Navigation Season on the NYS Canal System

The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that, conditions permitting, all portions of the New York State Canal system are scheduled to open on Friday, May 17, 2024.

This year marks the 200th consecutive season of navigation along New York’s Canals. The 200th anniversary of the original Erie Canal’s completion and opening will be commemorated as the Erie Canal’s bicentennial in 2025.

There are no tolls or fees for recreational use of the Canal system this year.

Additional information about this year’s season, including hours of operation and more details on the Canal Corporation’s continued collaboration with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to mitigate aquatic invasive species, will be issued in subsequent Notices to Mariners.

The Canal system is scheduled to close to navigation on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

As more information on the hours of operation is made known we will update this article

To report an issue or incident along the Canal system, please call the Canal Corporation’s Emergency Call Center at 833-538-1042.

Buffalo to Host 2025 World Canals Conference

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State has been selected by Inland Waterways International as the host of the 2025 World Canals Conference, an event that brings together hundreds of canal and inland waterway enthusiasts, professionals and scholars from around the world to learn about a variety of topics related to canals. The 2025 conference will be held in Buffalo as the State commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal’s opening there in 1825. The New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corporation, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Visit Buffalo Niagara, are the joint sponsors and will be coordinating all aspects of the conference.

“I am honored that New York State, and particularly the City of Buffalo, will host the 2025 World Canals Conference, providing us with the opportunity to host attendees from around the globe while highlighting a critical part of our state and nation’s history during the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal’s opening,” Governor Hochul said. “The Erie Canal has been an integral part of New York’s economy and landscape since Governor Dewitt Clinton began the 10-day inaugural voyage in Buffalo in 1825 on the newly completed canal, culminating in the famous ‘Wedding of the Waters’ ceremony in New York Harbor.”

The World Canals Conference is a key component of a comprehensive, four-month celebration of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial planned at the historic Buffalo waterfront between May and September of 2025. The event will highlight Buffalo’s transformed waterfront Canalside district, which has recently seen more than $400 million in new investment including new hotels, a major sports arena, a children’s museum, retail shops and a fabulous, re-created waterway on the footprint of the original Erie Canal in the Queen City. Today, Buffalo’s Canalside attracts more than 1,000,000 persons annually.

The conference program will be vibrant, relevant and undeniably future focused as canals and inland waterways are inexorably linked with the social, cultural and economic fiber of their surrounding communities. Accordingly, the event will be structured to embrace discussion of the innovations, opportunities and challenges which are driving healthy and sustainable waterways of the world today. Sessions on waterways and communities, tourism and recreation, waterway management, historic preservation, and inclusion and accessibility will comprise a diverse and compelling conference agenda. International attendees will mark the indelible impact the Erie Canal has brought to North America and beyond and will be able to chart the course for a vibrant and promising future to be shared by inland waterways across the globe.

New York Power Authority Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “Our New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation family is incredibly proud to join Governor Hochul and our partners as we celebrate the bicentennial of New York State’s iconic Erie Canal on a world stage. This international event will not only showcase our still working Canal system but will also promote its continued positive impact on local economies and highlight the endless opportunities for adventure along our network of water and trailways.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “For nearly two centuries, the Erie Canal has connected people and commerce across our state, and as the stewards of this iconic waterway, I am thrilled to celebrate its bicentennial alongside Governor Hochul and our colleagues as we bring the international focus of the World Canals Conference back to New York State. This global gathering of inland waterway leaders and canal enthusiasts allows us to truly showcase how our continued investments in the Canal system support recreation and local businesses in canalside communities across upstate New York.”

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Executive Director Bob Radliff said, “Buffalo is the ideal place to host this conference and I am so proud to show the world all it has to offer. Known as the ‘Gateway to the West’, the Erie Canal connected the port city of Buffalo with other cities along the Great Lakes and to the Atlantic Ocean in New York City. This historical connection is central to Buffalo’s history, and it is the major reason the city became a commercial and industrial powerhouse in the 1800’s.”

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Board Chairman Robert Gioia said, “Canalside is honored to be selected to host the 2025 World Canals Conference. The conference will cap off a summer of celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal on the Buffalo Waterfront. Several events are planned to mark the historic milestone, which will include public art, educational programming, and tours of the replica packet boat that is being built in the Longshed at Canalside right now.”

Visit Buffalo Niagara President & CEO Patrick Kaler said, “The affordability of the ‘City of Good Neighbors’ combined with the small footprint, walkable downtown, and wealth of outdoor leisure activities including its stunning waterfront at the western terminus of the Erie Canal makes Buffalo a competitive event destination and the history we have to offer is unparalleled. I look forward to showing the world all it has to offer.”

State Senator Timothy Kennedy said, “The Erie Canal played a crucial role in the development of the City of Buffalo and all of New York and continues to be an important part of our city’s identity today. I look forward to Buffalo showing off all that we have to offer for the 2025 World Canals Conference, which will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Canal. Congratulations to all who worked to secure this important event for the Queen City.”

State Senator Sean Ryan said, “It will be a distinct honor for Buffalo to host the 2025 World Canals Conference as we mark the incredible 200-year milestone of the Erie Canal. This will be a unique opportunity to show Buffalo and Western New York to the world as we celebrate our history and look towards the future.”

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples Stokes said, “Buffalo is honored to host the 2025 World Canals Conference at the same time we will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal. Our waterfront has been attracting more and more visitors who are excited to learn more about the history of the Erie Canal. We look forward to exchanging good practices on canals systems and showing conference attendees from around the world how Buffalo’s Canalside has helped rejuvenate our city.”

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “When the Erie Canal opened its waterway in 1825, it ushered in a new era of American ingenuity, transforming the way bulk goods were shipped and redefining the way commercial transportation was conducted. Today, the Erie Canal is rightly recognized for its historical significance to our nation’s economic prowess and is justifiably considered to be among the most influential human-built waterways and examples of civil engineering. Having the 2025 World Canals Conference coincide with Buffalo’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of the canal’s opening will not only commemorate the renowned history of the canal itself, but it will also allow visitors from all over the world to see how Buffalo is investing in its waterfront and injecting modernity to one of the world’s most recognizable canal systems.”

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “Erie County is honored to be named to host the 2025 World Canals Conference, which will shine an international spotlight on the world-famous Erie Canal and its’ western terminus here at Canalside. The Erie Canal was the Internet of the early 1800’s and connected this then- sparsely populated region to the world, forever changing the face of not only Erie County but New York State and North America. In the 200 years since the Canal opened Erie County has grown into a thriving community and we look forward to welcoming our guests and showcasing who we are at the 2025 conference.”

City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, “Buffalo is proud to host this international delegation at Canalside. The city’s famous grain elevators, outdoor recreation and unique architecture make it an excellent choice for the 2025 World Canals Convention. We look forward to welcoming you to our waterfront.”

Inland Waterways International President Rudy Van der Ween said, “Inland Waterways International is eagerly looking forward to discovering Buffalo and the wider region with a large delegation of its members – coming from no less than 27 countries worldwide – on the occasion of the World Canals Conference 2025! We are sure that the host city from NY/USA will make it an unforgettable event!”

The upcoming conference in Buffalo will mark the fourth time in recent years that New York State has hosted this international event. It was previously held in Rochester in 2000 and 2010, and again in Syracuse in 2017 which marked the 200 years since the start of construction of the Erie Canal in 1817. Specific details regarding the 2025 World Canals Conference will be announced as conference planning gets underway.

Electric Houseboats Cruising the Erie Canal

The E-Houseboat is being designed and built to be the first all-electric propelled and powered houseboat commercially available within the US.

The design team at East Coast Houseboats has been actively working on a completely unique way of building houseboats, and the E-Houseboat will be the first to benefit from this method. 

Starting with a fiberglass pontoon platform, the hulls are designed to minimize weight and provide less resistance as it travels down the waterway.  The cabin is built completely with lightweight composite materials but without sacrificing the level of year-round comfort that is common to our standard boat designs

East Coast Houseboats has been fortunate enough to partner with marine industry leaders such as Yanmar Mastry and Glendenning Marine to provide the propulsion and control engineering.

The design includes the necessary infrastructure to not only propel the boats, but re-charge it’s battery bank as she plies the Erie Canal in part due to the large rooftop array of lightweight solar panels.

 Capitalizing on the latest lithium-Ion battery technology, controls, and propulsion from industry leaders, and including features such as 12v led lighting throughout, 12v refrigeration, 12v HVAC.  All of which include products chosen for their ability to be integrated into the overall design and build of the boat.

 

At 30’ LOA, with a beam of 12’ the E-Houseboat will comfortably accommodate a family or 4 as a cruising houseboat or can be configured as the perfect day boat anchored in a cove. 

Looking to design your own version, we can build these boats from 22’ to 30’ and in beams from 10’ to 15’9”.  The engineering can be configured to focus less on daily cruising and more on daily living, as an example these boats could be completely off the grid cabins located in remote locations.

Outdoor spaces include a front deck, as well as a large roof deck space perfect for great views and sunsets.

E-One the first boat of its kind is scheduled to launch on the waters of the Erie Canal System in New York during the 2024 Navigation season.  The boat during its sea trials will be available for lock tours, boat shows and on the water events throughout the year.  E-One will then be available for bareboat charters on the Erie Canal. 

 

Lyons NY Peppermint Days

Peppermint Days, Lyons NY 2018

If you like parades, fireworks, concerts, food, car shows and small-town charm then you want to be in Lyons NY from July 13th – July 15th. 2018. Lyons celebrates its heritage as the Peppermint Capital of the world. In 1841 E.G. Hotchiss located his essential oils business to Lyons where he processed the locally grown peppermint plants into oils and other related products.

Lyons is the county seat of Wayne County, the village is full of historical buildings and architecture, six village properties are listed on the NYS and National Register of Historic Places. It is also a “Main Street USA” designated village.

Read More

1.5 Billion Dollars Generated Annually Through Events Along The Erie Canal

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor just released a study which shows that an estimated 1.5 billion dollars is generated annually by events such as boat tours, bicycle and paddle-sport rentals and historic site and museum tours along the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Events and tours drew more than 3.3 million visitors in 2017
Erie Canalway commissioned this study in part to determine the impacts of tourism throughout the Canal Corridor. The analysis was conducted by Level 7 Market Research  and supported by a grant from Market New York through I Love NY.
Over the last 10 years, the number of events along the Canal system has increased dramatically to include concerts, art festivals, cycling and paddling events as well as celebrations of local foods and beverages and events that focus on history and heritage. The NYS Canal Corporation website calendar listed more than 470 events.
The Erie Canal from Waterford to Brewerton is scheduled to open on May 15th. weather permitting with the entire canal system scheduled to open on May 18th.
In 2018 events include the 20th. Anniversary of Cycle The Erie Canal Bike Tour organized by Parks & Trails New York and the cross-canal journey of the Corning Museum of Glass GlassBarge, traveling with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s Canal Schooner Lois McClure
For the full Canal Event Analysis and Visitor Research Study, click here.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York, encompassing the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.  Read the entire report

Canal Clean Sweep 2018

Each year to correspond with Earth Day, communities and organizations up and down the Canal organize to clean the banks of the Canal  This year 38 separate events are scheduled.   This event now in it’s 8th. year continues to grow in size.

To learn more about all the events along the Canal visit the https://www.ptny.org/events/canal-clean-sweep

Canal Clean Sweep Lyons NY 2017

Barge Canal Centennial Celebrations Planned For Rochester

We currently travel on the third generation of the Erie Canal, commonly referred to as the “Barge Canal” 2018 celebrates the centennial of the opening of this version of the Canal system. The fact that we travel today on infrastructure designed and built 100 years ago is a great testament to the engineers and builders of the Barge Canal and the foresight of NYS to embark of its construction

The Canal Society of New York State in conjunction with the New York State Canal Corp and in partnership with the Centennial Celebration Committee are hosting two events to mark the centennial opening of the Erie Barge Canal in 2018.

When: Saturday May 5th. Canal Conversation & Symposium

Theatre at Stong Museum of Play Rochester

Join the conversation at this daylong public forum in which presenters discuss canal history and its continued value today and for the future. Registration $40, includes breakfast, coffee breaks and lunch.

Thursday May 10th. Centennial Celebration: Watering of the Erie Barge Canal

East Guard Lock just west of Kendrick Rd.

Witness the re-creation of the first inflow of water into the 20th century Erie Canal as “Teddy Roosevelt” sponsors, and other dignitaries greet the public and ceremoniously commemorate the event using the authentic shovel used 100 years ago on May 10th. 1918. Dignitaries will also unveil a bronze plaque to celebrate the designation of the NYS Canal System as a National Historic Landmark. FREE

Canal by Coach Tour: Following the festivities join Canal Society of New York State President Emeritus Tom Grasso and other experts for a guided tour by motor coach of the remarkable canal sites in eastern Monroe County Registration: $60. Includes lunch, bus, printed guide and more.

History:

On the morning of May 10th. 1918 a group of engineers, contractors, workers and a few prominent citizens gathered on the east side of the Genesee River in Genesee Valley Park to inaugurate a monumental, audacious and revolutionary accomplishment in New York State’s long and storied canal history. Water for the first time was let into the newly completed expansion of the Erie Canal or “Teddy Roosevelts Ditch”. Five days later the new Erie-Barge Canal was opened for through traffic from the Great Lakes to the Hudson River. A new era had begun.

Sponsors: New York State Canal Corporation, Canal Society of New York State, Create a Brand, City of Rochester, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, Bergman Associates, and John & Eve Graham.

To register for either of the events, click here

http://www.newyorkcanals.org             http://www.bargecanal100.com

Historic Palmyra’s Women’s History Month Event

 

historic palmyraA Women’s History Month Program has been set for March 15th from 7 to 9 p at the Alling Coverlet Museum, 132 Market Street, in Palmyra, Wayne County, NY.

This event will introduce attendees to the women of Palmyra’s history such as Dr. Harriet Adams, Clarissa Hall Jerome, Lavinia Chase, Harriett Hyde Sexton, Anna Webster Eaton, and Sybil Phelps, along with other women of the region such as the Fox Sisters.

This event is hosted by Historic Palmyra, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated preserving the history and architectural heritage of Palmyra.

For more information, call (315) 597-6981 or visit Historic Palmyra’s website

Originally posted on the New York History Blog

2018 Navigation Season On The Erie Canal

Dates & Hours of Operation during the 2018 Navigation Season on the Erie Canal

The New York State Canal Corporation announced once again that the navigation season on the Erie Canal will be shortened to a schedule similar to the 2017 season.

Boaters are advised that, conditions permitting, the Eastern Erie Canal (locks E-2 Waterford through E-23 Brewerton will be opened on Tuesday May 15th. at 10:00 

The balance of the New York State Canal System, including the Champlain Canal, Western Erie Canal, Oswego Canal and the Cayuga/Seneca Canal will be opened on  Friday May 18th. at 7:00 a.m. conditions permitting.

The entire Erie Canal System will close for the season on Wed October 10th. at 5 p.m.

The standard hours of operation for the 2018 season are 7 a.m. to 5 pm. with the following locks and lift bridges having extended hours until 10 p.m. from May 18th. to Sept. 12th.

  • Lock C-1, Halfmoon
  • Lock E-7, Niskayuna
  • Lock E-23, Brewerton
  • Lock O-1, Phoenix
  • Lock O-2, Fulton
  • Lock O-3, Fulton
  • Lock E-24, Baldwinsville
  • Main Street Lift Bridge, Fairport
  • Lock E-32, Pittsford
  • Lock E-33, Henrietta
  • Spencerport Lift Bridge
  • Adams Basin Lift Bridge
  • Park Avenue Lift Bridge, Brockport
  • Main Street Lift Bridge, Brockport
  • Holley Lift Bridge
  • Hulberton Lift Bridge
  • Ingersoll Street Lift Bridge, Albion
  • Main Street Lift Bridge, Albion
  • Eagle Harbor Lift Bridge
  • Knowlesville Lift Bridge
  • Medina Lift Bridge
  • Middleport Lift Bridge
  • Gasport Lift Bridge
  • Exchange Street Lift Bridge, Lockport
  • Lock E-34/35, Lockport
  • Lock CS-1, Cayuga
  • Lock CS-2/3, Seneca Falls
  • Lock CS-4, Waterloo

In addition to the structures listed above, Locks E-2 through E-6 and Guard Gate #2 in the Waterford Flight will operate on demand from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from Thursday through Monday from May 18th to September 12th.  During the same period, the hours of operation for the Waterford Flight will be 7:00 am to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Due to roving operations, some delays may be experienced during certain periods in the Waterford Flight.

Vessels are required to arrive at a lock at least 15 minutes prior to closing to ensure being locked through, and at a lift bridge at least 5 minutes prior to ensure an opening. 

If there is any positive information out of the Canal Corporations continued reduction in the length of the navigational season it’s the fact that they have once again suspended the fees associated with recreational boating.

We welcome your comments on this years schedule.  All comments will be forwarded to the Canal Corporation.

 

 

Floating Homes Along The Erie Canal

The Erie Canal, the eighth wonder of the world is currently celebrating the bi-centennial of its creation. It is one of the greatest tourist destinations in the world and it might be the most underutilized recreational resource within New York State. Organizations such as Canal NY actively work to promote the system as well as the businesses within the Erie Canal Corridor.

Erie Canal Floating homes is a program designed to

                1)Promote increased use of the Canal

                2)Enhance economic impact throughout the communities within the Erie Canal Corridor.

It’s all about the water right, and getting out on the water is the number one way to experience the canal.

People utilize the canal in three ways.

  • Boaters travel the Canal on their own boats, they visit communities along the Canal, on vacations and long weekends,
  •  They spend time on their boats at their home port marinas, or they use their boats as day boats for being out on the lakes, for activities such as fishing, tubing, raft ups at swim areas, or visiting dock & dines
  • People looking to visit the Canal can take advantage of day trips provided by tour operators, or even rent a boat for a week or more and chart their own course on the Canal.

The biggest challenge to boating the canal is time, the time necessary to experience the Canal.

The idea of encouraging the use of floating homes along the Canal system to allow for more tourists to travel to and experience the Canal is exciting.

There are basically two different types of docking opportunities available to transient boaters, the first are from the communities along the Canal System that offer boaters the opportunities to spend the night, visit the community and avail themselves of the resources within these communities.  The second docking opportunity comes from the marinas that are in close proximity to the communities, this dynamic sometimes puts these two entities in direct competition with each other and in some communities has forced the elimination of the amenities normally available to the boater

“House Boat” from Destination Yachts

What if these marinas had the ability to fill their slips, maybe even utilize areas of these facilities that have proved difficult in the past, such as those areas that have access issues or low water depth.

What about marinas located in areas where transient boaters typically have passed them by? What about areas of the Canal that have been totally ignored by companies investing in similar businesses. Are there portions of the Canal that the State would like to see economic impact improvements within? Are there locations which once housed marinas that could be re-opened. These marinas could be much simpler to construct. They wouldn’t need fueling infrastructure, they wouldn’t even need to be constructed with travel lifts, the floating homes could be easily lifted out of the water after the season by the use of a crane hired for a day to lift out all the boats and place them on shore, same process could be done in the spring. Boats could be built with lift points built in place to simplify the process.

These boats could also be placed in areas that have been identified as flood plains and other areas where construction has proved to be challenging!

Sanitation for these boats could be built using a site wide pump out system connected to either a municipal sewer system or onsite treatment plant. The technology even exists to install a system that incinerates all liquid and solid waste and the results are a small amount of sterile ash that can be removed once a week or so for those areas that are truly remote.

Aqua-Lodges available from Catamarine Cruisers

These boats could be purchased by individuals for docking in existing marinas or waterfront campgrounds, or by the marinas themselves to be placed in rental fleets  

The Canal systems could easily accommodate 100 boats or more throughout the 524 miles of waterway. Each of these boats could generate thousands of dollars annually to a marina from docking and storage revenues. Organizations which wanted to own and operate rental units could be placed in systems such as Airbnb or VRBO.  Boats placed in marinas could generate additional revenue such as pontoon or fishing boat rentals, or create opportunities for marinas to update their facilities like adding a workout room or maybe even a pool.

Another version of a floating community is located in Clinton Ohio at a marina just off of Lake Erie, these floating homes are set up a little different and allow each owner the ability to park a boat adjacent to their floating homes as part of their monthly slip fees.

Lakeside Marina in Port Clinton Ohio

Ranch from Eco Sea Cottages

Floating Homes originated on the west coast in cities like Seattle, and a company call eco-sea cottages has created a product that can be delivered to any city or town in the country and will even locate a slip for your boat should you wish to purchase from them.  They too offer outboard engine and steering packages which would allow you to move a boat in limited situations.  For more info visit their web site www.eco-seacottages.com