Boating may not be the first thing you think of when you think of April in Western New York, but when it comes to the total solar eclipse on April 8 – there’s no other place some people would rather be than on a boat in our local waterways.
“We’re expecting a flotilla of boats on Lake Erie, which we’re hearing will be coming in from Cleveland, from Detroit,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz at a preparedness event last month.
Looking after boaters wasn’t something the county was expecting, but it’s yet another thing to plan for on a day when emergency services already will be stretched thin.
“Now if you get a bad windstorm in April, you don’t really want to be on Lake Erie. So we have to work with our partners, of course, with the Coast Guard in preparation for that,” Poloncarz said.
Boatsetter, an Airbnb-type mobile app for boat rentals, is pushing its services as the best way to view the eclipse in Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and other places that are in the eclipse’s path of totality.
Eclipse viewers on boats have the mobility to chase better visibility, anchor in a secluded spot, avoid the crowds and better tailor their eclipse-viewing experience, the company said.
“While land-based spectators may contend with crowded viewing spots and obstructed horizons, a boat offers unobstructed panoramic views of the eclipse from the open waters,” said Bronte Brecht, a Boatsetter spokesperson.
The Maid of the Mist is putting its boats into the water early to capitalize on the influx of tourists. The early start to the season will have boats running as they would any normal day in the summer, with no timed ticketing and guests lining up on a first-come, first-served basis. Niagara City Cruises, its Southern Ontario counterpart, will be running as well.
Frank Campbell is a charter boat captain and the outdoor promotions director at Destination Niagara USA, Niagara County’s tourism board. He said a…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply