The New York State Canal System is comprised of 524 miles of inland waterways in upstate New York. The Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain canals are part of the system. Some of the primary users of the canal system are local recreational boaters and fishermen, transient boaters, commercial boat operators and tour boat companies.
The Erie Canal extends 363 miles from Buffalo to Albany, from the eastern shore of Lake Erie to the upper Hudson River. When it was completed in 1825, it opened a path toward the west for settlers and businesspeople. By 1840, New York City was the busiest port in America. (See References 1) The success of the Erie Canal led to the building of the other canals in the 1820s, including the Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain. In 1918, some of the canals were enlarged and the system of waterways, pools, locks and dams was named the New York Barge Canal. The completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, along with the building of more highways, led to the decline of commercial traffic on the canal system. The system now is named the New York State Canal System and is a notable recreational and historical resource for the state.
Champlain Canal Tours offers day and overnight tours of the Champlain Canal from May through October. Three primary tours are available on the company's smallest boat, the M/V Sadie, and four tours on the larger boat, the M/V Caldwell. Special tours are available on occasions such as Mother's Day, Father's Day and Independence Day. Some tours include meals; overnight tours include lodging on land. All tours begin at Schuylerville in northeast Saratoga, near the Hudson River. Destinations include Saratoga National Park in Stillwater; the waterfalls of Northumberland and Whitehall, located at the southern end of Lake Champlain; and the birthplace of the United States Navy.
Corn Hill Navigation is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve the Erie Canal and the Genesee River. It operates two tour boats that traverse the Erie Canal while the captain explains points of interest along the way. The Sam Patch is a replica of the type of packet boat that was pulled through the four-foot water of the Erie Canal by teams of mules or horses. The Mary Jemison is a historic wooden boat that has been in operation since 1931, originally transporting oyster catches to packing houses and markets. The boats operate daily on tours lasting 75 to 90 minutes; weekend dinner cruises last two-and-a-half hours. Snacks and catered and buffet lunches are available on regular tours. The Mary Jemison departs from Corn Hill Landing in Rochester; the Sam Patch leaves from Schoen Place in Pittsford.
Seneca River Boat Tours is operated by Discovery Marine Services and takes passengers on central New York waterways in a 19-foot Triumph. Tours depart from Baldwinsville, northwest of Syracuse. Passengers travel along the Seneca River and visit either Cross Lake or Onondaga Lake while passing by Canal Lock 24, part of the Erie Canal. Locks raise and lower boats to different levels of water. Tours can be customized for passengers who want to participate in activities such as photography, bird-watching and fishing. The maximum number of passengers per tour is five. Tour durations are one, two or three hours.
