"Forbidden Underground: Behind Niagara Falls"

Now this is utterly fascinating, especially since I love the adventure of exploring old places!:

Michael Cook of The Vanishing Point wrote about his experience exploring the depths of the decomissioned Toronto Power Company Hydroelectric Plant's tailrace at Niagara Falls. (Tailrace is the downstream part of the dam where water re-enters the river):

Imagine a tunnel more than ten storeys underground, a hundred years old, bricklined, wet, and completely inaccessible save by descending through a narrow slit in its ceiling thirty feet above the floor, and then returning up the same rope.

Now imagine that this tunnel flows into Niagara Falls, emerging behind the pummeling curtain of water that nearly everyone in North America journeys to see at some point in their lives.

This tunnel exists. In the autumn of 2004, thanks to the work of two people with the experience and equipment to make it happen, I had the chance to feel Niagara Falls.

You can read about Michael's experience, as well as another far more detailed excursion into those same tunnels done by another explorer, Sleepy City. A few more photos of the abandoned hydroelectric plant itself can also be found here.

Enjoy exploring, and have a wonderful Tuesday all!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 5:56 AM  I   I  0 comments