Whirlpool Rapids, Niagara River, NY

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Whirlpool State Park, New York – 5/27/12 – 3 Miles
Every year Jim and I take a little anniversary trip.  Most often we go to the North Carolinamountains.  On the “big ones” we gofarther, like Alaska or Ireland.  Fornumber 31 this year, we went all the way to Niagara Falls. 
We spent the first few days exploring the falls from everyangle, the Canadian side, the American side, the nighttime illumina- tion, thefireworks, the Maid of the Mist boat ride, the Cave of the Winds tour, and soon.  Niagara Falls State Park (Americanside) was expensive but excellent.  Oneday we drove on the scenic Canadian Niagara Parkway up to the lovely town ofNiagara-on-the-Lake, where we rented a tandem bike and navigated the NiagaraParks Recreation Trail, stopping at a winery or two. 
On our last day we drove north on the American side of theNiagara River and visited Whirlpool State Park, part of the Niagara Gorge RimTrail system.  From the Rim Trail we couldsee:
A trolley crossing with a bird’s eye view of the NiagaraGorge whirlpool - between this and the power boat tours and the helicopters flying over, it's a busy place
Water coming down Niagara River – Class VI rapids
Flowing into the “V”
Entering into the whirlpool basin
The whirlpool:  Thereis an elbow in the Niagara River where it takes a right-angled turn and a basinhas been carved out to the left.  Whenthe water flows above a certain level, the water coming down the narrow Gorgeenters the pool and then travels counterclockwise around the basin.  When the water tries to cut across itselfafter swirling all the way around, pressure is built up and forces that waterto flow underneath the incoming stream. The swirling movement creates a vortex or reversal phenomenon.  If the water flow is low (diverted forhydroelectric purposes) the water merely flows straight through the basin andon to Lake Ontario. 
We walked downstream on the Rim Trail, then descended 300 feet downthe crazy tilted steps to the bottom of the Gorge and followed a trail back upthe river to reach the whirlpool rapids up close.  
Eye level at the "V"
Big waves at the entrance to the whirlpool basin:  the wave is curling upstream
A hole formed by pounding backsplash
A meditation moment at the whirlpool rapids (except for when the powerboat tours come roaring up about every five minutes)
Standing at the river’s edge, looking back up at the RimTrail
So it’s more of a walk than a hike, but well worth thetime.  If we had planned a little betterwe would have tried the whole Rim Trail as it continues on downriver to Devil’sHole State Park.  Maybe next time?
“So much water moving underneath the bridge, let the watercome and carry us away.”  Crosby, Stills& Nash