“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.”
― Loren Eiseley, anthropologist and educator

For Rebekah and for me, seeing our grandchildren’s reaction to Niagara Falls was pretty much worth the entire two weeks and 2,600 miles of driving.

They believed us when we told them it would be spectacular, and they did the research we assigned ahead of time, but there is nothing quite like actually being there and seeing it (feeling it) up close and personal.

First, there was walking into the hotel room and seeing the amazing view from the the 44th floor (see “Niagara Falls from the 44th Floor“).

Then, there was breakfast with our table next to the window offering an equally imposing vista.

Finally, we boarded the “Hornblower Cruise.” The full force of the spray and the waves and the mist and the power is impossible to miss. That’s 3,160 tons of water per second or “more than 700,000 gallons of water per second” in the summer.

The kids were pretty much blown away. And that’s how we like it!

Rebekah and I were here in 2013, and we enjoyed exploring at our own pace. But there is something about seeing one of the mighty wonders of creation through the eyes of children. Not just children but rising 6th and 7th graders who are developing thoughtful responses as they learn to open their eyes to their world.

Wetter than wet!

I had forgotten just how wet we would get, and how close to impossible it is to take great photographs when the whole entire waterfall is in our faces!

But it was wonderfully exhilarating, and the experience was suitably spectacular. The squeals of delight were genuine and the wide-eyed wonder was priceless.

I may write more detail later, when I share the Nikon photos. But for today, enjoy this collection of images and two short videos: one of the American Falls and one of the Horseshoe. Enjoy!

Here is the second video, followed by the morning’s complete story told in photographs. – DEREK