https://www.facebook.com/niagaraparks/videos/523086951862379/
Nov. 4 (UPI) — A Halloween night storm dislodged a boat that has been grounded in rapids near Niagara Falls for more than a century.
Niagara Parks in Ontario, Canada, shared a video on Facebook declaring that the boat, an iron dumping scow, moved downriver about 160 feet on Thursday evening.
“The severe weather conditions experienced on Halloween night have caused the iron scow, which has remained remarkably lodged in the powerful upper rapids above the Canadian Horseshoe Falls for over a century, to shift significantly from its position,” the agency said.
Jim Hill, senior manager of Heritage Operations for Niagara Parks, said it appears the scow had flipped on its side and spun around.
“It could be stuck there for days, or it could be stuck there for years. It’s anyone’s guess,” he said.
The scow broke loose from its towing tug and drifted into the Niagara River on Aug. 6, 1918, eventually moving toward the falls.
Two men, James Harris and Gustav Lofberg, were stranded on the scow, but were eventually rescued as a breeches buoy — a canvas sling suspended by a pulley — was lowered in to pull them out in a joint effort by the Niagara Parks Police, Niagara Falls Fire and Police departments and hydro workers.
After the rescues, a salvage operation to recover the scow was not considered feasible, so the vessel remained stranded along the rocks for more than 100 years until being dislodged last week.
