Thomas Wentworth wrote:
Your right ,, I screwed up... I was looking at the map and not seeing
correctly.

Have you ever taken the canal? I see it goes from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario
and bypasses Niagra Falls, etc.

Is it a canal that recreational boats can use?

Tell me what you know.

Yes recreational boats can and do use the Welland Canal. There can be
issues just entering the canal at Pt. Colborne if the wind is up and SW.
Erie is shallow and not to be trifled with. During high traffic times
the dockmasters will require recreational boaters to convoy through
together. Each lock is approx. 800 feet in length and will raise or
lower --depending on your direction of travel-- your vessel
approximately 30-35'. Lowering the mast for sail is not required as the
bridges you pass will either be bailey or lift style. Long dock lines
and lots of fenders are the order of the day. Attention to the slimy
lock walls is required. Water motion in the lock can be a little
turbulent when ascending. Attention needs to be paid exiting the locks
when descending as millions of gallons of water exiting the lock can
create some interesting currents. The bottoms of the canal are muddy
and slope gently, shallowing up gradually in some sections. If you are
careless enough to get pushed into the shallows grounding would be
embarassing, not catastrophic. Transiting is an enjoyable adventure.
Exiting at Pt. Weller on a nice day will present you with the Toronto
skyline across the Lake. A hard starboard will see you over to Pt.
Weller Marina. Port side will be Pt. Dalhousie, a mile or two east.
Great little harbour that marks the exit point of the original Welland
Canal built in the early 1800's. Restaurants and bars provide nightlife
within stumbling distance of the docks.