WATERFORD — The Waterford Flight, which connects the Hudson and Mohawk rivers on the Erie Canal, is closed “until further notice,” the state Canal Corporation announced Friday.
The closure of the Waterford Flight was caused by a mechanical issue, the agency wrote in a notice to mariners. Boaters are being encouraged to seek alternative routes.
Because of the closure, the Seneca Chief — a replica of a boat used by Gov. DeWitt Clinton on a historic inaugural voyage from Buffalo to New York Harbor on the Erie Canal in 1825 — will not be visiting Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady on Saturday, Discover Schenectady spokesman Al Roney said.
The boat, built by the Buffalo Maritime Center, is currently on a 22-day trip across the Erie Canal with stops in communities along the way. When the Waterford Flight reopens, the boat will travel straight to its next stop in Amsterdam, Roney said.