Historic Lake George steamboats to once again be operational starting this weekend
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (WRGB) – Starting this weekend, you’ll be able to take in all the sights, sounds and smells of Lake George from the Lake George Steamboat Company- The Trio of boats we know as the “Minne-Ha-Ha”, “Luc Du Saint Sacrement” and “Mohican II.”
But like everything else in this new normal, there will be changes in the overall operation.
It’s kind of sad not to see them up and running but soon they will be.
Good news, for lifelong Lake George resident and now Villiage Historian Margaret Manix.
She says to this day she still remembers riding the Mohican as a small child.
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“We’d take the trip up to Ticonderoga with my mom and sister,” Manix says.
Details like the timeline and changes for passengers will be worked out once people can even come aboard, according to Patricia Dow, Vice President of the Lake George Steamboat Company.
One thing they know for sure already? Masks will be required.
The plan is to first send out the Mohican this weekend. Both days, the boat will offer four “sight-seeing cruises.” That’s down from the normal seven.
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“That's to allow time in between for cleaning.” says Dow.
If Phase Three of reopening stays on schedule, the Saint Sacrement will begin it’s luncheon cruises on June 17th. That’s because this boat gets lumped in with restaurants.
“When you’re seated at your table just like in a dining room, you would not need to have your mask on unless you get up from the table,” says Dow.
The last of the boats to operate will be the Minne Ha-Ha.
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Its set to give one hour cruises starting June 27th.
“No fireworks cruises this summer. I don’t think the village is going to have it’s Thursday fireworks,” says Dow.
So while they’re not operating at 100%, it’s still a slice of Lake George. A slice of normalcy.
“It’s just so much a part of the fabric of the area and the community,” says Dow.
The last time the steamboats weren’t in operation? During the “Great Depression.”
