Cave of the Winds, New York

Cave of the Winds Improv

Located in America’s oldest state park, the intriguing-sounding Cave of the Winds does not disappoint! For years now I’ve been hankering to play in the Niagara Falls tunnels directly under the Canadian side of the Horseshoe Falls. Yesterday I finally had my chance to realize this obsessive dream, albeit from the American side of the gorge!

Having presented my lecture ‘Examination Slam-Dunk’ for local music teachers and members of the Niagara Falls Branch of ORMTA first thing in the day, I found I had a free afternoon on my hands. So I decided to play tourist and headed straight for the Rainbow Bridge with its border crossing to the U.S.A. Despite recent beefed-up security measures, the friendly U.S. border guard kindly let me in sans passport, allowing my driver’s license to suffice: sweet!

The American side of the falls has retained much more of its natural setting and really blew me away - but not as much as the gale-force winds from the rickety wooden platforms that are part of the Cave of the Winds adventure! If you’ve never been to Goat Island wit its wooded parkland and spectacular vistas, take it from this old goat: you don’t know what you’re missing!

A long tunnel presented 18 storeys down through the escarpment where the acoustics were phenomenal, especially when you consider the 100+ year history of the place - a space that had been hewn by hand back in the 1820’s. After this short improv on my cedar native North American flute, I emerged from the far end of the tunnel to discover this view overlooking the majestic Niagara River towards the awe-inspiring Horeshoe Falls.

Minutes later I would find myself totally soaked by the unpredictable winds of the water of the American Falls thundering nearby!