Behind the wheel of the Maid of the Mist

6/15/15

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CW-23) – It’s tourism season in Western New York, and visitors have started pouring into local attractions like Maid the Mist. A typical ride on the boat is only about twenty minutes long, but it can be life changing.

The journey gives passengers views of the base of Niagara Falls that they wouldn’t get to see otherwise. But it’s a view that Captain Rod MacDonald has gotten used to.

“I love this job,” MacDonald told News 4. “It’s great. I can see the results of my job from the day and making all these people happy.”

The ride past the American falls, into the Canadian horseshoe and back is one that Captain MacDonald has made more than 70,000 times over his twenty-seven year career. A Canadian citizen, he drives over the Niagara River to get to work every day. He doesn’t forget, however, that many of his passengers are seeing the magnificent scene for the first, possibly the only, time in their lives.

“That’s the part of our job we enjoy,” MacDonald explained. “We’re helping people see the falls. It’s in our backyard, but these people come from all over. So we try to make it very memorable for them.”

A lot has changed on the deck of the ship since Captain MacDonald first came on board almost three decades ago. Back then, no one brought a smartphone or a selfie stick on board.

“In the old days, everybody had two or three cameras hanging around their necks,” MacDonald said. “Everyone would be changing their film. That shows I’m dating myself now.”

Dating himself or not, Captain MacDonald has been part of some historic moments on the Maid of the Mist.

“My favorite over the years was Princess Diana in the 90’s and her two boys,” MacDonald remembered. “That was kind of special for me. She was so very polite and just very warm. It made you feel comfortable talking to her.”

The photos of the royal mother and young Prince William and Harry in their blue ponchos are now iconic in the Niagara region.

“They kept playing with the whistle,” MacDonald said of the royal brothers. “She’d say click that! And they’d keep blowing it!”

Turns out you don’t have to be a royal to get a turn at blowing the horn. If you’re really lucky, Captain MacDonald might even give up the wheel to a visitor for a few moments, as he allowed the day that News 4 was on board to film. He’s done it so many times, he doesn’t mind taking a few seconds just to enjoy the ride.

“My favorite part is when we turn out and people start screaming and clapping,” MacDonald said. “Then I know we did our job right. That’s our best part of the job.”