PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Nearly 20,000 people cruised the Erie Canal last year on the Sam Patch boat tour. The boat, which first set sail in 1991, was named after the American daredevil Sam Patch to keep his story alive.
Sam Patch was known for his daring jumps from high places into water, earning him the nickname “Yankee Leaper.” He’s considered a proto Evel Knievel, said Evan Miller Watelet, a deckhand with Corn Hill Navigation.
“Most famously, at least during his lifetime at Niagara Falls, where he jumped from 120 feet above the water at the base of the falls and survived twice,” said Watelet.
On Nov. 6, 1829, Patch attempted a jump at the High Falls with a baby black bear. “And the bear fell,” Watelet said. Patch followed and landed safely, but the story didn’t end there.
“Sam was fine that day, but he didn’t make nearly as much money as he’d been hoping to because the weather was bad,” Watelet said. He returned a week later on Friday the 13th. “We’re not sure exactly what happened,” Watelet said, noting theories of a heart attack or alcohol. “Instead of jumping nice and vertical this time, Sam fell flat.”
Sam Patch’s body was not found until it washed onto Charlotte Beach the following summer.
The 54-foot vessel takes 40 people up and down the canal, offering a glimpse of the nearly 400-mile waterway.
The tours provide an opportunity to experience a working lock system and learn about the historical significance of the Erie Canal. Mack emphasized the importance of the Sam Patch in the community.
“Sam Patch is such a staple here in our community in Pittsford, New York, and in the greater Rochester area,” Laura Mack, director of operations at Corn Hill Navigation said.
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