Great Lakes nations maintain coast guard vessels in the Great Lakes. During settlement, the Great Lakes and its rivers were the only practical means of moving people and freight. Barges from middle North America were able to reach the Atlantic Ocean from the Great Lakes when the Welland canal opened in 1824 and the later Erie Canal opened in 1825. By 1848, with the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal at Chicago, direct access to the Mississippi River was possible from the lakes. With these two canals an all-inland water route was provided between New York City and New Orleans. The
Ribble Link Trust Ribble Link Trust The Ribble Link Trust is a waterway society, campaigners, instigators of and involved in the Ribble Link, a navigable waterway that connects the Lancaster Canal to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Lancashire, England, via the River Ribble. The Trust is a member of the Ribble Link Partnership which includes British Waterways, Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council. The construction was funded by: The Ribble Link was opened to navigation on 12 July 2002, and the official opening ceremony took place on 20 September 2002. The first boat to travel the Ribble Link belonged to Cliff