Much of the Erie Canal is really the Mohawk River. The projected bridge clearance throughout the Canal is projected to 21'. When you are approaching one, it looks much less. Rock Chalk needs 15', so we had no problems, but again the high water did damage to other boaters who had close clearances, and with high water they hit the bridges. But the water is beautiful, and there are mountains in the distance, so it is a wonderful scene. That is one of our bikes which are tied to the forward stanchion, you see in the photo. No Stella we are not riding our bikes on the water.....
The top two photos are Lock 17 on the Canal. Lock 17 raises you 40.5 ft. the highest lift in the New York Canal system. It is a cavern when you first come in. Look how tiny the tourists are at the rail at the top looking down on us. They really seem far away. The water rushes in from the bottom and pushes you over against the wall as you rise, so we have to have 5 fenders on the side of the boat to protect her. The walls of the lock are filthy, so the fenders get not only squashed and pulled, but they get really dirty. The second shot is the same lock after it fills, and we gently pull out of the lock at the new higher level of the canal.
So in the two days that it took to get to Lake Oneida in central New York, we went up 20 locks to an elevation of 420' above sea level, and then back down 3 more locks to the Lake. Once we are back in the water and continue on we have 7 more locks which drop us down to Lake Ontario. We hope to cross that lake by next Sunday, and then enter the Trent Severn Canal on the north shore, which is part of Ontario, Canada. It has 44 locks itself as it takes you up to over 600 ft. above sea level, then back down to Lake Huron. Huron is quite a bit higher than the lake it flows into, Lake Erie, and Erie flows over Niagara Falls some 100+ ft. down to Lake Ontario. We are simply taking a short cut northwest across southern Ontario provence to cut from Ontario to Huron, then on to Lake Michigan. (I know we all grew up in the Midwest, and know nothing about the Great Lakes geography).
I have to tell you that Shelley is quite the master at the Locks. She bought some bright yellow rubber gloves like what Mom used to wear washing the dishes every night. You know the ones that go clear up past your elbow. Yea you get the picture. As I said the ropes and walls in the locks are yucky. I would pull Rock Chalk into the lock and move toward the front gate as it looms over our head and stop at a line hanging down the wall. Shelley grabs that line and holds the front of the boat steady. I grab onto a line near the back of the boat and together we manage the boat as the water becomes our elevator.
Here is a hint. The back of the boat is a cinch. Not much pulling or movement back there, so my job is really easy. Shelley meanwhile is hanging on for dear life trying to keep the front from zinging off to the other side of the lock with the currents. She complained a little bit, but she really was a trooper, and did her job well. I wish Max, Leo and Rylee could have been on this part of the trip, as they would have been amazed at the locks. Sorry Leo, no shells in the locks, but you and Max would love the junk on the walls.
Hopefully, the next blog will be coming from Canada early next week. Marc
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