#4: Locking Up

 
This sign is mile marker zero for our loop. We will pass it again in August on our way south from Lake Champlain. So, we turned left to tie up at the dock at the Waterford, NY Visitor Center, marking the eastern end of the Erie Canal. 


It's a popular spot for boaters because dockage is free, with water and electrical hook-ups. That's rare. It's a fun place to meet "loopers", most of whom are doing the Great Loop, through the Great Lakes and Mississippi River, etc.

  Extensive research revealed that it's best to have 3-4 people aboard to help with locking. The choice of crew on the dock wasn't great, and we settled on this homeless couple, particularly because they looked like our Dummerston neighbors Jody and Paul Normandeau. They were grateful for the shelter and ride.

The first set of locks is called the Waterford Flight; five locks to lift us a total of 169 feet from the Hudson River to the Mohawk River. That's twice as much as the Panama Canal.

Each of these locks has about a 35 foot lift, and holds 3-1/2 million gallons of water. That's enough water for the city of Waterford for one day.


 The lock walls have ropes or poles for securing the boat. Rubber gloves were handy because the ropes spend a lot of time submerged and are pretty icky. Fenders are important too and also get pretty icky. The lock gates are massive steel doors with mitred edges allowing the gates to stay closed by the pressure of the water. This design was invented by Leonardo da Vinci and is still used almost exclusively throughout the world.

 The 200,000 pound gates (which open or close in 30 seconds; not bad), vertical lift valves, power capstans, buffer beams, etc. are all controlled by switches in this little controller box, polished as highly as Allan's brass and bronze on the boat.





 When water begins to fill it creates eddies which jostle the boat at bit, so we have to be careful to ensure the fenders do their work.



















 




Even though the canal is no longer used commercially, it's incredible to think of the expense to maintain this system for recreational purposes. Our $75 seasonal pass doesn't seem adequate, but we'll take it. The lock tender records each boat. They're all nice people. 
 

 This guy didn't want his picture taken. We asked if he was Caribbean and he said, "Jamaica," unleashing five minutes of good chat. He decided we were okay and permitted a photo or two.










 

Today, the eastern part of the Erie Canal, from Troy to Rome is the Mohawk River. The 20 locks will all be "lifts." Once inside, with doors closed, it took no more than 5-7 minutes to rise to the top - in the Waterford flight. All in all, with no wait, it took 20-30 in total for each.

 
These locks are very close together, between .1 and.25 miles apart. We were quite busy during the first two hours locking initiation. Once completed, the next lock was eleven miles away. We are cruising at 7 knots, and had about 1-1/2 hours to enjoy the scenery.

The views along the Mohawk were a pleasant surprise. We were rarely aware of towns and cities nearby. Since it was as weekend, people were out enjoying the river in kayaks, go-fast boats, fishing boats, and party barges. We never saw a water skier, but this guy seems to have found a variation on that theme. 




Back in Waterford, while looking for crew, we talked with local Dick Powell who rents canal boats. What a wonderful vacation idea. It's hot in Europe. 







Who would have thought it could be done in New York State? The Barge Canal here consists of the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga and Seneca canals; over 800 miles of beautiful inland waterways to explore.




Dick Powell was a pretty interesting guy to talk to. Ex Albany police officer, ex-college instructor of criminal psychology, and currently canal boat entrepreneur and boating safety course instructor, he had some musings about boaters.

•  95% of boaters are clueless
• Of the remaining 5%, half are not watching!
• Hmmm.

 Makes you wonder which category each and every boater you pass falls into.

 The original canal was the "Grand Canal" for the US almost two hundred years ago. For many years it was the model through-out the world. Remants of the earliest structures are occasionally visible. This is the remains of a roman style acqueduct.

As are shades of a more prosperous industrial era of earlier times.

It was surprising to learn that Hurricane Irene struck New York State as well. Several locks and dams were severely damaged and in some cases destroyed. Many boats were "stuck" in the Canal when the hurricane hit in late August. Repairs were quickly made so that they could get back to their home ports in November. This year the canal opened on time, quite a feat and pat on the back to the State.

Our first day on the canal was the hottest we have experienced in our four years of boating with our tug. But we must admit the other three were in Maine. And oh how we missed those cooler temperatures.



It reached 85 degrees in scorching sun with little wind. We did 32 miles in 9-1/2 hours, through 9 locks. Not bad for a first day. 

 We're old hands now.

Stopping for the night in Amsterdam.