Well it's been a busy couple of days. Friday morning was the opening of the Erie canal. You could smell the testosterone and sphincters in the air. The wind is blowing 25 knots and ego boats are jockeying in the narrow waterway an hour and a half before the lock gate opened. The experience level of the operators was inversely proportionate to the cost of the boats. Lots of near misses with boats tied to the dock. Oddly, it was a couple of women cussing other bone heads captains that got the attention of the spectators (Best shows in town are always free).
After the first 2 lock fulls of boats had departed, some of us still docked, filled the third lock of the day. The first 5 locks are in one and a half miles. So it becomes a test of civility and courtesy to play nice. By the fifth lock we were down 2 boats (no idea what happened to them). As the day wears on, more faster boats come up from behind you and tempers flare as people get waked.
Day two sees the numbers thinning and generally going from lock to lock with the same group with the occasional exception of some
that wants to wake everyone as he passes at warp speed. Opening day should be left for the chest thumpers on a schedule. Tomorrow should be better as I will likely pass the turn for the Oswego canal. And with it, will go 70% of the traffic, most of the fast boats, and most of the 60'+ boats.
Friday I made it to lock 9 (MM 29). Today was better getting to lock 19 ( MM 95), just short of Utica, NY. For perspective, the Erie canal is 320 miles long and there are 35 locks. So half the locks are done and about 4 days to go (if you're pushing it). Btw, the Hudson river is tidal, more or less sea-level to Albany, NY. At lock 19 I'm about 404' above sea level.
And now for a few lock pictures:this is a lock next to a spillway. The level of the water above the spillway can be adjusted by raising or lowering the doors in the spillway.
Here's my group going into the lock next to the spillway.
This is the typical lock chamber (300' x 45').
The lower door to the lock chamber. The shallow V that the door makes, points upstream.
This is lock 17, the highest lift on the Erie canal at 40'. The downstream door lifts vertically. Something to think about as you drive under it (guillotine). In this picture the lock is dumping water in preparation for our group.
Ted
