We were up early to go through locks 2-6, called the Waterford Flight. Each of these locks raised the boat up about 34 feet. One calls the lock master on Channel 13 on the Marine Radio. The lock master will turn the light green and open the lock gate when you can enter. Once in a lock you can hold onto the starboard or port side of the lock with pipes, cables or ropes that go down the side of the lock. It seems a little scary at first. This is what is looks like when they close the lock gates behind you.
When you look forward in the lock, this is what it looks like. That is a sailboat in the lock with us.
Here is an example of a cable on the lock wall. One slips a rope that is attached to the boat's midship cleat around the cable and hold on as the water raises in the lock.
When the water comes up, the lock master opens the lock gate in front of you and you cruise out of the lock. The lock master smilingly sends you on your way.
For perspective, here are some pictures. The first is a ladder in a lock when we first entered it and the same ladder when we were at the top.
This one is the lock gates closing behind us.
Approaching Lock 8 from the east, one has a great view of the spillway. We decided to dock at the lock wall above Lock 8 so you can see it from the other side.
Here is the Hydrophilic docked on the lock wall.
The Mohawk River makes up much of the eastern end of the Erie Canal. The scenery is beautiful.
One might not think of New York as very rural but there are many farms in this area.
Snow or Cottonwood? Once the snow melts in upstate New York, the cottonwood trees send their puff white seeds blowing in the wind. There is so much that it will build up on the edges of the sidewalks and roads just like snow. It was always so hard for our daughters, who would be taking finals in Buffalo just as the cottonwood season hit. The allergies were awful. I am so glad they do not have to suffer with this.
Lat 42 degrees 49.85 North
Long 73 degrees 59.57 West
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