Friday, June 16th Lift Bridges
Note: for those of you who don't know -- since we arrived in the Detroit Jefferson Beach Marina, internet has been VERY iffy, my family and I celebrated my Dad's 90th Birthday (week long celebrations), I had my 40th High School Class Reunion, and then I broke my two fingers in an anchor-chain accident --- <<< yes, these are my excuses for not being current on my Blog.
We left Brockport, NY at 7:10 am, Locks # 34 & 35 after noon, then arrived in North Tonawanda @ 3:25 ~ 52 miles
Not many locks today --- Just bridges!
We’re learning that there are numerous bridges that go over the Erie Canal, and TODAY there are 30 of them that we’re going to have to slow down for! We have to slow down due to the low clearances. Back on Long Island, we took down the “mast” that holds the radar, etc. and we folded down the bimini (shade canvass and bars) in Brewerston on Monday. Still, Zingara needs about 14 feet. Per Rick’s information, some of these bridges have 15.00’ to 15.39’ clearance, so that’s cutting it kind of close.
Plus we had to do through 12 Lift Bridges! We had to call ahead to get them to open for us. Crazy thing – sometimes the same Bridges-master takes care of two (or more) bridges. On a couple of occasions, when talking with the Bridge-master on the VHF radio, >> “Zingara, once you pass through this bridge, I’ll meet you there (the next lift-bridge) in about 20 minutes.” Then he jumped into his car, and drove to the next little intersection.
Note: the whole bridge moves up, flags and all, stopping traffic --- well, sometimes only 1 or 2 cars; not much happening up here.
This last part of the canal took us through rural upper New York State – farms and tiny towns.
The city gives tours of the locks, and has made it a tourist attraction. So a funny thing happened – as Zingara was floating up in the lock, we rose almost silently, along side a tour group. As the people were listening to the tour guide, standing on the sidewalk, with their backs to us in the lock, it wasn’t until the tour guide waved to me, that the people turned around to see me – and Zingara – 3 feet away from them.
“Hello!” They asked me all kinds of questions, especially once they learned that we had been living on the boat for a month, and had traveled the whole lock system. FUN!
And, since this was the final lock of the Erie Canal, I was doing a “Happy Dance” on the deck, as we pushed through lock #35! The lockmaster just smiled and waved! Congratulations! We did!
We left Brockport, NY at 7:10 am, Locks # 34 & 35 after noon, then arrived in North Tonawanda @ 3:25 ~ 52 miles
Not many locks today --- Just bridges!
We’re learning that there are numerous bridges that go over the Erie Canal, and TODAY there are 30 of them that we’re going to have to slow down for! We have to slow down due to the low clearances. Back on Long Island, we took down the “mast” that holds the radar, etc. and we folded down the bimini (shade canvass and bars) in Brewerston on Monday. Still, Zingara needs about 14 feet. Per Rick’s information, some of these bridges have 15.00’ to 15.39’ clearance, so that’s cutting it kind of close.
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Here's where I sat helping with navigating – keeping track of the clearance heights of the different bridges
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Plus we had to do through 12 Lift Bridges! We had to call ahead to get them to open for us. Crazy thing – sometimes the same Bridges-master takes care of two (or more) bridges. On a couple of occasions, when talking with the Bridge-master on the VHF radio, >> “Zingara, once you pass through this bridge, I’ll meet you there (the next lift-bridge) in about 20 minutes.” Then he jumped into his car, and drove to the next little intersection.
Note: the whole bridge moves up, flags and all, stopping traffic --- well, sometimes only 1 or 2 cars; not much happening up here.
Mid afternoon, we entered the big city of Lockport, NY! Locks #34 and #35 --- the last Locks on the Erie Canal!
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| I'm working so hard (and not just my jaw), keeping Zingara away from the pitted & crumbling walls of the lock. |
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| Note that “Wizard” (the 3 brothers’ boat) is in the lock with us. Can you find the people up on the left side in this picture? for scale! This was one of the BIGGEST locks we navigated! |
The city gives tours of the locks, and has made it a tourist attraction. So a funny thing happened – as Zingara was floating up in the lock, we rose almost silently, along side a tour group. As the people were listening to the tour guide, standing on the sidewalk, with their backs to us in the lock, it wasn’t until the tour guide waved to me, that the people turned around to see me – and Zingara – 3 feet away from them.
“Hello!” They asked me all kinds of questions, especially once they learned that we had been living on the boat for a month, and had traveled the whole lock system. FUN!
And, since this was the final lock of the Erie Canal, I was doing a “Happy Dance” on the deck, as we pushed through lock #35! The lockmaster just smiled and waved! Congratulations! We did!
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| I think I'm going to need new gloves! |
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