Locks on the Erie Canal - According to Paige

How a Lock Works: According to Me

Ashley Hon asked me how a lock works and I had to really think about it. Here is the explanation according to how I see the locking-world:

The Erie Canal will move up and down hills - like stairs. A lock has a dam on one side (constant controlled water flow for the canal) and the actual lock on the other. The lock is like a long passage with two doors: Eastbound and Westbound - big enough for 10 boats- 5 on each side.

To prepare for a lock, you need to wear a life jacket and gloves and place every bumper you have on both sides of your boat (dramatic). We added two A3 red bumper balls to our collection before we left Stafford (brilliant). In MY opinion we need more of those A3s.

LegaSea is traveling East going West, Westbound. When Jim calls the Lack Master, he requests a Westbound Passage and the Lock Master will open the East gate (the West gate remains closed to either hold back water in the canal above us or prevent us from flooding the canal below us- like the next ‘stair’). 

Once the Lock Master begins to opens the East gate, all hell breaks loose. Opening the gate churns the water like kids splashing in a tub - total chaos; combine the churning water with the ever flowing dam creates a swirling current and you have a proper stage for a show. Your captain has to keep the boat in place and you need to remain calm while the boat is being tossed around like socks in a washer. When the Lock Master has opened the flippin’ 220-year-old gate, the water level inside the lock and the water level is the same as the water in the east-canal. 

You must wait for the Lock Master to give, literally, green light before motoring into the the lock - dear lord anything could go wrong in this instant - never think you can push the boat back from an oncoming wall - you will lose every time. 

Your captain eases up to a wall (like a pro and making it look easy) while the crew (me/you) hooks and holds a slimy gross line hanging from the Lock to keep the boat in place. The captain (or crew mate) then high-tails it to the back of the boat to grab another gross line to help keep it all straight-ish. Other boats are with you and each going through the same steps. Keep an eye on them incase one cuts loose and has some trouble.

The Lock Master closes the East gate and begins to fill the Lock with water - fast - adding to the difficulty of holding the lines to keep the boat straight-ish and flush with the wall. Those other boaters are trying to hold their vessel in place too and some are just not as good as others - Rule 427: Don’t be the entertainment; we saw a canal boat drop the slimy rope to make a drink and they went all kinds of wonky. 

In the end, after filling the lock, the lock is now at the same water level as the next canal - like stairs. Some locks lift/drop us 8 feet and others 40+ feet.

When the lock is full, the Lock Master opens the West gate and sounds the horn alerting you to safely motor out of the lock through a less-washing-machine-like-churning-current. We will and repeat this process like 47 more times. We are at lock 10. Does that help?




LARGEST LOCK E-17; 40 feet


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