The Erie Canal

     We departed from our comfy dock on the Hudson in New Baltimore and headed toward the Erie Canal, a few miles up the river from Albany.  Here's a couple of shots of what we were leaving:

 We are the boat closest to the shore on the left.

 Modest, but fun, amenities.

      Passing through Albany, a pretty city from the water.

     When we turned from the Hudson River onto the Erie Canal, we were immediately looking at the first of some 45 locks we were to go through over the next couple of days.

   Here we are entering the first lock on the Erie Canal.  That is our flag (on the front of our boat) moving up behind the boats already in the lock.  The water leaking through the lock door at the other end was a little intimidating, but we learned to get used to it, as most of them are that way (and some worse than others, which you will see later on).

     And the rest of the journey was more of the same--lots of locks, and a few other sights. Here's a photo tour of our journey on the Erie Canal:

 Many of the locks were beside dams, as this one is (lock on the left).

 These are bridge ruins from the first generation on the canal.  Is there anyone out there old enough to remember Tennessee Ernie Ford singing, "I had a mule, her name was Sal...15 miles on the Erie Canal"?  I found myself singing that constantly as we traveled this route.

Here we are waiting to enter a lock, with Art holding on so we don't drift away.  Every lock has an area where you can tie up while waiting for the lock to open (or just tie up and take a hike, eat lunch, whatever).

Periodically along the canal, we would come across a flood gate.

Lock 17--Are we there yet?

Just a friendly reminder of where we are and what's next.

Talk about feeling like you're in a hole!  This was one of the higher locks (around 60 ft) on this part of the waterway and my comfort level was being challenged, especially knowing there was nothing but water behind those gates!

Here's Art in the same lock hanging on to the rope to keep us from banging into another boat.

And here is another one of those leaky locks that gives old people ulcers (and Art and I fit in that category!)

     Finally, this is the place where we leave the Erie Canal and turn onto the Oswego Canal, which will take us to Lake Ontario.  As you can see, they are not too choosey about where they put their signs, or who makes them for that matter. The Oswego Canal was just like the Erie (locks and all), so I will pick up the story when we get to Lake Ontario.