August 28
Our first day on the Erie Canal, and it is apparent we have a few things to learn before we can consider ourselves canalmen.
The first thing to note is the canal is beautiful. I don’t know what we imagined, but it is much more beautiful and quaint than we pictured.
The canal also has locks and bridges – perhaps hundreds of them. One must radio ahead to request they be opened for you, and there are a few nervous moments as you wait to hear back from the tenders. It is impossible to sit still in the one plus mph current in the canal, and difficult to maneuver in tight quarters.
Our most interesting discovery, though, is related to lift bridges. Did you know a lift bridge lifts up? The bridge itself is about 6 feet above water. When you radio ahead, the tender raises this piece of the bridge straight up so you can pass under. At our first bridge we called, and the tender radioed back, “The bridge will be raised when you get here, Captain.” We confidently edged forward, but could not see the span of the bridge separating or lifting. We radioed again, but received no response. As our concern rose, Corinne finally realized, “Greg, I think the bridge IS up.
And so goes the adventure.
This is Middleport, New York, 29 miles down the Erie Canal. We spent our first night tied to a canal wall here.
Our first day on the Erie Canal, and it is apparent we have a few things to learn before we can consider ourselves canalmen.
The first thing to note is the canal is beautiful. I don’t know what we imagined, but it is much more beautiful and quaint than we pictured.The canal also has locks and bridges – perhaps hundreds of them. One must radio ahead to request they be opened for you, and there are a few nervous moments as you wait to hear back from the tenders. It is impossible to sit still in the one plus mph current in the canal, and difficult to maneuver in tight quarters.
Our most interesting discovery, though, is related to lift bridges. Did you know a lift bridge lifts up? The bridge itself is about 6 feet above water. When you radio ahead, the tender raises this piece of the bridge straight up so you can pass under. At our first bridge we called, and the tender radioed back, “The bridge will be raised when you get here, Captain.” We confidently edged forward, but could not see the span of the bridge separating or lifting. We radioed again, but received no response. As our concern rose, Corinne finally realized, “Greg, I think the bridge IS up.
And so goes the adventure.
This is Middleport, New York, 29 miles down the Erie Canal. We spent our first night tied to a canal wall here. 
