Passing Through
Moments on the Erie Canal
The locks and the boat activity on the Erie Canal make for interesting photo subjects on a sunny summer day. It had been a while since I had visited the Lock 20 park in Marcy, NY. So my wife and I thought it would be fun to hang out for a while and see if any boats were passing along the canal.
There was already a boat in the lock when we got there, so we sat and watched the ritual as the boat was raised 16 feet, then the doors on the opposite end opened, and it continued on its journey along the canal.
Soon, 4 more boats appeared. The lock was drained so that they could enter on the lower side, and the cycle began again.
What fascinates me most are the gates. These massive doors hold back enough water to lift a boat sixteen feet, using technology that hasn’t changed much in over two hundred years.
The canal started as a key to commerce for our young country. Today, it’s a key piece of a recreational boating route. I learned from talking to some of the boaters that they were traveling “the loop.” They said if I posted photos to the AGLCA, they would be able to see them. The 4 boats in the lock were from Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina. They had come up the Hudson River and were traversing the canal on their way to the Great Lakes. And they would eventually reach the Mississippi River and the Gulf.
One of the boaters did find the photos I posted online, and left a note. We had made a brief connection with someone, and helped them preserve one of many memorable moments of their trip.
The AGLCA account commented and said that “the Erie Canal is such a memorable part of the loop.”
Lock 20 is a familiar place for me. But today was a new experience. I’ve watched many boats going through the locks, but never really thought about where they were going. The brief connection we made today changed that. Those 4 boats we watched are somewhere on the water west of here, hopefully having a safe and memorable journey.
📷 Fujifilm X-T5 16-55 f2.8ii
✅ Where to Find Me
You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography
If you want to work with me or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page
More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.