The "Eerie" Canal

That's what Sue calls it anyway - because in the mornings with the mist on the water and no one around it seems quite eerie!

We think this is some kind of Eerie Canal Monster

Probably lives under this bridge

However, when the sun comes up it turned into some beautiful sunny Hot days!  The Erie Canal is more picturesque and with 23 locks to complete offers many little breaks along the way.

Little Tug

Big Tug in NY State colours

Lots of old infrastructure

Pick a side any side!

Flood Control Gates

Just in case you were not sure where to go...

Love these old factories - classic!

Neat bridge with lots of current.

Waterford was quite nice with 5 locks back to back.  We had to wait an hour for 15 people in Kayaks to go through - they could have carried their boats thank you very much!  It was a nice little town.

Waterford Flight Lock 6-2  33Ft each!

Waterford was incorporated in 1792!

Tied up in Waterford

Waterford War Memorial including the Civil War - Desert Storm.

We could have taken hundreds of pictures of people fishing along the way - you would swear it's a national past time.  On every river bank and wall there were people drowning worms.  However, these two took the prize for walking a few miles back in the bush, following the canal to a dam - then standing on the edge where the water flows over and fly fishing off the top!

Watch that one step back - it's a 5 foot drop!

I have mentioned that we have been slowing it down quite a few notches in past blogs.  However, to put this in perspective, there are biking trails along the side of the canal in spots.  It was in just one of these areas that an old man rode PAST US in the same direction.  He left us in the dust!

A speed demon by comparison!

I should also note that the US is a heavy user of trains - you can hear them along the canal every 15 minutes or so - dozens and dozens day and night!  I had a little fun one afternoon when one was getting up to speed right beside the canal.  I thought I could catch the attention of the conductor with 3 long pulls on the my rather large air horns - he happily returned 3 in kind.  It was like a US vs. CAN hockey game and we both scored!

A typical Erie lock

Last Lock to go South on the Hudson - the Troy-US Lock

Next on to the Hudson and then South - for real this time!!!