We got held up at the first Historical Lock when 3 girls in kayaks were locking through. They had no idea it cost to use the locks. Then they spent 15 minutes trying to decide whether to buy a day pass or a single lock pass. They they had to figure out how to pay their $69 for the 3 kayaks. Then the girl with the credit card couldn’t find the card. Finally, after wasting nearly an hour, the lockmaster let us go on through and told them they’d have to wait for the next opening. We covered the next 4 locks in the same amount of time as the first.
The canal along that route is narrow and pretty. It occasionally widens out where the river runs through it and there are homes along both sides. It’s hard to say that this is our favorite part of the waterway, because each section is so different.
The Historical Locks in this section are smaller, but more turbulence as you go up. Not a problem, but definitely different from the way down.
The locks close now at 3:30. We made it to the Kirkfield Lift Lock around 3:00 and only had to wait a couple minutes. This was our planned destination for the night.
We went into the outside chamber, they closed the gate behind us, and we were lifted up over 50 feet in just a couple minutes. This was impressive on the way down, and just as impressive on the way up. On the upper side, you are in an aquaduct that passes over a highway below. We stopped on the upper side to tour the area and take some photos.
When we walked down the side of the canal to see where we’d like to stop for the day, there was one other boat... a small homemade cutie. We visited with its owner Al, and decided to spend the evening near him. He is a widower and has dreamed of taking his little boat to the Erie Canal. We were able to give him plenty of encouragement.
There is a small waterfall near here and the crickets to provide our evening “music.” We settled in. The sky was pretty as the last rays of the day silhouetted the trees.
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Al's Story...
I’m not a big one for campfires, but Al was out there by himself and he looked like he could use some company. We talked about boats, cruising, the Trent-Severn, the Erie Canal, and how things have changed over the years. Then Al’s story pulled at my heart...
He and his wife worked together to build that little boat in 1992. She had one season on it, and passed away in ‘93. He told me, “One of the last things she said to me was: ‘Go out and use that little boat... and remember us.’ I’m still not over her. I suspect that’s the way it will always be.”
“I can only imagine,” I said.
“You two have been together a long time. You’re good together, I can tell,” he said.
We talked some more about small boats... his boat is 16 feet. “It’s OK for one. It’s all I need.”
I understood.
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