WP GPX Maps Error: GPX file not found! /home/jrpernick/public_html/wp-content/uploads/gpx/Port Colborne to Toronto.gpx{"id":364,"date":"2012-07-31T22:08:10","date_gmt":"2012-08-01T02:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/svecho.com\/?p=364"},"modified":"2012-07-31T22:08:10","modified_gmt":"2012-08-01T02:08:10","slug":"welland-canal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/svecho.com\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"Welland Canal"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Friday we pulled out of Port Colborne, Ontario and headed for the Canal. \u00a0First stop is the checkin booth. \u00a0There you buy your ticket from an ATM type machine ($200CDN for the transit.) \u00a0There also is a phone there to contact Seaway Welland Control. \u00a0Seaway Welland asks for your boat’s name and makes sure you have radios for communications. \u00a0 Next, the controller works out how they are going to route you through the traffic. \u00a0It reminded me a lot of air traffic control.<\/p>\n

We departed check in and went under our first bridge and motored into Lock 8. \u00a0The locks are numbered 1 through 8 with 1 on the Lake Ontario side and 8 on the Lake Erie side. \u00a0Lock 8 is just a couple of feet and is a good tune up for the big locks to come. \u00a0The lock master in 8 came out to the boat to see if we had any questions (and to make sure we had tickets.)<\/p>\n

After we cleared Lock 8, Seaway Welland directed us to tie up to the side of the canal behind another pleasure boat. \u00a0This was both to let a freighter upbound go by and also to put together a group of 6 pleasure boats for the passage. \u00a0Two lessons learned here: \u00a0First, you need very long dock lines because the tie up spiles are designed for freighters. \u00a0We needed our 50′ line fore and aft. \u00a0Second, there is a huge current developed by a passing freighter and it is important to be tied up fore, aft, and springs.<\/p>\n

After about a 1 hour wait for traffic and the other 4 boats in our group, we proceeded to the first major lock, Lock 7.<\/p>\n

There are 2 ways to transit the Canal, upbound and downbound. \u00a0When you are upbound (Ontario to Erie) they fill the lock and there is lots of current and turbulence. \u00a0The Canal requires at least 3 hands on deck to transit upbound. \u00a0 When you are downbound (like us) they empty the locks to lower you and the ride is much more gentle. \u00a0Only 2 are required on deck for downbound boats.<\/p>\n

To transit a lock, you motor in and the lock attendants hand you lines fore and aft. \u00a0You can’t secure the lines because you need to let them out as the boat lowers. \u00a0As you hold your boat to the lock wall, the upper gates are closed. \u00a0Next the lock master makes sure you are ready and then large valves are opened to let the water out of the lock and lower the water to the lower level beyond. \u00a0Once the level is lowered to the height of the next waterway, the lower gate is opened and off you go.<\/p>\n

Although the first lock is only a couple of feet, the next 7 are each 40+ feet. \u00a0It was so amazing to start with our deck level with the lock surface and to finish with that same surface at the top of our mast.<\/p>\n

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ECHO in Welland Canal<\/div><\/div>
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