Part One starting the Welland Canal

We woke early  Tuesday August 7th - wanting to get an early start for our Canal journey. It struck both Tom and I how weedy  the Marina we were staying in is. They have crews that go out with rakes to pull up the underwater growth and we actually saw a water weed mower for want of a better description. We headed out our next stop the Pleasure craft dock in front of a lift bridge and Lock 8

Fairway where we were docked

water weed mower

there is a large honking population of geese

our first view of the lift bridge- the center little house is
the bridge masters house where he controls the signals and
the bridge

the little blue tug like boat is M V Bear. She had a crew of two.
Her Captain had traveled the lock several times so we was a great
deal of help to us. 

You go up to this ATM like dispenser to get you ticket and
there is a phone to talk to the lock master. Tom was told we had
to wait for one up bound ship and one down bound ship before we
could proceed. 11am is our new departure time.
HURRY UP AND WAIT

this is a self-unloading Laker  - usually 600 to 740' 

This is an Ocean Bulk Freighter - the give away is
her unusual life raft.

this is a life raft