Empire Sandy - Onboard - Final...The Captain & Crew

 05 August 2014

These locks were a lot of work for the captain and the entire crew. 

They rarely stopped working for the entire 12 hours 

it took to go from Port Colborne to Port Dalhousie. 

Yet they were all friendly, helpful and good humoured. 

The Engineer joking around and being a good sport

The Engineer and First Mate 

The First Mate and Engineer

The Engineer has to jump off the ship and tie the lines at Lock 2 while we wait for the Heloise to leave Lock 2.
It was a long jump down...

After the Heloise leaves, the Engineer unties the ship and climbs back onboard the Empire Sandy. And a long climb back up! (taken from the ground) This was the procedure each time we had to wait for a lock.

One of the crew taking photos for several of the passengers from atop the wheelhouse.

One of the crew (left) He is the one with the dubious honour of preparing and firing the cannon later that night.
(See Empire Sandy - Onboard - Part Seven)

The Captain in the wheelhouse.

The Captain...heading out into Lake Ontario.

Website:  Port Colborne Canal Days

Empire Sandy - Onboard - Part Seven

Lock 1 to Port Dalhousie

05 August 2014

Entering Lock 1 - our final lock

Lock 1 back wall with water level lowered

Locking back into Lock 1

Out of Lock 1 and into the canal heading for Lake Ontario

Canadian Coast Guard Station in the Canal at Port Weller
More information (and photos) on the Coast Guard station is available here:
Boatnerd website - Canadian Coast Guard - Port Weller

Lighthouse at the end of the canal - Port Weller

There were a few cargo ships and tankers anchored in Lake Ontario at Port Weller

Getting ready to fire the cannon upon our arrival at Port Dalhousie

Empire Sandy - Onboard - Part Six and Spartan & Spartan II

Lock 2

05 August 2014

Heloise in Lock 2 - we had to tie up and wait for her to clear the lock

Lock 2 lowering the water level

Crew from the Spartan & Spartan II - we passed in the canal after we left Lock 2

Spartan & Spartan II heading for Lock 2

Spartan & Spartan II ready to enter Lock 2

SPARTAN II

Spartan II This 407′ long tank barge was built in 1980 by Bay Shipbuilding as Hannah 6301 for Hannah Marine of Lemont, IL. In 1989 her name was changed to E-63, but around the mid-2000s it was reverted to Hannah 6301. Following Hannah’s 2009 collapse, the Hannah 6301 and her articulated tug Mark Hannah were sold to Occidental Chemical Corp. Andrie Inc. took over operation and management of the pair, and in 2010 the barge was renamed Spartan II, while the tug took on the name Spartan.

Spartan II/Spartan mainly carries calcium chloride out of Ludington, Michigan to various Great Lakes and St. Lawrence ports, often trading as far down the Seaway as Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

Above quote from website: Tugboat Hunter

Empire Sandy - Onboard - Part Five

Glendale Bridge to Lock 3 in St. Catharines

05 August 2014

Approaching Glendale Bridge which is still lowered

Glendale Bridge fully raised

Approaching Lock 3 in St. Catharines

Entering Lock 3 (Note the public observation deck on left side of lock)

Lock 3 Visitor's Centre - observation deck and museum 

Empire Sandy in Lock 3 - Below is the Queenston Bridge which is lowered and the Garden City Skyway (QEW). The Heloise ship is just beyond the QEW.

Lock 3 gates closed and Empire Sandy lowering in lock.

Empire Sandy leaving Lock 3 (photo taken from canal trail) 

Empire Sandy just out of Lock 3 (photo taken from canal trail)

Empire Sandy passing under the Garden City Skyway (QEW)
(photo taken from canal trail) 

Empire Sandy - Onboard - Part Four - Twin Flight Locks

Twin Flight Locks - Locks 4, 5 & 6

05 August 2014

Approaching the first of the Twin Flight Locks (downbound) - Lock 6

Lock 6 just ahead

Entering Lock 6

Lock 6  friendly line handlers.
Ships remain under their own power at all times and are each secured in the lock chamber by a crew of St. Lawrence Seaway line handlers.

Empire Sandy - in Lock 6

Lock 6 gates beginning to open

Leaving Lock 6 

Entering Lock 5 - railroad bridge is raised ahead of us

Looking back at Lock 6 from Lock 5

Looking at the back of Lock 5 when fully lowered

Leaving Lock 5 and entering Lock 4 - railroad bridge fully raised in front of us

Entering Lock 4 - the last of the Twin Flight Locks

Looking at the back of Lock 4 when the Empire Sandy was fully lowered

Leaving Lock 4 and heading to Glendale Bridge

Once a vessel passes through Lock 7, it sails out north into the Twin Flight Locks. This is the most complex part of the Welland Canal System, where the magic happens! Locks 4, 5 and 6 make up the Twin Flight Locks. This is where the ships climb the mountain because this set of locks function like giant steps in a large flight of stairs. At this point, the locks will raise or lower a ship three times the distance as a regular lock, since this is where the Niagara Escarpment falls. It also allows for two-way traffic, so a vessel can be going upbound, at the same time that one is going downbound. The water levels always have to be correct, so the vessels can traverse the escarpment smoothly.  It truly is an engineering masterpiece!  

Quote from Niagara Green Belt website