Erie Canal boat ride

One day we went on a tour of the Erie Canal. It was so interesting! Did you learn about the Erie Canal in school? We did, although all I remember about it was the song, "15 Miles on the Erie Canal." Did you learn it, too? I remember all the words. Portions of the canal still remain, much as they were.

I asked to sit in back with Sammy on the drive to the canal, so that we could read books together. So nice to have some quality time with her. I really enjoyed it.

Sammy likes to talk. A lot!

Okay, now we are on the tour boat. I was concerned it would be hokey, but it wasn't.

There were only ten of us on the boat, plus the captain. Sammy was very curious about the concept of captain. Would he be anything like Captain Hook?

Sammy is modeling the croquet dress I made her recently.

No, the captain wasn't anything like Captain Hook. He was a 39-year veteran "canaler," a fount of information on the Erie Canal system.

Colorful tugboat we saw along the route.

Here we are entering a lock. You can see other boats already here, waiting.

After the lock gates closed behind us, the water level sank. We could see the walls rising around us.

We sunk maybe 20 feet lower than we were before.

When we looked out the back of the boat, the lock gates were exposed, with little spurts of water coming through here and there.

Then we were all set to continue down the canal. I have just a few more photos of the rest of the canal trip, that I will share next time.