Lock 8, Scotia, NY to Lock 11, Amsterdam, NY

Day             11
Depart         Erie Canal Lock # 8, Lock Wall, Scotia, NY  8:35 am
Arrive          Erie Canal Lock #11 Lock Wall, Amsterdam, NY 11:45 am
Distance         16 Miles
Cumulative   320 Miles

 NOTE - Double click on a picture for a larger view

Got an early start and caught a nice sunrise.  We had plans to go a good distance, but yesterday's rains brought the canal water level up and increased the current and debris  especially around the locks.  At the entrance to Lock 9, Lynda had to get the boat hook and push branches and sticks away from the front of the boat!  Locking was much tougher today as the locks had ropes and no cables and the wind was blowing the boat around.  Decided to stop at 11:45 AM at Lock 11 on the FREE lock wall.

Sunrise at Lock 8

Mohawk River was very muddy after yesterday's rain

Stone arch bridge

 Tying up at Lock 11 was interesting.

This blue and yellow post is called a "bollard"

 This is what you are supposed to tie the boat to.  We had never done this type of docking before and didn't know how to wrap the lines around the bollard.  Every time we thought we had it tied, the line would slip!  Not to worry, Lynda went on the computer, googled "how to tie to a bollard" and found instructions complete with a short video!  Technology is terrific.

This is how to tie to a bollard!

Not too far from where we are docked is an abandoned factory.  On the top of the 80 foot smokestack is a Volkswagen Beetle.  Not something you see every day on the canal!

This looks like it is a bridge across the river, but it's not.  It is actually a dam.  Under the spans there are doors that can be lifted and lowered.  In the fall and all through the winter, the doors are lifted and the river runs straight through.

Tonight's sunset from the lock wall