ExiledInIllinois Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 This is a continuation of the original, now archived, thread that some here (there are a few) have showed interest in: http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/165007-life-on-the-lock/# I didn't add to the original thread or bump it in a timely manner before it was archived. Consistent high water on Lake Michigan has returned for the first time in 21 years! Lake Michigan elevations are now about 4' higher than they were 10 years ago. Here are some pictures the new mechanic took of the lock, controlling works (ie: dam), & some of the navigation interests that use the facility. Lock chamber looking northbound/Lakebound, pit @ low cycle: More to follow as the board allows me to attach them... M/V (Motor Vessel) Mike Planche heeled up to lock wall in chamber: Controlling Works w/2' of dam opening, bleed off, aeration operations, & lower pool elevatiob management: M/V Capt. Roger D. Adams, pushing two petrol-chem barges southbound to New Orleans: High water video. Here's a "fast fill" turnback (turning the lock chamber back in another direction for service) sans using the culvert filling valves: This is @ a ~5.25' head. Head is the difference between the upper pool and lower pool. Lower pool is set @ ~-2.00' below zero gage by law: USC 33 cfr $ 207.425 Zero Gage is neither high or low water on Lake Michigan = 579.48' mean sea level, 1929 datum. Lake here is @ +2.75'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 Busy day @ lock... Pleasure traffic getting heavy w/The Air & Water Show going on... All the Gr8 Loopers & early Snowbirds starting to head South again too. Our on site orchard is popping too. Small apples & pears this year... But not bad tasting, we make apple pie & sauce with the bulk of them: Pics/videos of the good boaters of world to follow... Gotta go on lock wall... Have to take 12:00 elevation readings too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 Good PC of the world... Heading UpBound towards the BigLake, 7 miles from here: They were well behaved... But what goes up for sun, fun, & the water... Usually comes back drunk in evening... I may have my hands full later... Put on my Federal "Babysitter" hat... LoL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
145B4IDIE Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 Cool stuff exiled! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) This was them going up, shot from the "CommandCenter"... Ha Ha... That's a good one, CommandCenter... 3 monitors and 2 PCs running Windows 7: Cool stuff exiled! thanksI figure, if I keep it clean... Corps don't mind... Let's people know the various missions your General Fund tax dollars is spent on: 1. Flood control and sanitation 2. Navigation & Economy 3. Environmental health of ecosystem, flushing of the basin, aeration of the waterways. This is the navigational end... Pleasure boats. Had two tankers this morning pushing 7,000 tons of oil from the refinery... Edited August 20, 2017 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Quint Posted August 20, 2017 Share Posted August 20, 2017 Locks in SC are closed tomorrow for the eclipse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 Locks in SC are closed tomorrow for the eclipse. Just a shadow! & it may be cloudy. We didn't even close for 911! Still pushing all kinds of nasty stuff... Like fertilizer that would make Texas City, 1947 look like a firecracker! You know what day Marine Safety Office (MSO Chicago) closed us, the next day, 912... LoL... They must have got wind we were business as usual...LoL... I will be here tomorrow. Traffic as usual. In 57 years of this place, there has never been a person NOT here. 24/7/365, something is always coming through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 Locking a sailing vessel from Finland. I should tell them to show some sisu and jump the 5 foot waterfall out of the lock! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 Finally able to compress this on my phone... Jeesh, what a PITA: They mentioned about doing the locks on Erie Canal... I asked the couple if they went through BFLo... That's where they left their mast, in BFLo... They are from Borgå-Porvoo. Captain of the vessel is an ex-sea captain... Great Lakes freighters and all over the rest of the world. Doing the Great Loop and down to Caribbean, or what's left of it! Leave boat for children then head back to Europe & Helsinki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 We've taken a river cruise from Basel Switzerland to Amsterdam on the Rhine, and Budapest to Vilshofen, about 1hr E of Munich, on the Danube. The Rhine locks were more frequent more picturesque, and more entertaining. No drunks observed on either river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Good PC of the world... Heading UpBound towards the BigLake, 7 miles from here: They were well behaved... But what goes up for sun, fun, & the water... Usually comes back drunk in evening... I may have my hands full later... Put on my Federal "Babysitter" hat... LoL... Do you ever call the police for a bui (boating under the influence) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 Do you ever call the police for a bui (boating under the influence) ? Usually never! In almost 30 years, never had to call, they get their schit together quickly. That doesn't mean people, vessels weren't busted, cuffed, stuffed or Shanghaied by the Coast Guard or local authorities... That they were, but not by our insistence. If we did call, they would arrest everybody. ;-) We just make sure they don't kill themselves or others. The other boaters will "self police" by squaring away any foul balls. Same with self-help when a vessel is broken down and needs to be towed. If they don't assist in helping or keeping the others in line, then nobody gets through from point A to point B. We all have "quality time" together. And believe me, after dealing with me, as you all can attest, they just want to get the phuck on their merry way. Nobody wants to be stuck on the wrong side of the lock. The Corps of Engineers probably deals with the public the most among all Federal Agencies and is one of the only agencies without enforcement capabilities. No agency enforcement arm except to call local authorities when needed. Some how it works. Think of all the campgrounds, Corps recreational facilities throughout county. We have park rangers, but they are not police. I betcha they call the local cops more. What average campgrounds don't produce this type of drama. At the lock, make them sit till they sober up. I work a 12 hour shift. "Park it. I will see you in the morning when you get your mind right" Believe they "sober up" quickly. "Yeah, call the Coast Guard that they can't get through... They will come down and assist you in your way." If they act unruly in the lock chamber, where they gonna go? They are sitting ducks for the local authorities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Finally able to compress this on my phone... Jeesh, what a PITA: SailingVesselLaCapitana_Finland_Borgå-Porvoo.jpg They mentioned about doing the locks on Erie Canal... I asked the couple if they went through BFLo... That's where they left their mast, in BFLo... They are from Borgå-Porvoo. Captain of the vessel is an ex-sea captain... Great Lakes freighters and all over the rest of the world. Doing the Great Loop and down to Caribbean, or what's left of it! Leave boat for children then head back to Europe & Helsinki. Pretty cool! I'd love to do that trip. Great thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 (edited) Pretty cool! I'd love to do that trip. Great thread! Lots of retirees and just plain Snowbirds. They sell everything and go round and round... Put a jetski, skiff & motorbike or pedal bike onboard and you are set for land transportation when moored or docked. Trent-Severn (Ontario, Canada) from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron is picturesque way to go if vessel not too big. Peterborough lift locks. Giant tub of water counter-balanced, only one in N.America: Big Chute Marine Railway, another one of a kind N.American-wise: Hand operated flight locks from the 1820s, built by the British sappers and miners before Portland cement was invented. Used all cut stone quarried locally and still holding strong 200 years later. Side bar to Ottawa via the Rideau: Then Chicago (ONLY way to enter the American Inland Waterways from the West). Then Illinois Waterway down to Mississippi, up Ohio to Tennessee-Tombigbee, Black Warrior... Come out of Mobile, Alabama... Lower MS route too congested to NOLA. Locks on Tenn-Tom, Black Warrior are serious pits for chambers... Close to 100' of head: Go to the AGLC (American Great Loop Cruisers Association) website: http://www.greatloop.org I suggest staying up here during hurricane season... ;-) ;-) Just had a nice younger couple from Sarnia, Ontario head down to Mobile and Gulf... Head down South later... Even if ice forms... I have had plastic boats call and ask if any barge traffic was around that they can follow... Easier now with AIS systems. Usually get those lolly gaggers around Christmas when "skim" ice is forming and they don't want a number done to their fiberglass hulls! :-/ :-/ http://www.marinetraffic.com Edited September 12, 2017 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I don't know about selling everything and doing that but it would be fun to try a time or two Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 Working overnights but other crew just sent me pics of Columbus' replicas using The Lock... Nina & Pinta heading the eff South... Getting the bleep outta Dodge! Can't say I blame them... Sailing to warmer pastures! No Santa Maria? Vertical controlling height is +19.1' feet above normal pool elevation (-1.80' to -2.00' off of +579.48' msl) @ "Lemont Highway Bridge," Lemont, Illinois: Imagine going out into unknown ocean w/rinky dink vessels of this size... Of course no motor and electric bilge pumps like these guys have! More pics: Nina: Pinta: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
145B4IDIE Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Again, Good stuff Exiled. what do you mean by "left their mast in Buffalo"? Did I read that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Every time I see this thread pop up, this song pops into my head. I'm not complaining. I'm thanking you. SRV on a 12-string acoustic ... mmmm ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 They came through the Syracuse area too.... https://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/194688-columbus-sailed-the-erie-canal-blue/ I was going to go see them but then I heard they leave the masts down while traveling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 Again, Good stuff Exiled. what do you mean by "left their mast in Buffalo"? Did I read that right? The stepped their mast down (took it down) and left it there. Not sure why in BFLo, they still had the middle three (Erie, Huron, & Michigan) to sail to Chicago. He said BFLo, not right up here on Lake Michigan @ Calumet Harbor. I take they motored the Middle Lakes... I didn't want to prod, Fins are very stoic and reserved people... Badazz too! I mention sisu and being too close to Norway & Sweden... He called Sweden the "Buffer Zone." Not sure why... But very few of these "Gr8 Loopers" use BFLo as port of call... They bypass it because vertical controlling height west of Syracuse is only around 15-16'... "Low bridge we are coming to a town, 15 miles on the Erie Canal?" Don't know why they don't raise that to 19' like here on the Illinois... They would get much more tourists in BFLo... Instead they go Welland or Trent-Sev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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