Well it’s official, we are out of the Erie Canal.  It’s sad; yet good. We enjoyed our visit to the towns and enjoyed learning the history.   We woke up to thunderstorms and high winds; so we waited for it to settle down before we headed to Tonawanda, NY. Our mast gets re-stepped  tomorrow. Then we will sail out to Lake Eire. We are getting closer and closer to the end of our adventure.  With that said we still have a few hundred miles to explore; so lets do that.

As we pulled away from Middleport we noticed a historic spot on the bike path.  It seems there are quite a few of these along the path.

 

What child would not like to have this in there back yard to play in.  It appears to be on the bike path.

 

Another source of helping out with the water level.  It was amazing to see all the gates and over flow areas there are on the Erie Canal.

 

As we came along the bridge to Gasport, we noticed this mural on the building next to the Lift bridge. I love It! “Population: just right”

 

Don’t you just find it amazing that they put these bridges in and they have to be controlled to let vessels through all the towns.

 

I think these old churches are so pretty.

 

As we approached Lockport we reached the final Lift bridge of our journey; the Exchange St. Lift Bridge.

 

I cannot believe all the ways the different areas of the Erie canal can be explored.

 

Here it is…. 305 miles of the Erie Canal. We made it to our last two locks. Now these two locks are connected together. We will enter Lock 34 and come out of lock 35. Watch I’ll show you… Now hold on to your hats.

It’s it pretty? This was our approach.

 

OM! look at the waterfalls next to the locks. How pretty. In reality, these are the old flight of five locks.  Okay, as I said, we will enter lock 34 lifting us 25 feet. Then when those green doors open up we will enter into lock 35 immediately.

 

Now we are in and the doors are getting ready to close.  Now as I said we are getting lifted 25 feet in the first lock.

 

After I got the stern settled down and felt comfortable, I looked up and people were waving at us. I waved back.

 

We did it! As you can see, we now go directly into Lock 35.

 

So we entered lock 35. Bryce asked how I was feeling. I felt a bit nervous but not to bad.

 

Now wasn’t that exciting? As we reached the top of lock 35 and the doors opened.  I noticed the following sign…  Well, we are headed to Black Rock Lock 26 miles ahead. However, Black Rock lock in not on the Erie Canal.  It is a lock that bypasses a heavy current area in the Niagara River to Lake Erie. This last lock will raise us another 5 feet.

 

As we headed out of lock 35, I mumbled “Oh crap”.. I don’t know if you can tell, but that is one heck of a wide over pass of the express way.

 

It felt as if we were in a tunnel. We had to pass under 2 of these bridges. Seriously when you look at the walls you must wonder what the heck is holding these up.

 

Okay… I can breath now. Look how pretty the view is…

 

For the next several miles we had some what of a twisted windy river with high banks of trees/rocks.

 

These are the rocky cliffs that we passed by.

 

See this rope hanging from the gate? Now how do those silly kids get out to it to swing from it?  This is the last Guard Gate on the Erie Canal.  We are officially at Lake Erie level.  Minus a small drop in the Niagara River.

 

I found another waterfall.  I wonder if that is on the Pokemon Go game? LOL

 

Now, the Waterway Guide says you can tie off to this restaurant and have dinner. Not sure I would tie up at this dock.  But apparently, there is a better dock just around the point.

 

These two boys were yelling hello to us.. We honked our horn and they cheered.  Well boys will be boys  What happened to the rest of that bridge? LOL

 

I wouldn’t want to make this neighbor made at me. That cannon could put a big hole in something. LOL

 

LOOK the GPS is now starting to work again!!  We are no longer lost. LOL

 

Well, we are pulling into Tonawanda, NY Looks like rain is coming in.

 

We tied up for the night on the sea wall.  Our boat is in the middle of the picture.  OM.. what is that concrete hanging in the air over the bridge??  Bryce says it is a counter-weight to help the train bridge open easier.  Which makes no sense, since none of the other nearby bridges open!!

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