Shelly gets to do most of the work while we are “locking”.

She puts a line from our midship cleat around a cable that goes all the way from bottom to top of the chamber. Then she takes a “round turn” on the same cleat to hold the boat in-place as the chamber fills with water, bringing us up over 30 feet (typically) in elevation to the next level of the Erie Canal.

I get to drive the boat and take pictures!

If you look closely at the top of this Lock E4 you can see an eastbound boat in the [filled] chamber, waiting for the lockmaster to empty the water out, bringing him down to our level. Then we will enter the same chamber for the ride UP so we can proceed westward on this canal system.