The Lockport (IL) Lock & Dam is impressive. Two miles from the town of Lockport, it helps boats like us who are traversing south an average of 39 vertical feet to the lower water levels of the waterway which will bring us from Chicago eventually to the Mississippi River.

Shellerina, the lower gate is submerged so we could all enter the chamber.

Ranger Tug, Sea Moor comes into the chamber and rafts up with us. (Lower gate is still submerged.)

Minutes later, the submerged lower gate comes up from below. Then, water drains out of the 600×110 foot chamber; the emptying process takes 15 minutes.

Then we all exit!

Looking forward we see Shelly preparing the boat to get underway to exit the lock chamber, about 40 feet lower than we were before.