page 11

Dear Everyone- to continue my "eerie adventure"-- Mrs. Polly took me
to see a real working lock on the Erie Canal. We visited Lock 23.
When my box gets there, see if you can find it on the map I'm
bringing home.

Lock 23 got the 2001 Lock Award for being the prettiest, best-run
lock this year.

What's the reason for a lock? Rivers and lakes are at different
elevations along the Erie Canal route. If a lake is higher than the
river it empties into, there will be a waterfall down into the river.
Boats can't go up OR down a waterfall, so they build a sort of boat
elevator called a lock. The doors close behind the boat and water is
pumped in or out of the lock to make the boat rise or fall.

Here's a boat going into the western end of the lock. It will be
raised about 2 meters to meet the higher water level of the lake
beyond.

The doors close behind the boat. The doors at the other end of the
lock are already closed.

Now the operator works the special controls. He gave me a look at
them. Of course he didn't let me actually use the controls myself!
They say right valve and left valve, and right and left gate. There's
also a Red and Green traffic light so oncoming boat traffic can tell
if the lock is open or closed in that direction.

Now the valves are opened and the water is pumped into the lock.
That's how the boats go up to the water level of the lake.

Now the operator opens the east gates and the boats start to move out
into the river and lake beyond.

There was a nice sign that told some facts about Lock 23. I hope you
can read it! The lockmasters there were VERY nice and gave me special
Erie Canal coloring books for all of you!

I'm going to send one more letter right before I leave, but right now
I'm going to pack!!!

Love, Monty