Monday, April 25, 2011

Welland Canal/ My World

The Welland Canal, St. Catherines. Ontario

There are two bridges here: The Garden City Sky Way and a lift bridge, which is down so traffic can pass over it. The two bridges are needed as the lift bridge carries local traffic and the skyway,  a major highway - the Queen Elizabeth Way - between Toronto and the United States border.

The Welland Canal (part of the St. Lawrence Seaway)  allows HUGE ships to travel from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, bypassing Niagara Falls.

Raising the lift bridge, as seen from the west side

The lift bridge is raised to allow a combination barge/tugboat to pass through from west to east. (I was standing on the west side.)

Although the Welland Canal can handle 30 freighters a day, only two passed through the day I was there, just two weeks into the Great Lakes shipping season. What luck for me and my camera that the first one came through as we were shooting the bridges!

Barge/tugboat passing through, as seen from the east side

I am linking to My World.
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42 comments:

  1. JackApril 25, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    In many areas, barge traffic and other shipping is non-existent, and people don't realize how much cargo is moved that way.

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  2. Tanya BreeseApril 25, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    perfect timing!!

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  3. KathyApril 25, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    Wow, I'm glad you were there to. Amazing pictures.

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  4. Small City ScenesApril 25, 2011 at 9:58 AM

    Lucky indeed!!! What an awesome shot that first one is. Just where were you to get such an excellent shot. We have a similar area where the freeway bridge goes over the Snohomish river while two bridges that open for boating traffic carry local traffic over the same river below the higher bridge. I cannot get any type of shot. Grrrrr!!! MB

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  5. Penelope NotesApril 25, 2011 at 10:29 AM

    That was a lucky break! The perspectives are also nice, particularly the one with the spring pink blossoms to the right of the oncoming vessel.

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  6. donApril 25, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    A fine series of this unusual bridge scene with one lift bridge low and the other so high overhead. An excellent action series.

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  7. KaoriApril 25, 2011 at 11:14 AM

    This is great getting to see the bridges in action! Beautiful view, too :-D

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  8. Martha ZApril 25, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    Great sighting. Recently Hubby and I spent half an hour waiting for a train in the Tehachapi loop. When done with the Utah trip I'll post those.

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  9. Leif HagenApril 25, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    Those are some impressive bridges over the water!

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  10. AnonymousApril 25, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    Great shots of the bridge opening!

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  11. Nellie from Beyond My GardenApril 25, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Wonderful blues and I like your perspective.
    nellie

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  12. RedPatApril 25, 2011 at 2:43 PM

    My uncle lived by those first locks on the canal and as kids we would spend hours watching the ships go through. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

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  13. Ruth HiebertApril 25, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    This is fascinating.Those are huge bridges.

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  14. jocoApril 25, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    How clever: a double bridge, so you don't have to wait.
    Lots of water about where you are.
    1jo.co

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  15. Sylvia KApril 25, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Love those huge bridges!! Terrific captures as always! Have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  16. LesleyApril 25, 2011 at 3:57 PM

    You do manage to get great canal shots!

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  17. EbieApril 25, 2011 at 4:10 PM

    I just would love to be there to see the opening of the bridge! Nice photos!

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  18. UnknownApril 25, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Haven't seen those for a number of years!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  19. AlApril 25, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    I love lift bridges, and these are nice captures. The one time I was in Chicago, I was lucky enough to see the downtown bridges lifted for some sailing ships.

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  20. Kay L. DaviesApril 25, 2011 at 4:23 PM

    It's been a long time since I've seen a lift bridge at work in Western Canada. Super shots of the Welland Canal, from both sides, too. Nice work!
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  21. Photo CacheApril 25, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    I thought we'd never see the bridge lifted ;)

    Hoped your Easter was wonderful.

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  22. eileeninmdApril 25, 2011 at 4:40 PM

    Great captures of the lifted bridges. I can imagine the traffic all backed up while they for the birdges to go back down.

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  23. EveApril 25, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    Oh, great timing! :D
    I always enjoy watching the ships traveling through the areas that require the lifted bridges... unless I'm trying to get someplace and end up stuck in the traffic. ;)

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  24. BarbaraApril 25, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    Interesting to see the bridge lifting you were there just at the right time.

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  25. Reader WilApril 25, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    How impressive to see a boat going underneath these bridges. Thanks for sharing.

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  26. FranciscaApril 25, 2011 at 6:32 PM

    I do believe you are charmed, Ms EG! I'd forgotten about this draw bridge over the Welland Canal...

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  27. aspiritofsimplicityApril 25, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    great pictures of the bridges. draw bridges are so cool.

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  28. You can never take too many picturesApril 25, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    Oh How wonderful to see those amazing bridges again!!! I grew up along the Welland Canal, more toward the Port Colborne end ( Dain City), and enjoyed for years as the world of ships passed us by...the hours fishing along her shores and enjoying the clear waters in summer.The smelt thick as a blanket swimming by in the spring and ice skating on her in the winter. The area of the system I grew up along is now been cut off by land and her waters are dark and muddy since they constructed the new by-pass. So many bridges torn down or changes to single level styles. Thanks for the memories!!!!!!

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  29. BeckyApril 25, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    I was there so many years ago with my parents. You have taken some very interesting pictures EG.
    Have a great week.
    B.

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  30. SandyCarlsonApril 25, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    Some serious brain power goes into those bridges. Really astounding.

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  31. Four-eyed-missyApril 25, 2011 at 9:59 PM

    Perfect timing for your photo-shoot! We don't have bridges that fold like that but we have cargo boats that cruise along the waters of the Mighty Mekong River and its tributaries.


    Inside Cambodia

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  32. Sallie (FullTime-Life)April 25, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    That's our kind of place! (I've done some posts on lift bridges here in Florida -- and we live on a Canal (but not that big of a one -- our bridges are on the River). Great pictures.

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  33. stardustApril 25, 2011 at 11:19 PM

    At first glance, I thought them as two-story bridge. You’re so lucky to capture the bridge lifting. Thank you for sharing!

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  34. Yogi♪♪♪April 26, 2011 at 7:10 AM

    That would be cool to see the lift bridge in action. We don't have any of those anywhere close to where I live.

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  35. My name is RietApril 26, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    We have a lot of those lift bridges here. It is nice when you are ailing but not so nice when you are waiting in your car to have it closed again. hihi.

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  36. Joe ToddApril 26, 2011 at 12:45 PM

    I've been on the QEW several times over the last 50 years.. I don't think there as many fruit stands at least not like 50 years ago LOL

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  37. LowellApril 26, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    I love this series! You do live in such an interesting area with many wonderful photographic opportunities.

    Great bridge shots. And the photo of the tug/barge is super!

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  38. JoyfulApril 26, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    You captured the bridge in action. Great captures.

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  39. VPApril 26, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    We have much smaller swing bridges in port, but this lift bridge is spectacular!

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  40. genieApril 26, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    What impressive bridges. I have never seen anything like this duo. That upper one really does look like it is very high. Love the shot with the lower one open wide and the one with the boat. I learn something new every day. It is such fun to be alive. G

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  41. snowwhiteApril 26, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    Wow, interesting bridge! This is first time for me to see this kind of bridge! you were lucky enogh to capture this exciting scene! It's a great fun to see two boats passing through!
    Have a beautiful week!!

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  42. AnonymousApril 27, 2011 at 7:20 AM

    Nice series of photos. That's a huge canal, far bigger than what I think of when I hear that word. (For obvious reasons, if it's a passage for the great lakes freighters. )

    I'm sure bypassing Niagara falls is a good thing for boats!

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