This Laker was waiting at the lower approach wall to Lock 8 in Port Colborne while a salt water vessel or 'Salty' was making its way through the lock. You can see that he is obviously in ballast, heading to the upper lakes probably to load coal or ore.
The opposite side of the canal can be seen close off the port bow of the vessel, which shows how little room there is between these vessels when they pass at the entrance to the locks.
Lock 8 is known as a control lock because there is only a couple of feet difference between the Lake Erie water level and this portion of the Welland Canal. In most cases, the lock master lets vessels 'walk through' the lock without the need to put lines out and secure.
The bike path moves away from the Canal slightly after this point to go around a grain elevator before coming back at Ramey's Bend. This is where the Canal splits in two with the old section passes on the west and the new section to the east. The bike path follows along the old section that has now been turned into a rowing circuit. The path has very good signage along the route showing the particular section you are riding through and in some places it is even in French!
There was only time for a short ride down to the old bridge just beyond this sign, but I was back around Lock 8 in time to see the Salty poke her nose out of the lock. Hopefully, she will be well down the Canal by the time we are ready for our own transit so we can get through the system in a reasonable eight hours.
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