I had some sort of brain fart yesterday and didn’t get part 2 of this series posted. Because of this, I’ve decided to post the series on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week with the last 2 posts on Monday and Wednesday next week. That way there will be 2 weeks with beautiful photos by Nightjar, to whom I sincerely apologize. Without further ado, Nightjar presents The Douro Valley, Part 2.
I had never seen a lock operate before, let alone actually navigate through one, so I was really looking forward to this part of the cruise. Being raised 28 meters (92 feet) up a dam and looking back on it as we go upstream is quite an experience. I think these photos tell the story well.
Going towards the lock, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Looking up, a long way to go, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Closing gate, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Two boats are lifted at the same time, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
Watching the water level rise as the lock is filled, ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
And we’re upstream, the journey can go on. ©Nightjar, all rights reserved
I’m impressed!
I grew up in Ottawa, so I’m familiar with the lock system in the city, as well as all along the canal, and it’s fascinating watching boats taking the steps up and down. This seems a lot more impressive, though, one giant step, and the massive concrete is very imposing and almost claustrophobic! I bet it was a relief getting to the top.
I recently caught a 1 minute time lapse of a cargo ship going through the Welland Canal (between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Canada), and it’s not only a marvel of engineering (seriously, giant ships lifted up and down in carefully co-ordinated sequence!) and memorial of death (many lives lost in the building, including to malaria), but a triumph of precision -- you can see how narrow the canals are, and how small the margin is for those ships.
Looking forward to the rest of this journey!