And The Season Ends…

The 189th annual season on the historic Erie Barge Canal ended this past week. On Friday, the waterway was closed to boat traffic and it will soon be drained. For weeks, now, barges, tugs, and tenders have been making their way to their designated parking spots along the banks of the canal – their work is finished and they are no longer needed to maintain canal operations and what little commerce still utilizes the canal system. As I left church and headed home this afternoon, I noticed that the section between the Main Street and Ingersoll Street lift bridges is crammed end-to-end and two deep with these iconic floating work horses all tied off along the north bank. I couldn’t resist pulling up and snapping some photos before the state begins to ready the canal for winter by draining it of most of its water.

Even though today is actually a warm fall day, the sky and trees look very much like winter is already upon us – dark, dreary, sullen, and lonely. The park benches along the tow path are abandoned and the vessels look cold and barren.

I’ll post some winter shots in the coming months, but this post marks the end of the 2013 season…..the canal will reopen for business for the 190th year in the spring……until then, rest ye ole work vessels, rest…….