Barge crew heads out early in serene scene from Albion
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Crew members help guide a 195-foot-long barge as it nears a bend on the Erie Canal in Gaines this morning, close to the historical marker that notes this spot is the northernmost point on the Erie Canal. This photo was taken at about 6:25 a.m.
Crew members from Carver Companies started the day early in Albion. A tugboat pushing the barge started at 6 a.m. and began moving a 195-foot-long barge from its overnight spot between the lift bridges in Albion.
There were a few people up from the community to see the tugboat and barge begin the trek headed west. Carver Companies estimates it will be in Medina around 8:30-9 this morning.
Donna Matteson drove from Kent to Albion to see the barge at 6 a.m. She is pleased to see the canal used to move some heavy cargo. In this case it is two sections of a pedestrian bridge in Buffalo.
Carver already has moved two other sections of the bridge to Buffalo, passing through Orleans on Monday and reaching Buffalo on Tuesday. Carver has been moving the two big barges for about 2 1/2 weeks on the canal, starting in Albany.
Crew members stand on the end of the barge to help direct the massive vessel carrying sections of a bridge. This was at about 6 a.m. when the crew departed from Albion.
The barge and tug head west while early morning mist is on the canal in Albion.
The barge gets under the guard gate in Albion. Carver Companies said the two sections on the barge are bigger and heavier than the first two that passed through Orleans County on Monday. The heavier cargo caused the barge to sit lower in the water, scraping bottom at times on the journey.
Carver Companies posted on its Facebook page the barge needs to draft 9 feet in order to clear under bridges that are 15 feet, 6 inches.
The two pedestrian bridge sections on the barge today are 2 feet higher than the sections are on the first barge, so Carver has the barge sitting deeper in the water to get under the bridges.
The barge passes under the Gaines Basin Road canal bridge.
The barge and tugboat heads west near the northernmost point of the canal, with Eagle Harbor the next hamlet on the journey.
Carver Companies said it is hoping to reach Buffalo Saturday morning with the two sections of the pedestrian bridge.
