Scenic Sailing – St. Lawrence Seaway Locks

For some odd reason, I was up and out very early this morning and was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise over the foggy St. Lawrence River. 

A Beautiful Sunrise

Today was a day at sea, passing through a series of locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway as we sailed downstream. Everyone seemed to be on deck to watch our transit through the Eisenhower Lock while the Expedition Team narrated our passage. 

Transiting the Eisenhower Lock

At the end of the eight-nautical mile Wiley-Dondero Canal, we then passed through the Snell Lock before sailing under the Seaway International Bridge. Both locks are in New York State.

Through the Snell Lock and Under the Seaway International Bridge

A sea day is a perfect time for the many lectures for which Viking is famous. To continue the theme of locks, Specialist Todd Miller presented a very interesting talk on “Linking the Lakes – The History and Canals in the Great Lakes.” We learned that the St. Lawrence Seaway connects all five Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean through a distance of more than 2,000 miles.

Locks and More Locks

In the afternoon, we had an opportunity to check out one of the features that makes Viking Expedition ships special. We visited the lab to see the science facilities onboard and then went down to the hangar, where the “toys” are kept. The expedition equipment includes kayaks and zodiacs, which are available to us at various ports on this cruise, as well as Special Operations Boats and two yellow submarines named Ringo and George that are employed in waters farther south.

Checking Out the "Toys"

Every afternoon at 5:30 pm, the Expedition Team presents a Daily Briefing and Recap. Not only do we learn the details of tomorrow’s tours, but we receive short presentations from the Science and Expedition Teams about the day’s activities.

The Daily Briefing and Recap

Because Expedition ships carry only 378 guests, I’ve found it much easier to meet fellow passengers. It’s an interesting mix of first-time Viking guests, with ones who have sailed multiple times. In fact, there are quite a few veteran world cruisers, and I’m looking forward to meeting them.