Ups & Downs

There has been a canal at Sault Sainte Marie since 1797. Originally the boats were pulled through the lock by horses, which also powered the doors and pumps. Now everything is mechanized. Our ship is dropping 21 feet as it goes from Lake Superior into Lake Michigan. This facility is operated by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, who charge the ships nothing for passing through. The true course of the river parallels our path about a quarter mile to our north, and its rapids are pretty impressive. I can see why shippers felt that a canal was needed here. I remember reading about Sault Sainte Marie in about the fourth grade. We also read about Father Marquette and Joliet. Interesting that they were not really part of my world as a Southerner, but we read about them, the fur trappers and the Great Lakes. Turns out that our textbooks were published in Lansing, Michigan. Our maps were made in Detroit. No wonder there was such an emphasis on the Midwest. Good to be here. Finally.Read more