M/V Richard at RCB L&D

 I was in the neighborhood a couple of days ago and swung by the Gallipolis Locks and Dam, the old name which I prefer to the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam. As I was about to leave, I saw the M/V Richard approach and pass the dredging work being done by Amherst Madison in the lower lock approaches.

Because it was late afternoon, I was shooting into the sun to try for photos of the Richard or the Amherst boats. But in the lock chamber, I was able to get off a few shots of the guys on the barges without the glare of the sun.

Two boats, 5/50/23

 First, the M/V Catlettsburg, in color and black and white.

And another of the M/V Sally Whalen, in color and black and white.

M/V Sally Whalen

 Seen passing Lock and Dam 27 on a good morning for photography.

This was a good morning for shooting. I also got two or three good pics of the Catlettsburg and one (no boat) at Catlettsburg before the rain sent me home. Those should be posted this weekend sometime, but I wanted to get this one up soon.

The steps at Lock and Dam 27

For years I've been going to the park on the Ohio side of old Lock & Dam 27. I'd looked at the old duplex houses on the site, and I've parked my vehicles in the parking area where the old powerhouse stood.

Today for the first time I noticed the sidewalk and steps leading down from the houses to the powerhouse area. I don't know why I'd never noticed them before. They are close to the road, so I was probably focusing more on oncoming traffic, if any, than visuallyscanning the residence area. But today I noticed the steps, and as usual it got me to wondering.

How many people walked down that sidewalk while the dam was in operation? Construction began in 1918, and the dam went into operation in 1923. Operations ceased in or about 1961 when the Greenup Locks and Dam raised its pool, so people must have used that strip of concrete for maybe 40 years -- and it's been 62 years since it was needed.

I had to walk that sidewalk for myself. As I did, I thought about the men who had the sometimes-dangerous job of raising the dam's wickets. Did their wives bring them meals while they worked? Did they use lunch pails similar to those used by underground coal miners of that era? Or maybe they walked up to their homes to eat something before going back to work. How many children used that path down to the powerhouse, and then the steps down to the river to the esplanade where they could get closeup views of the paddlewheel boats in the locks?

As far as I know, no one is planning any sort of centennial celebration of Lock & Dam 27, so I'll declare it myself here on the Ohio River Blog.

Happy 100th, Lock & Dam 27.

M/V Biloxi and an old camera

 It may be good for some things, but this 18-year-old camera with its six megapixel sensor is not my first choice for towboat pictures.

It's still OK for closeups and portraits, though.

Nothing professional, but everyday stuff.

Encounter at South Point

 

That's South Point, Ohio, in the background, and I couldn't resist the Star Trek reference.

Heading up the Ohio