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How the Locks work The Soo Locks operate on gravity, as do all locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway system. No pumps are used to empty or fill the lock chambers; valves are opened, and water is allowed to seek its own level. Vessels in the St. Marys River system, of which the Soo Locks are a part, are under control of the U.S. Coast Guard at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. In the vicinity of the locks, they fall under jurisdiction of the lockmaster, who must be contacted on VHF Ch. 14 (156.700 MHz) for lock assignments. Traffic is dispatched to the appropriate lock according to size, other vessels in the locks area and by the time the captain first calls in to the lockmaster. All ves- sels longer than 730 feet and/or wider than 76 feet are restricted by size to the Poe, or second, lock. After a vessel makes a landing at piers on either end of the canal, crew members are swung over the side to help lock personnel handle the mooring cables.When the lock chamber is ready, the protective fender boom is raised, the gates swing open, and the ship moves slowly forward.The vessel is under engine and thruster control at all times, with crews ready to drop mooring lines over bollards on the lock wall to stop its movement. As soon as the vessel is in posi- tion, engines are stopped and mooring lines made fast. If the ves- sel is being lowered, valves at the lower end of the lock chamber are opened to allow the water inside to flow out. If the vessel is being raised, valves at the upper end of the lock chamber are opened to allow water to enter. When the water reaches the desired level, the valves are closed, the protec- A downbound vessel is in the Poe Lock, tive boom is raised, the gates are while the MacArthur Lock awaits its next opened, and the vessel proceeds customer. (Roger LeLievre) on her way. Vessels passing through the locks spend an average of 65 minutes from the time they enter the canal at one end until they pass the outer piers at the other end. Of this time, an average of 30 min- utes is consumed in entering, raising or lowering, and leaving the lock chamber. 10 KYS ‘05