Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I've never seen the locks yet and I'm planning for a close vantage point, easy access and away from the crowds to shoot ships as they pass through the canal. Specifically the Tall Ships coming this Canada Day.

I believe they will pass through the canal to get to the various U.S lake cities but I'm not sure when. I will know specifics when I talk to the crew when they visit Toronto.

Thoughts?

It takes four to six hours for a boat to pass through all eight locks.

If you have the time you can follow the ship all the way up or down.

Lock 3 in St. Catharines has a museum and a observation platform.
Lock 7 in Thorold has a good vantage point to the lock.
Lock 2 is interesting as well but you'll be on the side of the road. The traffic closes as the ship goes into the lock because the bridge is lifted.

Lock 3 is generally crowded and you can expect people watching at the other locks as well.

Locks 4,5 and six are linked together and there isn't much you can see there.

Here is what you can expect from the observation platform at Lock 3:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0sWLSR8a16Sivu455DjuwQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cnno-qkNKoI/TBowxReX1qI/AAAAAAAAIb0/IXGaykYWi_Q/s800/RBG_20090926_1.jpg"></a>

you'll need a wide lens. 17mm on a crop body is not enough.

Here is a view from Lock 2:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/H_2jbdiUMu6-hNpZDNsYsw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Cnno-qkNKoI/TBoxCn1BoFI/AAAAAAAAIcI/OH18S7CCz7o/s800/RBG_20090926_1.jpg"></a>

Here is a map with real time information about the ships that navigate the St. Lawrence Seaway: http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/navigating/map/index.html

Thanks for the photos and info. Lock 2 looks promising. The St. Lawrence Seaway is nice link. Very handy if your tracking real time ship movement.