is that it, Dave ?

The one and only, famous now for our pair of perrigrine falcons and all the millions the federal government has blown on it. Are you from the area and when was the picture taken?

Big Dave

No, I'm far away. But I love bridges. What's the story with the falcons etc. ??
see you later, we're off to work.
Daniela

Well our bridge is considered to be one of the best in the world for it's condition and like you I love bridges, I am always blown away at well our bridge operates and how quiet and smooth it is. The falcons have been at the bridge now for three years and are attempting to raise their young but without success so we have built a bird home for them atop one of the towers to help them out and hopefully we will have some new additions in the future. I see that you are from Europe did you visit the bridge? and if you did what did you think of it.

Well Daniela i'll talk to you later.
Big Dave

Whoa! I thought you guys were talking about one of those little sorta lock type bridges. That's a BRIDGE! That must be cool working there. Dave, how big are some of the water vessels that pass under it?

Well JD we get all kinds of ships, lakers, salty's, tugs, tall ships, lots of sailboats. The overall height of a lift is 110feet from the road way, then depending on the water level you can add between 8 to 10 feet to the 110. I'll have to post a few pictures and yes it is a totally awesome place to work, my son loves to go there and go up into the control tower and sound off the horn and siren and watch the ships pass through. I'm not exactly sure but I think the longest ship to travel through the canal is the paul martin( a laker ) and the highest was the lykes winner( salt water vessel ). They have also put in a pathway that runs from the bridge for at least 10 kilometeres that people are now using a lot to rollerblade and ride their bikes, it's very nice and has brought a lot of people down to the beach and the bridge.

And only five to six hours away for me and Jayd and summer is coming. Sounds like an awesome day trip. No promises but Big D, I gotta see this bridge.

I'll ask about the details another time but I'm inspired now.

I was wondering, Dave , do you open the bridge at regular times, or do you open on request, or do you close it on request (=open it for a car), because I assume it's a road over the bridge ??!
And if you open on request from the ships, do you talk to them on the radio ? And how long does it take to open ? And do you also have sailing boats passing through ? And does it cost the cars and/ or the ships toll ?
No, to answer your question, I have not been there, at least not consciently, I mean, when I went to the Museum I was coming from Toronto, so, you tell me, did I pass the bridge ?
I do hope the falcons like their new home, that sounds like you need to bring binoculars to work. Are they on your side or the opposite ?
Yes, I love bridges, among other things (e.g. airplanes ), on my trip around the Gulf of Mexico I loved the various bridges, and also the causeways, even though there is no moving part, they're still the coolest roads.
Daniela

I will have to find a picture from 'our' bridge here. It's not a lift bridge, it doesn't open in any way, but it's the highest bridge of...I don't know. It's pretty cool, I actually still have to go visit. The Millau bridge.

To give an overview, all comercial shipping has right of way to use the canal on demand, they contact us by the marine radio at 5 miles distance and let us know that they are coming. Sail boats get lifts on the hour and half hour along as they are in the canal waiting, it takes approx. 5 minutes to achieve a full lift from the time we sound the horn. A ship can take aywhere from 8 min to 25 min to pass through the canal( the lakers tend to be alot faster then the salties due to the amount of times that they pass through) and yes Daniela you did pass the bridge and there are no tolls because the canal was there before the bridge. JD it is a great place for a day trip, at the other end of the pathway you have a waterpark and barbecue area, mini-golf, a petting zoo and hutchs famous fish and chips that is a landmark, oh and lets not forget the go-carts.

check out http://www.millau.fr/WW70AWP/WW70AWP.EXE/CTX_4504-1-hur...ueil/SYNC_-415934332

there are no tolls because the canal was there before the bridge

isn't that a fact for all bridges, I mean, who will build a bridge if there is no canal (or something else where you can't get across without a bridge ) ???

Actually if they had wanted to they could have charge a toll for cars to cross the bridge but not the ships. We also have the welland canal that does charge a fee to the ships as it was man made allowing ships from the great lakes to enter lake ontario and thus allowing access to the saint lawerance seaway and the atlantic ocean. I hope I explained that better.

Try this address it is from the beach community and shows a lot of pictures of the bridge and the beachstrip community and its history.
Big Dave

www.HamiltonBeachCommunity.ca

OK
This brings me back to the holiday I spent once, in Florida, and we had to talk to a bridge for them to open for us, it was great for us holiday sailors, I mean the whole procedure. Calling the bridge (Sanibel Bridge, Sanibel Bridge, this is Sailing Vessel Fat Cat approaching from the S, requesting ...), and then the bridge guy, him of course with about 1000000 times the routine, us real excited and just trying to do it all right, and he comes back, all bored and so...can't do the voice here, unfortunately, 'Fat Cat, this is Sanibel Bridge, you might wanna speed up a little, thersanother ship coming in from the N and Im gonna open up just for the 2 of you ifyoucan make it' (they had to respect certain max times of the bridge being open so the cars would not have to wait too much and create traffic jams) and then we might have to wait, or speed up like crazy, to get through...It was one of the highlights of sailing the ICW. THOSE WERE THE TIMES MY FRIEND...