Fourth of July - Sault Ste Marie - Soo Locks

4 July - Looking back on this special holiday in the USA, we saw a lot of different and interesting sights, all in one day.  Bonnie drove us to Sault Ste Marie, famous for its Soo Locks which allow huge ships to pass from Lake Huron to Lake Superior.  There is a large complex of locks, both older and modern with an excellent multi-storey viewing platform.

When we arrived at Sault Ste Marie we found the 4th of July parade going on.

Lots of tractors ... this one is an Allis-Chalmers ...

The tractor driver's sign says "Sexy"

... and lots of flags

Bonnie was keen for us to try the famous local whitefish for lunch.  The parade is still going on in the street below!

And on to see the Soo locks, first an aerial photo at the visitor centre.  Owen is pointing to where we are.  USA to the left, Canada to the right.

The historic Administration building with empty lock ...

... and now full

A tourist sightseeing boat enters the same lock ...

and has now risen 21 feet higher

Sault Ste Marie is two cities, on this side of the lock it is in Michigan State, USA.  Across the lock, the green grass and beyond is Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada

The viewing stand (from behind)

The large ship we were waiting to arrive, the "John G Munson", entering a larger, more distant lock, travelling upstream into Lake Superior.  It was empty at this point, it would travel on to Duluth, Minnesota to collect iron ore.