travel throughout New York's heartland, gliding past lush farmland, famous historic battlefields, scenic port towns and thriving wildlife preserves. There are 57 locks and almost 300 additional miles of accessible lakes and rivers stretching across the entire state. Many large dams have navigation locks designed to raise and lower boats from one water level to another, allowing vessels to travel up and down stream. These locks were built, along with a series of dams, to bypass rapids, waterfalls, and otherwise unnavigable areas. When locking through with any large vessel be particularly cautious of prop turbulence and vessel wake. Many commercial vessels are designed to occupy the entire space within a lock, never try to squeeze into a lock chamber with a larger vessel unless directed to by the lock operator. The operator will determine the order in which boats enter a lock in order to maximize the lock most efficiently. The lock operator controls all boat traffic through the lock by light signals or horn devices. All canal locks and lift bridges monitor VHF channel 13 as well as cellular phones. The following tips and suggestions are recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip along the canal and through the locks: 57