Port Hastings in Inverness County, Nova Scotia — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)

Operation of the Canso Canal / Exploitation du Canal

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2019

1. Operation of the Canso Canal / Exploitation du Canal Marker

Inscription.

English: , A canal is a manmade waterway connecting two bodies of water. When one body of water is higher than the other, the canal uses a lock, in this case, a tidal lock consisting of two sets of gates, to compensate for the difference in water levels. Otherwise, strong currents would make safe navigation impossible. Water levels, due to tidal differences at either end of the Canso Canal, can vary as much as a metre. Typical operation of the canal is as follows:, 1. When a ship approaches the canal, the first set of lock gates is slowly opened to equalize the water levels on both sides, and the ship arrestor is placed in the raised position. If approaching from the south end of the canal, the swing bridge for the Trans-Canada Highway and the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway must be rotated to allow the ship to pass. The north gates remain closed and the north ship arrestor is in the lowered position., 2. When water stabilizes, the ship enters the lock, the ship arrestor is lowered and the first set of gates closes behind the ship., 3. The ship is then moored while the second set of gates at the other end of the lock opens and the ship arrestor is raised. The water between the gates once again stabilizes at the same level as the second body of water to which the vessel will be exiting., 4. The ship is then permitted to safely leave the canal., The Canso Canal is operational for about 254 consecutive days per year on a 24-hour basis during ice free conditions. The Canadian Coast Guard is responsible for the operation of the Canal. An average 2,065 ships with a gross tonnage of 1,910,641 tons pass through the Canso Canal yearly., (photo captions:) , . North Gates / Écluses nord , . North Ship Arrestor / Dispositif nord d’arrêt pour les navires , . Operations Centre / Centre des opérations , . South Ship Arrestor / Dispositif sud d’arrêt pour les navires , . South Gates / Écluses sud , . Swing Bridge / Pont tournant , . This historical marker was erected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Pêches et Océans Canada. It is in Port Hastings in Inverness County Nova Scotia

English:
A canal is a manmade waterway connecting two bodies of water. When one body of water is higher than the other, the canal uses a lock, in this case, a tidal lock consisting of two sets of gates, to compensate for the difference in water levels. Otherwise, strong currents would make safe navigation impossible. Water levels, due to tidal differences at either end of the Canso Canal, can vary as much as a metre. Typical operation of the canal is as follows:

1. When a ship approaches the canal, the first set of lock gates is slowly opened to equalize the water levels on both sides, and the ship arrestor is placed in the raised position. If approaching from the south end of the canal, the swing bridge for the Trans-Canada Highway and the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway must be rotated to allow the ship to pass. The north gates remain closed and the north ship arrestor is in the lowered position.

2. When water stabilizes, the ship enters the lock, the ship arrestor is lowered and the first set of gates closes behind the ship.

3. The ship is then moored while the second set of

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gates at the other end of the lock opens and the ship arrestor is raised. The water between the gates once again stabilizes at the same level as the second body of water to which the vessel will be exiting.

4. The ship is then permitted to safely leave the canal.

The Canso Canal is operational for about 254 consecutive days per year on a 24-hour basis during ice free conditions. The Canadian Coast Guard is responsible for the operation of the Canal. An average 2,065 ships with a gross tonnage of 1,910,641 tons pass through the Canso Canal yearly.

(photo captions:)
• North Gates / Écluses nord
• North Ship Arrestor / Dispositif nord d’arrêt pour les navires
• Operations Centre / Centre des opérations
• South Ship Arrestor / Dispositif sud d’arrêt pour les navires
• South Gates / Écluses sud
• Swing Bridge / Pont tournant

Français:
Un canal est une voie navigable artificielle reliant deux cours d'eau. Dès que le niveau d'un cours d'eau est supérieur à celui de l'autre, on construit un canal pour compenser la différence en utilisant des écluses — dans ce cas-ci, il s'agit d'écluses à marée — composées de deux portes. Autrement, la force des courants rendrait la navigation trop dangereuse. Les différences dans les marées aux deux extrémités du canal peuvent faire varier les

Marker detail: Canso Canal - Strait of Canso /<br>Canal de Canso — détroit de Canso image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Canso Canal - Strait of Canso /
Canal de Canso — détroit de Canso

Aerial view of the Canso Canal site providing navigation between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean.

Vue aérienne du canal de Canso, qui relie le golfe du Saint-Laurent et l'océan Atlantique.

niveaux d'eau jusqu'à un mètre. Voici les étapes du franchissement d'une écluse :

1. Quand un navire s'approche du canal, la première porte de l'écluse s'ouvre lentement pour égaliser les niveaux de l'eau des deux côtés, et la barrière de retenue est levée. Si le navire arrive du côté sud du canal, le pont tournant pour la route transcanadienne et le chemin de fer de la Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway doit être déplacé pour laisser passer le navire. La porte amont demeure fermée et la barrière de retenue amont reste baissée.

2. Une fois que le niveau de l'eau s'est stabilisé, le navire entre dans l'écluse, la barrière de retenue est abaissée, et la première porte de l'écluse se referme sur le navire.

3. Le navire est amarré pendant que l'éclusier ouvre la porte amont de l'écluse et fait monter la barrière de retenue. Encore une fois, le niveau de l'eau se stabilise par rapport au niveau du deuxième plan d'eau par d'où le navire devra sortir.

4. Le navire peut quitter le canal en toute sécurité.

Le canal de Canso fonctionne environ 254 journées consécutives par année, 24 heures par jour, lorsque l'eau est libre de glaces. La Garde côtière du Canada est responsable de l'exploitation du canal. Chaque année, environ 2,065 navires traversent le canal de Canso, ce qui représente une jauge brute d'environ 1,910,641 tonnes.

Erected by

Marker detail: November 2002 – Canso Canal /<br>Novembre 2002 – Canal de Canso image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: November 2002 – Canso Canal /
Novembre 2002 – Canal de Canso

Sauniere entering the Canso Canal lock from the north of the Strait of Canso.

Le Sauniere entrant dans l’écluse du canal Canso, depuis la partie nord du détroit de Canso.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Pêches et Océans Canada.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 45° 38.883′ N, 61° 24.746′ W. Marker is in Port Hastings, Nova Scotia, in Inverness County. Marker can be reached from Trans Canada Highway (National Route 104) half a kilometer west of Ceilidh Trail (Route 19), on the right when traveling west. Marker is located in the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail interpretive plaza and trailhead, on the east side of the Canso Causeway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Port Hastings NS B9A 1J8, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Construction of the Canso Canal / Construction du Canal de Canso (here, next to this marker); The Building of the Canso Causeway / La Construction de la Levée de Canso (here, next to this marker); History of the Canso Canal / Historique du Canal de Canso (here, next to this marker); Canso Causeway (a few steps from this marker).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Canso Canal & Causeway

Operation of the Canso Canal Marker (left)<br>(<i>wide view showing nearby related markers</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2019

4. Operation of the Canso Canal Marker (left)
(wide view showing nearby related markers)

Canso Causeway Swing Bridge (<i>view from near marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2019

5. Canso Causeway Swing Bridge (view from near marker)

This swing bridge carries the Trans-Canada Highway and the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway across the Canso Canal.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 242 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 11, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 16, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.