Flute Hydraulics, Peterborough

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Hydraulic Acoustics!

I recently discovered that the largest hydraulic lift lock in the world is situated quietly in Peterborough, and was intrigued by the acoustics of this high, arched roadway through Lift Lock 21 of the Trent-Severn Canal. This is a most Canadian of driving situations, as drivers simply take turns proceeding through the long, single-laned tunnel, without the aid of traffic signals or even any signage to speak of. Admittedly I did hear an occasional car horn blaring in the distance as I wandered the site snapping a few photos, but these were the exception, not the rule!

One can only wonder what the river-etiquette was like on the Trent-Severn Waterway thousands of years ago, or more recently, back in the 17th Century, when fur-traders and Champlain trafficked this historic route.