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Old 10-16-2016, 05:01 AM   #72
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Caledonian Canal

Scotland's canals have a unique place in the history of canal-building of the Industrial Age of Great Britain.

Stretching from Corpach (just north of Fort William) on the west coast of Scotland to Inverness on the east coast through the Great Glen, the Caledonian Canal is 60 miles (50 nautical miles) long. 22 miles of which are man-made to connect the natural fresh water lochs of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, Loch Ness and Loch Dochfour.

The canal was conceived to provide safe passage for shipping including the British Royal Navy, avoiding the dangerous route through the Pentland Firth and around Cape Wrath. The construction of the canal also provided employment after the Highland Clearances.

Surveys were made in 1773 then in 1793 but the war with France eight years later led to the building of the canal as a means of avoiding privateers. An Act of Parliament in July 1803 authorising the canal engineer Thomas Telford to survey, design and build the waterway with the help of William Jessop. The work was expected to take 7 years to complete at a cost of £474,000.

By the time the canal was built, Napoleon was defeated at the battle of Waterloo (at least from what I have been told ) and the war was over. Caledonian canal opened in 1822, after 12 years to build at a cost £910,000 employing over 3,000 people. Even if the threat to British Naval shipping was gone, but with the spectacular scenery the canal was popular for pleasure cruising and it provided the safe passage it had originally been intended to during the First World War.

The canal is, even by today’s standards, an amazing feat of engineering. There are 29 locks 4 aquaducts and 10 swing bridges all of which are operated since by British Waterways’ staff. Sea locks and most locks and bridges are equipped with VHF and operate on Channel 74.

The maximum size of boat that can navigate throughout the Caledonian Canal is :
45.72 m (150' ) long; 10.67m (35' ) beam; 4.11m (13.5' ) draft ; Maximum mast height in the canal is 35m (115' ) above the waterline, but clearance under the Kessock Bridge on the Inverness Firth is lower at 27.4m (89.8' ).
Large commercial vessels operate on the Caledonian Canal. These ships normally have right of way and it should be necessary to stop our smaller boat for short periods.

To be continued in the coming weeks.
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