PhotoHunt: lock

Around about this time last year I visited Redon, in Brittany.  In the Middle Ages Redon was an important port, when ships could navigate up the river Vilaine at high tide.  Then in 1836, the Nantes to Brest canal which crosses the river Vilaine at Redon was completed (to avoid the British fleets off the coast), resulting in a set of locks in the town which is criss-crossed with waterways.

This is the point where the canal crosses the Vilaine.

Another lock, just ahead of the river.

Nowadays the water traffic in Redon is mainly made up of pleasure crafts.  This is one leaving the Port de Plaisance, the marina, through one of the locks.

Just beside the lock gates was this interesting vessel, with the plaque US Navy ST 732 6 June 1944.  The date of the Normandy landings 65 years ago.  On further investigation I have discovered it was the tug Attis, first launched on 10 January 1944, transferred to French ownership on 19 June 1950.  There are more pictures and documentation from the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors.

I had to restrain myself this week.  I have all sorts of other locks I could show you from Amsterdam and elsewhere, not to mention locks in doors, locks of hair.  If you want to see how other people have treated the subject, visit  TNchick's site., where you can join in and find other players.